Electrical Load Classification and Types

Today, I will begin to explain the Electrical Load Classification and Types, this explanation will
be as an introduction for beginners in electrical design to know all types of Electrical Loads
and their general characteristics. so, other detailed topics will be posted but in Courses EE-2
"Basic Electrical design course Level I "and EE-3 "Basic Electrical design course Level
II" for explaining design method and design calculations for each electrical load.
Electrical Load Definition:
the Electrical Load is The part or component in a circuit that converts electricity into light,
heat, or mechanical motion. Examples of loads are a light bulb, resistor, or motor.
another definition:
If an electric circuit has a well-defined output terminal, the circuit connected to this terminal
(or its input impedance) is the load.(see fig.1)

Fig.1
Electrical Load Classification and Types:
the electrical loads can be classified into various categories according to various factors as
follows:
1- According To Load Nature-1

Resistive Electrical Loads.

Capacitive Electrical Loads.
Inductive Electrical Loads.
Combination Electrical Loads.

2- According To Load Nature-2

Linear Electrical Load.

None-Linear Electrical Load.
3- According To Load Function

Lighting Load.
Receptacles / General / Small Appliances Load.
Power Loads.
4- According To Load Consumer Category

Residential Electrical Loads (Dwelling Loads).

Commercial Electrical Loads.
Industrial Electrical Loads.
Municipal / Governmental Electrical Loads (Street Lighting, Power Required For Water
Supply and Drainage Purposes, Irrigation Loads And Traction Loads).

5- According To Load Grouping

Individual Loads (Single Load).

Load Centers (Area Loads).
6- According To Load Planning

Existing Electrical Loads.

Future Electrical Loads (Electrical Loads Growth).
New Electrical Loads (Additional Electrical Loads).
7- According To Load Operation Time

Continuous Electrical Loads.

Non-Continuous Electrical Loads.
Duty, Intermittent Electrical Loads.
Duty, Periodic Electrical Loads.
Duty, Short-Time Electrical Loads.
Duty, Varying Electrical Loads.
8- According To Load Importance

Vital Electrical Loads (Life Safety Electrical Loads).

Essential Electrical Loads (Emergency Electrical Loads).

Non-Essential Electrical Loads (Normal Electrical Loads).
9- According To Load /phase distribution

Balanced Electrical Loads.

Non-Balanced Electrical Loads.
Neutral load.
Line to neutral load.
10- According to number of Electrical Loads phases

Single phase Electrical Loads.

Three phase Electrical Loads.
11- According to actual Electrical Loads value

Nameplate load.
Full load.
Percent of full load.
No load (Open Circuit).
12- According to Electrical Loads unit

Electrical Loads in KVA.

Electrical Loads in KW.
Electrical Loads in HP.
13- According to Electrical Loads diversity (simultaneous and non- simultaneous
operation)

Connected Load.
Demand Load.
14- According To Unity Electrical Load Units

Unity Electrical Load in VA/M2.

Unity Electrical Load in VA/Ft2.
Unity Electrical Load in VA/Linear Foot.
15- According To Electrical Loads Operation Coincidence

Non-Coincident Electrical Loads.

Coincident Electrical Loads.

16- According To Electrical Loads Usage Method

Fixed In Place Loads.
Portable Loads.

17- According To Method of Load Reduction / Control

Dimmed Electrical Load.
Shed Electrical Load.
Shifted Electrical Load.

In the next Topic, I will explain all these types of Electrical Loads. so, please keep following.

Electric Power Loads Types

In a previous Topic, Electrical Load Classification and Types,I show that the electrical
loads can be classified into various categories according to various factors; one of these
factors is according to load function/usage as follows:
Third Classification: Electrical Load Classification According To Load Function
1.
Lighting Load.

2.

Appliances Load.

3.

Power Loads.

In the following previous Topics, I explained the first type; lighting load:
Electrical Load Classification and Types Part Four

Artificial Lighting types and design

Indoor Lighting Fixtures Classifications Part One

Indoor Lighting Fixtures Classifications Part Two

Outdoor lighting fixtures classifications

Introduction in Lighting Design Process

And in the previous topic Appliances Electrical Loads Types and Classifications, I explained
the second type; Appliance load
And today, I will explain the third and last type of electrical loads according to the load
function / usage as follows.

