Reactive power

B

Bruce Durdle

Oops - that can of worms has been re-opened! Here's my version:

In an electrical circuit containing inductance, voltage across the inductive elements is proportional to the rate of change of current. So if the current is a sine function of time, the voltage across the inductive element is a cosine function. The instantaneous power applied to the inductive element is the product of instantaneous current and instantaneous voltage. Over one complete cycle of the current waveform, the power completed 2 complete cycles and has an average value of zero. This represents energy being stored in and removed from the inductance. Although the energy involved is not used to heat or drive a load, it is essential to allow the load to operate. I've tried to come up with a useful mechanical analogy for this and it's not easy. However, if you are into rowing at a gym, you may be able to relate to this: A rowing machine has a relatively large flywheel and some elastic bits. When you pull on the handle, some of the effort does to driving the fan or other load - this relates to active power. Some of the effort goes into accelerating the flywheel or stretching the elastic - this energy is then recovered during the return stroke and is the reactive component.

Hope this helps,

Bruce
 
The first place you should look is http://www.wikipedia.org; search for 'reactive power'.

There are contributors to this site who will insist that reactive power doesn't "flow", or that there's no such thing as reactive "power". But for the purposes of this contribution (and per commonly acepted convention--see http://www.wikipedia.org) we will consider that reactive power does indeed exist and that it flows. And remember: the originator of this thread asked for an explanation in layman's terms, which for me, anyway, does not initially include vector diagrams and trigonometry and mathematical formulae. All of these things are necessary for a complete and proper understanding of the phenomenon, but not for a rudimentary understanding on which to base all of the formulae and vector diagrams, etc., which just serve as mathematical proofs of the principles.

In an AC power system, there are resistive loads and reactive loads. Reactive loads include inductive and capacitive loads--and the majority of loads on any grid are inductive (from induction motors used for everything from vibrators to elevators to refrigeration compressors to fans to all manner of pump motors (potable water, sewage, chemical, and so on)). Transformers are also an inductive load on the system.

So, since they're the predominant load, let's focus on inductive loads. In an induction motor, a magnetic field has to be induced on the rotor of the motor in order for it try to follow the apparently rotating magnetic field of the stator that is connected to the AC power source in order to produce torque. The act of inducing the magnetic field on the rotor of the induction motor causes a shift to occur between the AC current sine wave and the AC voltage sine wave of the AC power system. Some of the total amount of energy that's being consumed from the AC power system by the induction motor is used in the induction of the magnetic field on the rotor of the motor which allows the motor to produce torque. In other words, the total amount of energy being consumed by the motor does not end up as torque (real power).

The magnitude of the shift between the AC voltage- and current sine waves is measured or expressed in many ways: power factor, VArs, phase angle, etc.

The key thing to remember is that if nothing is done to try to contain or reduce the phase shift between the AC voltage- and current sine waves they can eventually shift so much that the ability of the AC system to supply real power will be reduced (such as when brownouts occur).

If we think of the induction of the magnetic field on the rotor of the induction motor as needing "power" and we call that reactive power, then we can think of reactive power as being consumed, in the same was as real power is consumed. We can measure the amount of power required to induce the magnetic field on the induction motor rotor in VArs. And, to counter the effect of the phase shift on the system of lots and lots of induction motors and transformers (which also induce magnetic fields on secondary windings) we can produce reactive power to reduce the phase shift and maintain the AC power system's ability to provide power.

We can produce reactive power to "compensate" for the inductive load on the system primarly by increasing excitation current to the rotors of synchronous generators over and above the amount required to maintain the generator terminal voltage equal to the voltage of the grid to which the generator is connected. This causes reactve power, called VArs to flow out of the generator terminals on to the AC power system, reducing the phase shift and supporting the AC power system's ability to transmit real power.

So, VArs are "required" or "consumed" to induce the magnetic field on the induction motor rotors commonly used everyhwere, and to increase or decrease voltage through transformers used to distribute AC power. The effect of VARs on the system is to shift the AC voltage- and current sine waves out of phase with each other. If they get too far out of phase, the ability of the AC power system to supply power is reduced. VARs can be produced by synchronous generators--but since that requires DC power, and that DC power usually comes from the AC power system, that power is not available for sale to consumers. Power factor correction capacitors can be used to help with controlling the phase angle between the AC voltage- and current sine waves, but they are usually expensive and have their own idiosyncracies.

