Reactive Power: A Strange Concept?

In summary: The small users, such as the average homeowner, do not have to correct their power factor, as their loads do not put them into a high power factor situation.
  • #1
Eero
10
0
Hi!

What is your opinion about this article:

"www.bme.hu/ptee2000/papers/fetea.pdf"[/URL]
 
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  • #2
Much ado about nothing. Everything he covered, I already learned in my sophomore year of college, majoring in EE. Seriously, very seldom do I read a paper and not get something out of it. I've been practicing EE for 32 yrs, and I'm less than a year away from my doctorate. Yet, I always learn something new, albeit just a small amount, when reading a paper like this one.

This paper, however, taught me absolutely nothing I didn't already know. In a nutshell, this paper is sophomoric claptrap, building and reducing straw men.

In general, anytime somebody claims that the status quo belief/teaching on a particular topic is "myth, misconception, etc.", and here is the "real" answer, 9 times out of 10, or actually 99 times out of 100, they are not as smart as they think they are. Also, their "answer" is usually just a trivial and narrow interpretation of narrowly selected laws, or the "misconceptions" they refute are just straw men. These people are not as smart as they believe. Also, those whom they refute are not as incapable as they believe.

I just lost 10 minutes of my life reading and critiquing what basically is a worthless article. This paper belongs in circular file no. 13. What a piece of rubbish.

Claude
 
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  • #3
I am on the same frequency as you !
 
  • #4
Reactive power is an oxymoron, Where's the power? Use the term "power factor" instead. The only people who really care are the public utility power station operators, who see the extra current in their alternator stator windings because the power factor has not been corrected at the load.
Bob S
[added] The public utility has to provide a fixed amount of real power (kilowatts) to the user. If the user's power factor is low (meaning higher kVA), the utility has to provide more current to the user, which means more amps in the alternator, switch gear, and transmission lines, ultimately meaning more power loss and more water over the dam. So maybe reactive power is not an oxymoron in some cicumstances.
RS
 
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  • #5
Bob S said:
Reactive power is an oxymoron, Where's the power? Use the term "power factor" instead. The only people who really care are the public utility power station operators, who see the extra current in their alternator stator windings because the power factor has not been corrected at the load.
Bob S
Note that students will continue to see the term 'reactive power' though.

Also the large electrical users care about low power factors, as they invest in the corrective systems and pay the utilities for low power factor usage.
 

1. What is reactive power?

Reactive power is the portion of electrical power that does not perform any useful work, but rather is used to maintain the electric and magnetic fields in an alternating current (AC) circuit. It is measured in volt-amps reactive (VAR) and is necessary for the proper functioning of AC circuits.

2. How is reactive power different from active power?

Active power is the portion of electrical power that is actually performing useful work, such as powering lights, motors, and appliances. It is measured in watts (W) and is what we typically think of when we refer to "power." Reactive power, on the other hand, is used to sustain the electromagnetic fields in an AC circuit and is not used to perform work.

3. Why is reactive power important?

Reactive power is important because it is necessary for the proper functioning of AC circuits. Without reactive power, the voltage and current in the circuit would not be in phase, which can cause inefficiencies, power quality issues, and even damage to equipment.

4. How is reactive power measured?

Reactive power is measured in volt-amps reactive (VAR), which is a unit that combines both voltage and current. This is because reactive power is the result of the voltage and current being out of phase in an AC circuit. VAR can be measured using specialized instruments such as power factor meters or power analyzers.

5. How can reactive power be controlled or managed?

Reactive power can be controlled or managed through the use of devices such as capacitors, inductors, and transformers. These devices can either supply or absorb reactive power, depending on the needs of the circuit. Additionally, power factor correction techniques can be implemented to improve the overall power factor and reduce the amount of reactive power in a circuit.

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