It may seem complicated, but we’ll explain it in a simple way.
What is electric power?
Electric power is all the work done by a certain current over a specific time interval.
With this concept in mind, we can delve into another area and classify the main differences between active, reactive, and apparent power. Do you know what they are?
What is active power related to?
Active power is related to the generation of heat, motion, or light.
Basically, it can be considered as the average electric power generated by a single two-terminal device.
It results from energy expenditure after the start of each energy transmission process, such as the electrical current to the equipment we have at home, or even in industrial machines.
How to measure active power
Active power, which can be measured in watts (W) or kilowatts (KW) using a device called a kilowattmeter, is the energy that will actually be used.
And what is reactive power?
Reactive power, on the other hand, does not perform the work itself.
This means it is not the energy that powers electronics and other electrical equipment, but it operates between the power generator and the load itself.
It is responsible for maintaining the electromagnetic field active in motors, reactors, transformers, fluorescent lamps, etc.
How to measure reactive power?
It is measured in KVAR, which stands for kilovolt-Amperes-Reactive. The sum of active and reactive power generates apparent power, measured in kilovolt-amperes (KVA), also called power factor or total energy.
This measurement can indicate whether the energy consumed is sufficient for one or another electrical supply, as well as point out where there is a need for improvement in supply.
Problems with low power factor
To understand the importance of apparent energy, a low power factor can cause:
- Voltage variations that can cause motor burnout
- Energy loss and increased consumption
- Considerable reduction in the overall utilization of transformers
- Conductor heating and reduced lifespan of energy transmission installations