Real power, watts, can be converted in to torque and work which is something we can understand and visualize. Reactive power, VArs, have no such tangible quantity that we can see or envision. A lot of people like to say that, "VArs are like foam on beer; it's just there but it doesn't do anything." Foam on a beer tells the drinker the beer is not flat. There's very little worse than a cold, flat beer especially on a hot day.

Okay, a hot, flat beer is worse. And if AC power systems aren't properly managed, the beer could be flat and hot.
 
If power is a glass of beer, reactive power is the foam. It takes up space, but you can't drink it.
 
Okay; if that's true, why do we care about reactive power? Why not just let the generator and the grid do whatever it bloody well pleases?

For that matter, why not just break the top off the beer bottle and dump the beer in a cold mug? Because most of the beer will turn to foam! Why not shake the can of beer before you open it? It usually takes a new bartender wannabe a few pulls to get the hang of pulling a draft without having to keep pouring the foam off. Why do people take such care to keep the foam on beer to a minimum? Because it's not to be ignored, or, the glass will not contain as much alcohol.
 
P

Phil Corso, PE

Responding to CSA's not so "white" paper on Reactive Power:

Although a small step for man, you appear to be leaning in the right direction, i.e., substituting the proper term "VAr" for the oxymoron expression "Reactive Power!"

Thanks, Phil Corso ([email protected])
 
Drink straight from the bottle and there will be no foam. Perhaps we should discuss the effects of reactive power.

For instance, it is ineffective to attempt to "flow" VArs over long distance transmission lines. Drink straight from the bottle. Large inductive loads need their capacitive counterpart near the inductive source to be effective. A generator may be able to produce VArs and have a manufacturer published reactive curve, but voltage limitations on the generator prevent producing maximum VAr output in relation to terminal voltage limitations.

Generator and transformer limitations can cause watt output to be clamped while producing a large VAr output. When phase angle is shifted by an inductive load; the generator should produce more power, both real and/or imaginary (VAr). The additional voltage and/or current has a fuel cost associated with it.

Transmission system operators have a dilemma. The voltage is low on a portion of the grid(where the inductive load resides) and they have to attempt to raise the voltage over a significant distance of tranmission line and transformers. Sometimes, these operators find that the VAr they need cannot be produced by a generator due to terminal voltage limitations of the generator.

Come on, folks! Most people do not want to know the math, sine of phase angle. They want to know why we make a VAr and what we do with it.

Start typing Now! No beer drinking until complete.
 
Since you gave such a good explanation of Reactive Power and how inductance works to consume some of the availble power how about an explanation on how capacitors counter act or improve a low power factor?
 
I found this to be an excellent site:

http://www.the-power-factor-site.com

An excellent discussion of the fundamentals, with graphs and graphics, and maths, all in one nice little package.

If I drink from the bottle too fast, the beer will turn to foam. I only do that on a really hot day. Otherwise, I like to savor my hops and barley and yeast--and keep my bottle close.
 
Relatively easy. Capacitance shifts the angle between the voltage and current sine waves of an AC power system in the opposite direction than inductance does, in effect "countering" the effects of inductance.
 
VArs are required for the magnetizing currents required for induction motors and transformers.

The effect of too many induction motors and transformers on the system is to cause the AC voltage and current sine waves to shift away from each other, reducing the ability of the AC power system to deliver power (real power--watts).

By producing VArs with synchronous generators or synchronous condensers or synchronous motors, or introducing capacitance using power factor correction capacitors (which serve to shift the current- and voltage sine waves in the opposite direction as the inductive load, countering the effects of the inductances), the relationship between the current- and voltage sine waves will be maintained at a level which allows the AC power system to deliver optimal (not ideal) real power--watts.

It's always been my understanding that utilities with large hydroturbine plants use these plants for VAr production during summer months when air conditioning loads add to the inductive loading of the system.

These hydro plants are located hundreds of miles, in some cases, from the urban loads connected to the grid. Since it takes real power (watts) to produce the DC required to produce VArs, they use the hydroturbines to provide the torque to the shaft-driven exciters to reduce fuel costs. Water from a penstock is usually cheaper than fuel in a fossil plant.
 
