This book simplifies electrical power engineering. Equations are avoided as far as possible to provide a working knowledge of the field.
Electrical Power Simplified
By Prashobh KarunakaranAuthorHouse
Copyright © 2016 Dr. Prashobh Karunakaran
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-5049-6542-2Contents
Chapter 1 Introduction, 1,
Chapter 2 Electrical Safety, 3,
Chapter 3 History of Electricity, 6,
Chapter 4 DC and AC currents, 16,
Chapter 5 Generator Principle, 17,
Chapter 6 Understanding 1F and 3F power, 29,
Chapter 7 Line voltage and phase voltage, 37,
Chapter 8 Conductors and Protection, 39,
Chapter 9 Motors, 53,
Chapter 10 Inductors, 71,
Chapter 11 Capacitors, 75,
Chapter 12 Transformers, 77,
Chapter 13 Electrical formulas, 88,
Chapter 14 Calculations, 97,
Chapter 15 Magnetism, 102,
Chapter 16 Low Voltage wiring, 105,
Chapter 17 Electric Cars, 108,
Chapter 18 Superconductivity, 110,
Chapter 19 Anode and Cathode, 111,
Chapter 20 Rectifiers, 113,
Chapter 21 Power Generation, 117,
Chapter 22 The Air Conditioning system, 124,
Chapter 23 The Grid, 126,
Chapter 24 HVDC Transmission, 130,
Chapter 25 Grid Control, 134,
Chapter 26 About the Author, 141,
CHAPTER 1
Introduction
Electricity has provided huge benefits for mankind. The small village homes depend on it for lighting and irrigation of crop lands. At the other end of the spectrum, the prime mover of the largest machines in the world have over the past few decades moved away from combustion engines and hydraulics and to electric induction motors. Extremely hot areas of the earth like the Arabian Peninsula have been made habitable with electricity powered air conditioning and extremely cold places like Alaska can attract human populations with electricity powered heating. Thus electricity has become a fine compatriot of humanity. But, if we touch an electricity carrying wire, we will be burnt. Thus it is imperative that as many people as possible have proper knowledge of the limits, dangers of electricity and respect it. This book hopes to disseminate the knowledge of the electric power system to as many people as possible. Calculations are avoided as far as possible. The most useful formulae in electrical power are Ohm's law (1) and it's derivation, the power law (2)
V = IR (1)
P=V (2)
Where V = Voltage or EMF (Electromotive Force) in volt units, I= current in ampere units and R = resistance in ohm units and P = power in watt units.
The simple principle of electricity is that generation of power should always equal to the customer demand for it. If this is not balanced, there will be effects on voltage and frequency. The control of this balance is the biggest complication in an AC (alternating current) electrical power system. Nowadays intermittent renewal energy is fast replacing conventional hydrocarbon energy which suddenly made the system even more complicated.
Propagation speed of electricity is affected by insulation. In an unshielded copper conductor, it is about 96% of the speed of light, while in a typical insulated coaxial cable it is about 66% of the speed of light (3 X 108 m/s). But actual speed of electrons is near 0 m/s in AC and comparable to putty flow down a wall in DC (direct current). As an analogy to explain this is if a pipe with ends named A and B are filled with table tennis balls. And if the first ball at point A is given a little push, immediately the ball at end B will move. In a similar way, a push of the first slow moving electron at point A of an electrical wire will cause the electron at point B of the wire to move immediately; this immediate action is termed current (I). This act
