Lecture 8

Conservation of Complex
Power Law
Learning Outcomes

After completing this unit you will be able to:

1. Apply complex power conservation law to compute active and
reactive power consumption in a circuit
2. Apply complex power conservation law to determine the value of
the capacitance needed to correct the power factor of a circuit.
Conservation of Complex Power in Parallel Circuit

Consider the parallel connected circuit shown below. The complex

power supplied to the circuit is given by the expression

1
S  V I*
2
where I* is the conjugate of the input
current I. For the circuit given, the
input current I is related to the branch
currents I1 and I2 via the equatian

I  I1  I 2 S

Hence
* * *
I  I1  I 2
Conservation of Complex Power in Parallel Circuit

Thus we can write

1 1
S  V  I  V  I 1*  I 2* 
*

2 2
1 1
 V  I 1*  V  I 2*
2 2

 S 1 S 2
S

This result shows that for a parallel-connected circuit the complex

power supplied by a voltage source is equal to the sum of the
complex power consumed by the load impedances.
Conservation of Complex Power in Parallel Circuit

Alternatively, we can rewrite the previous expression as follows:

S  S 1 S 2  0
In words, this result tells us the sum of complex power absorbed by
all the elements of the circuit (i.e., voltage source and impedances) is
zero. This statement is the complex power conservation law.
Conservation of Complex Power in Series Circuit

Consider next the series-connected circuit shown below. Complex

power supplied by voltage source V to the circuit is given by the
expression
1
S  V I*
2
Now, for the series-connected
impedances, their voltage drops V1
and V2 are related to the source
voltage V via the expression
S
V  V 1 V 2
Hence,
V *  V1 *  V2*
Conservation of Complex Power in Series Circuit

Therefore, we can write

1 *
1
S  V I *

2
 
V1  V2*  I *
2
1 1
 V1  I *  V2  I *
2 2

 S 1 S 2
This can be written as S  S 1 S 2  0 S

Thus, like the parallel circuit discussed earlier, this results tells us
that the sum of complex power absorbed by all the elements of the
series circuit (voltage source V and impedances Z1 and Z2) is zero.
Conservation of Complex Power in General

Consider a closed circuit consisting of n elements. If the current

flowing through the kth circuit element is Ik and Vk is the voltage drop
across it, then, we can write
* * +
Ik
VI
 Sk 
all elements
 k k

all elements 2
0 Vk
-

Now, the complex power is conserved implies that both average

power and reactive power are conserved. That is,

 all
Pk  0 and all
Qk  0
elements elements
Worked Example

Find the total complex power supplied by the source to the three
loads.

Load 1
I
100 W, 0 VAR
+ Load 2 Load 3

E  1000 V 700 VAR (L), 200 W 1500 VAR (C), 300 W

_
Solution
Complex power consumed by load 1,

S1  P  jQ  100  j 0  VA

Complex power consumed by load 2,


S 2  P  jQ  200  j 700  VA
Complex power consumed by load 3,

S3  P  jQ  300  j1500  VA
Load 1
I
100 W, 0 VAR
+ Load 2 Load 3

E  1000 V 700 VAR (L), 200 W 1500 VAR (C), 300 W

_
Solution
Total complex power consumed by the loads,

S  P  jQ  S1  S 2  ( P1  P2 )  j (Q1  Q2 )

 (100  200  300)  j (700  1500) VA

 600  j800  1000  53.13o VA

Worked Example

The 60  resistor absorbs 240 Watt of average power. Calculate V

and the complex power of each branch. What is the total complex
power?
Solution
Phasor domain circuit:

Let I 2 be the current through the 60-Ω resistor. Now P  I 2 R ,

2

therefore
240  60  I 22

240
Solving for I2, we obtain I 2  2A
60
Solution
Let I 2 be the reference phasor. Therefore, we can write

I 2  2  j 0  20 o A (rms)

Application of Ohm’s law to the right branch impedance gives us the

voltage drop

Vo  60  j 20 20 o  120  j 40 V (rms)

Application of Ohm’s law to the left branch impedance gives us the

branch current
Vo
I1   3.2  j 2.4  A (rms)
30  j10
Next, KCL gives us the current equation

I  I1  I 2  3.2  j 2.4  2  5.2  j 2.4 A

Solution
V  20  I  Vo  104  j 48  120  j 40 V

 224  j88  240.6721.45o V

For the 20-Ω resistor,

V3  20  I  204  j 48  114 .54.8o V

I *  5.2  j 2.4   5.2  j 2.4 A

*

S 3  V3  I *  114 .54.8o  5.2  j 2.4 

Therefore,
S 3  654   19.97 o A
Solution
For the (30 - j10) Ω impedance,

Vo  120  j 40  126.5  24.8o V

I1  3.2  j 2.4  436.87 o A

S1  Vo  I1*  126.518.43o  4  36.87 o VA

Therefore,

S1  506  18.44o  480-j160  VA

Solution
o
For the (60 + j20) Ω impedance, I 2  20 A

S 2  Vo  I 2*  126.518.43o  20o  25318.43 VA

Therefore,

S 2  240  j80  VA

The overall complex power supplied by the source is

ST  240.6721.45o  5.727  24.8o VA

giving

ST  1736  j80  VA
Exercise
Two loads are connected in parallel. Load 1 has 2 kW, p.f. = 0.75
leading, and Load 2 has 4 kW, p.f. = 0.95 lagging. Calculate the p.f.
of the two loads and the complex power supplied by the source.

