Reactive power in system network

Significance of Reactive Power in System network The significance of reactive power is shooting up with high demands for electric power by many industrial and domestic utilities, in the system of a power network. Reactive power management is the basis for stability and reliability of electric power system.

For generating power in a more efficient, cost effective, and reliable way the effective way of delivering electrical energy utilizes techniques like FACTS (Flexible AC Transmission System), (Static Voltage Composition) SVC for maintaining high power factor, reducing transmission losses, voltage stability maintenance etc.

Reactive and Active powers are the two powers that AC power supply system consume and produce. Load receives the true power called active power or real power. Most of its applications are like lighting lamps, rotating motors etc.

An apparent or imaginary power by nature, reactive power has no useful work but it simply moves back and forth in the lines of a power system. AC systems are the predecessor of reactive power and it is produced from inductive and capacitive loads. The phase displacement between voltage and current is measured in units of volt-ampere reactive.

3 Importance of reactive power 1. Voltage control Within Âą5% of the nominal currents power system equipment are designed. Change in voltage levels leads to poor functioning of various appliances. Hollywood damages the insulating material of windings where as low volts cause poor performance of the various accessories like the low illumination of bulbs, heating up of induction engines, etc. If it has high voltage then it melts the insulation of windings and if it has low voltage it causes the poor efficiency of various equipment like overheating of induction motors, low illumination of bulbs, etc.

If the demand for the power is more than transmission lines supply than the current drawn from the supply reaches to a higher level and thus the receiving side voltage drops drastically. The amount of apparent power to be supplied is the basis of capacity for these reactors.

To get over this, the load should be provided with the reactive power by putting reactive inductors or reactors in transmitting lines. The amount of apparent power supplied decides the capacity of these reactors.

If the reactor power supplied is more than the power supply demand than the load voltage rises to a higher level with direct tripping of equipment, low power factor, cables and windings of mechanical devices gets insulation failures.

2. Electric Shortage Many electrical shutdowns, like that at France during 1978, northeast countries in 2003, many parts of India during 2012, have seen inadequate reactive power on power production and it is the main cause for shutdown situations. Due to long distance transmitting the demand for apparent power is high and it is raised. Various equipment is shut down due to low voltages finally.

Therefore it should have a continuous and adequate supply of reactive power.

3. Good condition of various devices Generators, motors, transformers and other electrical devices need reactive power for producing magnetic flux. For doing useful works generation of magnetic flux is necessary. It helps for creating magnetic field in the motor but it results in decreasing the power factor. The inductive reactive power by supplying capacitive reactive power and that is the reason a capacitive reactive power is placed for compensation.

To know more take up the electrical training course in Pune to become a certified electrician in this field.

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