Lesson 25

AC Power and
Power Triangle
Learning Objectives
Define real (active) power, reactive power, average, and
apparent power.
Calculate the real, reactive, and apparent power in AC
series parallel networks.
Graph the real and reactive power of purely resistive,
inductive, or capacitive loads in AC series parallel networks
as a function of time.
Determine when power is dissipated, stored, or released in
purely resistive, inductive, or capacitive loads in AC series
parallel networks.
Use the power triangle determine relationships between
real, reactive and apparent power.
AC Power
AC Impedance is a complex quantity made up of real resistance and imaginary
reactance.

u
v
reactive power: Z R jX ( )
AC Apparent Power is a complex quantity made up of real active power and imaginary

v
S P jQ (VA)
AC Real (Active) Power (P)
The Active power is the power that is dissipated in the resistance of the
load.
It uses the same formula used for DC (V & I are the magnitudes, not the
phasors):

2
V
PI R
2
[watts, W]
R
WARNING! #1 mistake with AC power calculations!
The Voltage in the above equation is the Voltage drop across the resistor, not
across the entire circuit!

CAUTION!
REAL value of resistance (R) is used in REAL power calculations, not
IMPEDANCE (Z)!
AC Imaginary (Reactive) Power (Q)
The reactive power is the power that is exchanged between reactive components (inductors and capacitors)
The formulas look similar to those used by the active power, but use reactance instead of resistances.

Units: Volts-Amps-Reactive (VAR)

Q is negative for a capacitor by convention and positive for inductor.

2

V
Just like X is negative for a capacitor! (-Xcj)

QI X 2
[VAR]
X
WARNING! #1 mistake with AC power calculations!
The Voltage in the above equation is the Voltage drop across the reactance, not
across the entire circuit!
AC Apparent Power (S)
The apparent power is the power that is appears to flow to the load.
The magnitude of apparent power can be calculated using similar formulas to those for active or reactive power:

Units: Volts-Amps (VA)

V & I are the magnitudes, not the phasors

2
V
S VI I Z
2
[VA]
Z


Apparent power calculated with Z

v
uv
AC Power

Real power calculated with R

ZR j X

Reactive power calculated with X

SP j Q
( )

(VA)
Notice the relationship between Z and S:
Power Triangle
The power triangle graphically shows the
relationship between real (P), reactive (Q) and
apparent power (S).

S P2 Q2
v
S P jQL
v
S S
Example Problem 1
Determine the real and reactive power of each component.
Determine the apparent power delivered by the source.
Real and Reactive Power
The power triangle also shows that we can find
real (P) and reactive (Q) power.

S IV (VA)
P S cos (W)
Q S sin (VAR)

NOTE: The impedance angle and

the power factor angle are the
same value!
Example Problem 2
Determine the apparent power, total real and
reactive power using the following equations:
S VI (VA)
P S cos (W)
Q S sin (VAR)
Total Power in AC Circuits
The total power real (PT) and reactive power
(QT) is simply the sum of the real and reactive
power for each individual circuit elements.
How elements are connected does not matter
for computation of total power.

PT P1 P2 P3 P4
QT Q1 Q2 Q3 Q4
Total Power in AC Circuits
Sometimes it is useful to redraw the circuit to
symbolically express the real and reactive power loads
Example Problem 3
a. Determine the unknown real (P2) and reactive powers (Q3) in the circuit below.
b. Determine total apparent power
c. Draw the power triangle
d. Is the unknown element in Load #3 an inductor or capacitor?
Example Problem 4
a. Determine the value of R, PT and QT
b. Draw the power triangle and determine S.
 WARNING

Proofs for Real and reactive

Power calculations follow
AC Power to a Resistive Load
In ac circuits, voltage and current are functions of time.
Power at a particular instant in time is given

Vm I m
p vi (Vm sin t )( I m sin t ) Vm I m sin t
2
1 cos 2t
2

This is called instantaneous power.

Average Power to a Resistive Load

p is always positive
All of the power delivered by the source is
absorbed by the load.
Average power P = VmIm / 2
Average Power to a Resistive Load
Using RMS values V and I
Vm
VRMS rms value of voltage
2
Im
I RMS rms value of current
2
Vm I m Vm I m
P VRMS I RMS (watts)
2 2 2

Active power is the average value of

instantaneous power.
Power to an Inductive Load
Consider the following circuit where
i = Im sin t .

Can we write an expression

instantaneous power or pL(t) ?
Power to an Inductive Load
i I m sin t
v Vm sin(t 90)
p vi (Vm sin t 90o)( I m sin t ) Vm I m cos t sin t
Vm I m Vm I m
sin 2t sin 2t VRMS I RMS sin 2 t
2 2 2
Power to an Inductive Load
p is equally positive and negative.
All of the power delivered by the source is
returned.
Average power PL = 0 W
Reactive Power
Reactive power is the portion of power
that flows into load and then back out.
It contributes nothing to average power.
The power that flows into and out of a
pure inductor is reactive power only.
Power to a Capacitive Load
Consider the following circuit where
i = Im sin t .

Can we write an expression

instantaneous power or pC(t) ?
Power to a Capacitive Load
i I m sin t
v Vm sin( t 90)
p vi (Vm sin t 90o)( I m sin t ) Vm I m cos t sin t
Vm I m Vm I m
sin 2t sin 2t VRMS I RMS sin 2t
2 2 2
Power to a Capacitive Load
p is equally positive and negative
All of the power delivered by the source is returned
(no power losses with a pure reactive load).
Average power PC = 0 W
AC Power to a Resistive Load

AC Power to a Inductive Load

AC Power to a Capacitive Load