T

THe original brewer

When a capacitor or inductor is connected to an AC source, current flows in the circuit. THis current is out of phase with the voltage. The energy in the system is stored as either a magnetic field, (in the case of an inductor) or in an electric field (in the case of a capacitor). The time rate change of this energy is referred to as 'reactive power'. If the circuit includes pure resistances, as well as reactances, then the total (apparent power) is the vector sum of these two entities.

Just as the foam in a glass of beer doesn't contribute to your ability to drive a car, reactive power can't contribute to the utility's bottom line (for the home owner).

Yes, it usually does for the business owner.
 
You gave a great explanation for what VARS does but as an operator I have always had one point of confusion. Everything I have read so far on how "real" power is supplied says it is done by adjusting excitation. Also, in seperate texts "reactive" power is adjusted by adjusting excitation. Yet when I'm operating our units I can adjust reactive power and real power independently. So I am confused how excitation can be increased or decreased to control MW or VARS independently from one another.
 
When you say you can adjust reactive power and real power independently, you should be able to do so. Reactive "power" and real power are different, VArs being controlled by excitation and watts being controlled by torque input to the generator.

At small real power outputs, adjusting reactive power *can* have an effect on real power.

But it's not clear exactly what your confusion is. Real power is a function of torque; reactive "power" (VArs and/or power factor) is a function of excitation. Other than when lightly loaded (real power output) there should not be too much effect on real power when adjusting excitation when connected to a large (infinite) grid.
 
O
Since there are a lot of water and pipes analogies in electricity... I wonder if you could compare reactive power to line-fill in a pipeline system?
 
Can you elaborate on how you would liken reactive power to line-fill in a pipeline system?

Are you referring to some kind of "accumulator" effect?
 
pls tell me when we have a resistive load do we have a reactive current lagging because of the windings of the generator? if so pls tell me how a reactive power will go forth and back through the source?

i mean the inductance of the windings will loaded and unloaded as this energy goes to and out of source ok? so how can generator get back a reactive power? is it possible to say that the energy goes back to the exciter?

With whay kind of a circuit i think is this. There is a 0 degree source and it has a winding impedance at the generator side and a resistive load across its output, so this impedance will have a reactive power but this energy needs to return to the source true? so i can get how can this be? I really dont know how a source can get its energy back? does it store this energy in its windings ? if so my circuit model is wrong? as u see a lot of question
 
D
> Please, can someone explain Reactive power in layman's language? <

Reactive power can be explained simply with the observation of Induction motor. Remember, Rotor of IM is always shorted. When power is given to the stator, it creates rotating magnatic field which link with rotor.so induced emf produced in rotor, and this 100 % emf circulate the current inside the rotor, which also produces magnetic field opposed to stator magnetic field.This two field always push each other to rotate the rotor.

As the stator is steady and rotor field can be shift with rotor , due to this pushing activity stator field contracts and shift the electron a bit back. so current could not be remain in phase of voltage.

So reactive power is just a opposition of supply power which shift the electron a bit back. so reactive power is just loss of active power nothing else. Syncronous generator/motor uses same principle to improve the PF i.e. shift the field back or forward. that's it.
 
C
I understood reactive power better before that explanation :^) But, sometimes it's good to get several approaches to find one that "clicks" with the questioner. So here goes.

Reactive power is the product of voltage and the current flowing to charge capacitors or magnetize inductors. These reactances store and release energy but (ideally) do not dissipate it. Lets use a capacitor as an example. With DC this is straightforward, you charge a capacitor which takes current, and the charge is maintained. But with AC, the voltage is constantly changing and even reversing, so the charge must be removed and the capacitor is charged in the opposite direction. These also take current. So you have an applied voltage and you have these alternating currents, but no power is being dissipated.

That is reactive power, but it's not "real" power as no work is being done or power being dissipated. So, it's treated separately. Since it's not "real" power, it is also often referred to as Apparent power. Because it's not a perfect world, almost any AC circuit has both real and apparent power being transferred at the same time.

This was the explanation that helped the most folks when I was teaching electronics. I saved vectors and phase angles for a different day. If all you remember is the first sentence, you will be doing better than 30% of the students. This is really where things get complicated.

Regards
cww (who kinda enjoyed teaching)
 
So let's get down to practical usage.

I have a list of kwh and kvarh, polled at 15min intervals; can I compare the two to identify problems?

If so, what types of problems and how do I go about doing so?
 
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