Double check apparent power definition

AI Thread Summary
The discussion centers on the definition and calculation of apparent power in electrical circuits, particularly in relation to complex impedance. It clarifies that apparent power can be expressed as S = V^2 / Z for complex impedance, but emphasizes that total power is defined as S = VI, which is applicable in any circuit. The conversation also touches on the use of complex conjugates when calculating complex power and apparent power, stating that no conjugates are needed for the apparent power calculation. Additionally, there is a focus on using MATLAB for computations involving complex voltages and powers, with discussions about the Jacobian in the context of the Newton-Raphson method. Overall, the thread highlights the nuances between apparent and total power and their implications in circuit analysis.
tim9000
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Hey just to make sure,
can we say apparent power S = V^2 / Z

for a complex impedance Z?
And do we have to worry about conjugates at all?

Cheers
 
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The total power S = VI. Where S, V and I are all complex. I prefer that to $$\frac{V^2}{Z}$$ because VI works for any circuit.

Is apparent power the same as total power? I'm not exactly sure what you mean by apparent power.

Edit: no conjugations were needed.
 
I always thought apparent power is the voltage across the complex impedance multiplied by the current through the complex impedance. So, V * I, or V^2 / Z, or I^2 * Z. I don't think I have heard of a definition of total power. But that just might be semantics.
 
First, you have the complex power:
$$
\mathbf{S} = \mathbf{V}\overline{\mathbf{I}}
$$
where ##\mathbf{V},\mathbf{I}## are RMS phasors. The overline means to take the complex conjugate.

The apparent power is defined as:
$$
|\mathbf{S}| = |\mathbf{V}\overline{\mathbf{I}}| = |\mathbf{V}||\overline{\mathbf{I}}| = |\mathbf{V}||\mathbf{I}| = \frac{|\mathbf{V}|^2}{|\mathbf{Z}|}
$$
which is consumed by the impedance ##\mathbf{Z}## with the voltage ##\mathbf{V}## across it.
 
anorlunda said:
The total power S = VI. Where S, V and I are all complex. I prefer that to $$\frac{V^2}{Z}$$ because VI works for any circuit.

Is apparent power the same as total power? I'm not exactly sure what you mean by apparent power.

Edit: no conjugations were needed.
Averagesupernova said:
I always thought apparent power is the voltage across the complex impedance multiplied by the current through the complex impedance. So, V * I, or V^2 / Z, or I^2 * Z. I don't think I have heard of a definition of total power. But that just might be semantics.
Yeah Averagesupernova, I think that's right, I always think of it as being the hypotenuse of the reactive and real power.
 
milesyoung said:
First, you have the complex power:
$$
\mathbf{S} = \mathbf{V}\overline{\mathbf{I}}
$$
where ##\mathbf{V},\mathbf{I}## are RMS phasors. The overline means to take the complex conjugate.

The apparent power is defined as:
$$
|\mathbf{S}| = |\mathbf{V}\overline{\mathbf{I}}| = |\mathbf{V}||\overline{\mathbf{I}}| = |\mathbf{V}||\mathbf{I}| = \frac{|\mathbf{V}|^2}{|\mathbf{Z}|}
$$
which is consumed by the impedance ##\mathbf{Z}## with the voltage ##\mathbf{V}## across it.
Hi Miles, thanks.
Ah ok, it is for magnitudes. But what about if I still wanted it all to be in terms of comples voltages, currents and powers?

Specifically because I'm trying to work out a Newton raphson here:

https://www.physicsforums.com/threa...on-matlab-not-converging.839961/#post-5270803

Using the aforementioned power equation. I'm trying to work out the complex voltages for 4 busses in Matlab. Where I have worked out the matricies for the complex power for each bus and the admittance matrix.Thank you
 
tim9000 said:
But what about if I still wanted it all to be in terms of comples voltages, currents and powers?
##\mathbf{V}## and ##\mathbf{Z}## are complex.

When you need the apparent power, then you could just, for instance, use the 'abs' function in MATLAB to find ##|\mathbf{V}|,|\mathbf{Z}|##.
 
milesyoung said:
##\mathbf{V}## and ##\mathbf{Z}## are complex.

When you need the apparent power, then you could just, for instance, use the 'abs' function in MATLAB to find ##|\mathbf{V}|,|\mathbf{Z}|##.
Hey Miles,
Yeah I actually tried that yesterday, but now I'm thinking I can't use apparent power. So is it incorrect to say that:

Complex power = complex voltage * complex admittance?
like P + Q = V^2 / (R + X)

I think one thing that might be wrong is my jacobian.
From what I remember NR uses the form y = f(x)
where y is a constant (in this case the powers) and x is the voltages ('volts' matrix), so my function is
(volts)^2)*Y_mat

so the jabobian is:
(2*volts*Y_mat)

? Or have I not differentiated that properly?
 
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