Load 1 Load 2
Solution
Power triangle for Load 1: Therefore,
Q1  P1 tan 1
 2000  tan 41.41
S1
jQ1  1764 VAR
1
P1 = 2 kW Complex power consumed by
load 1 is
1  acos0.75  41.41 S 1  P1  jQ1
From power triangle, we get  2000  j1764 VA
Q1
tan 1 
P1
Solution
Power triangle for Load 2: Therefore,

Q2  P2 tan  2
P2 = 4 kW  4000  tan 18.195
2  1315 VAR
-jQ2
S2
Complex power consumed by
load 2 is
 2  acos0.95  18.195
S 2  P2  jQ2
From power triangle, we get  4000  j1315 VA
Q2
tan  2 
P2
Solution
Sum of complex power consumed by the two loads is

S L  S1  S 2
 2000  j1764   4000  j1315 Load 1 Load 2

 6000  j 449  S1 S2

 6017 4.28 VA
S

Power triangle for the complex power consumed by the two loads:

Power factor of the two loads,

SL
jQ P
 cos 
SL
P
6000
  0.997
6017
Solution
By the complex power conservation law,
SL  SS
where SL  complex power consumed by the two loads

SS  complex power suuplied by the source

Therefore, complex power supplied by the source is

SS  6000  j 449  VA
Power Factor Correction
• The objective to adjust the power factor by adding a compensating
impedance (usually a capacitive reactance) to the load.

Source compensating
current capacitor

Load with low

C power factor

• The goal of power factor correction is to deliver maximum power

to the load using the lowest source current.
 Power Factor Correction
In the following worked example we will first determine the current
that the generator needs to supply to load when its power factor is
not corrected to unity. Then, we will demonstrate the advantage of
correcting the power factor of the load on the magnitude of the
current that needs to be supplied by the generator to the load.

Worked Example
For the circuit shown, calculate IS
(i) the supply current,
(ii) the reactive power that needs to be 600 V Load
supplied by a capacitor bank to
increase the power factor to unity.
P = 120 kW
(iii) the value of the supply current at
Q = 160 kVAr
unity power factor.
Solution

Let VS be the reference phasor.

Complex power supplied by the generator to the load is

S L  VS I S* IS

 6000 o  I S* P = 120 kW
600 V Load
 120,000  j160,000 Q = 160 kVAr

Therefore,
SL
* 120,000  j160,000
I 
S
6000o
VS = 6000 V
 333.3351.3o A (rms) 51.3
and
I S  333.33  51.3o A (rms) IS = 333.3-51.3 A

This result shows that the supply current lags behind the supply voltage
by 51.3. The power in this case is cos(51.3) = 0.625
Solution
To achieve unity power factor, we need to connect a compensating
reactive load in parallel with the original load that cancels out the
reactive power.
IS

Let S C be the complex power consumed

by the compensating load. Then, Reactive
complex power supplied by the generator
Load
600 V load

to the two loads is

SG  SC  S L P = 120 kW
Q = 160 kVAr

To obtain unity power factor, we need ensure that S G has no

imaginary part. Now, since

S L  120,000  j160,000
Solution
Therefore, we require

SC   j160,000
so that

SG  SC  S L
 120,000  j160,000  j160,000
 120 kW
Therefore, after the deployment of the compensating capacitor, the
supply current

SG 120 kW
I S*   o
 200 0 o
A  IS
VS 6000
Solution
Thus, by correcting the load power factor, we have managed to deliver
the active power required by the load and at the same time significantly
reduced the supply current. This reduces the size of the cable used to
supply the load current and also the required VA rating of the generator.
The VA rating of the generator for the power factor corrected load is

S = VSIS = 600 x 200 = 120 kVA

whereas the VA rating of the generator for the uncorrected load
power factor is

S 120 10   160 10 

3 2 3 2

 200 kVA
(A reduction of about 40% in the capacity of the generator required!)
Worked Example

Without the capacitor connected into the circuit shown below,

Vo = 450∠0 V Is = 17∠−20 A

f = 50 Hz

What is the value of C that which will

correct the power factor angle to zero,
that is, reduce Is to a minimum value in
phase with Vo? Determine the reduction
of current which resulted from
connecting the capacitor into the circuit.
Solution
Consider the case where the capacitor C is not connected to the
circuit, as shown below.
IS
Complex power supplied to the load is
*
S L  V O ( rms ) I s ( rms ) ZG
VO Z
 4500  17  20 VS
 765020
 7189  j2616  VA IS

Next, consider the case where the capacitor

C is now connected to the circuit, as shown ZG
below. By definition, reactive power of the C VO Z
compensated load is zero. That is, we VS
should have

QL  QC  0 VA SL ’
Solution
This requires us to connect a capacitance C whose capacitive
reactance – jQC will cancel out the inductive reactance of the load.
That is we require
j QL  QC   0
IS
Thus, we require that IC
ZG
 jQC   j 2616 VA C VO Z
* VS
Now, SC V I C

Therefore,
SL’
* S C 2616  90
IC    5.81  90 A
V 4500
and
I C  5.8190 A
Solution
Reactance of capacitor is
Vo 450
XC    77.4 
I C 5.81
1
Since XC  , therefore the value of capacitance required is
C
1 1
C   40.7 F
X C 2  50  77.4

Since S L  V o I S ' , the new value of supply current is

S L 7189
I S '   15.97 A
Vo 450
 Summary
In this study unit we have looked at
1. Complex power
2. Conservation of complex power
3. Power factor correction.