Phase Angle

[m4tty]

Hi,

The phase angle in an AC circuit is 60 degrees. What is the power factor?

Am i correct in saying that the phase angle either leads or lags by 90 degrees if it is pure capacitance (leads) or inductance (lags) so a 60 degree phase angle would be 2/3 which is 0.667.

So power factor is 0.667

If anyone can help

Thanks

Matt

 

[revjames]

As far asI know Matt, in an ideal situation voltage and current would be in unity! ie no difference between them. In the real world its usually an inductive load so current lags by a few degrees - 60 would be serious! Power factor is basically True power/ apparrent power that is KW/KVA as far as I know! - its been a long time since I have looked at this sort of thing. The power factor is exporessed as a figure between 0 an 0.99999 ie as close to 1 as possible (it is assumed that unity (1)) is unnatainable. obviously the higher the better.

This could get interesting!

 

[karlb]

im pretty sure to work out the power fact from the pahse angle is the cosine of the pase angle

p.f = cos theta

 

[user 7547]

im pretty sure to work out the power fact from the pahse angle is the cosine of the pase anglep.f = cos theta

That would be correct

so

pf = cos theta

pf = cos 60

pf = 0.5

 

[karlb]

dont have a calculator on me so didnt work it out but knew the formulae