Third: Electric Power Loads

Electric power loads in any building shall include all loads other than lighting loads and those
served by general purpose receptacles and comprise the environmental system electric power
requirements and the facility occupancy equipment electric power requirements.
In general, it can be divided to the following major loads:
1.
2.
3.

HVAC loads (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning System Loads).

Lifts Loads (Transportation System Loads).
Pumps Loads (Fire Fighting, Plumping, Irrigation Systems, Etc.).

Since this Course EE-1 is for beginners in the electrical design field, I must explain in detail
these loads or systems and indicate its construction, principals of operation and its different
types.
Today, I will begin with the HVAC loads (Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning System
Loads) as follows:

Introduction to Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning System Loads (HVAC)

The field of heating, ventilation, and air conditioningHVACis a science and practice of
controlling indoor climate, thereby providing health and comfortable interior conditions for
occupants in a well-designed, energy-efficient, and low emissions manner.
The term "H" in HVAC stands for heating that comprises of any number of heating systems
from gas furnaces, electric furnaces, oil furnaces, oil and gas boilers, radiant heating
systems, and heat pumps.
The Term V in HVAC describes ventilation. This can be ventilating the facility using
ductwork or ventilating a kitchen using ductwork and fans with a hood. It can also refer to
combustion air or the air needed to have combustion for various heating systems.
The Term "AC" in HVAC refers to air conditioning that comprises of 3 main methods
mechanical compression, vapor absorption and evaporative cooling. Air conditioners (direct
expansion DX systems) and chillers usually accomplish the job of air conditioning.

HVAC Systems overview

HVAC systems have the following elements in common:
1.
Equipment to generate heating or cooling: The equipment is selected with a capacity
to offset the peak load of the space or spaces to be served.
2.
A means of distributing heat, cooling, and/or filtered ventilation air where needed:
air, water, or steam.

3.
Devices that deliver the heat, cooling, and/or fresh air into the building: registers
and diffusers, hydronic radiators or convectors, and fan coil units.

Units of HVAC systems:

These units express the efficiency of a heating or cooling source.

The most important units of HVAC system from the electrical designer point of view are:
1- COP Coefficient of Performance:
It is the measure chiller efficiency measured in Btu output (cooling capacity) divided
by Btu input (electric power). Typical values are 2 4.
Cooling capacity is specified in tons of refrigeration; 1 ton is equivalent to 12000 Btu
per hour.
1 kWh of electric power is equivalent to 3412 Btu per hour; multiplying the COP by
3.412 yields energy efficiency ratio.
2- BTUH British Thermal Units per Hour:
It is a rate of heating or cooling expressed in terms of Btu per hour. (1kW = 3412 Btu)
3- Ton :
One ton of cooling is the heat extraction rate of 12000 Btu per hour.
Theoretically it is energy required to melt one ton of ice in one hour.
HVAC System Classifications:
the HVAC system includes the following major parts:
1.
Heating systems.
2.
Cooling systems.

First: Heating systems:

A- Heat Sources
Heat sources which can be employed in buildings can be categorized to (4) categories as
follows:
1.
On-site combustion (coal, oil, natural gas, propane).
2.
Electric resistance.
3.
On-site energy collection (solar energy).
4.
Heat transfer (heat pumps).

The choice of the preferred heat source for a given building situation is usually based upon
the following factors:
Source availability.

Required heat system capacity.

The fuel/equipment costs.

B- Types of heating systems:

Heating systems may be classified to two types:
1.
2.

Central Heating System.

Local Heating System.

1- Central Heating System

Central Heating System

In this system the heat generation is done by a boiler, furnace, or heat pump to heat water,
steam, or air, all in a central location. And the delivery of heat is done via either ductwork,
for forced air systems, or piping to distribute a heated fluid and radiators to transfer this heat
to the air.
Every area in the space is heated to the same temperature, which is controlled by a single
thermostat.

2- Local Heating System

Local Heating System Units

A local heating system serves a single thermal zone and has its major components located
within the zone itself. Serving only a single zone, local heating systems will have only one
point of control, typically a thermostat for active systems. A local heating system will consist
of one or more self-contained equipment units containing heat source, distribution, and
delivery functions in a single package.
Portable electric heaters, built-in electric resistance heaters, electric resistance baseboard
radiators, infrared heaters, fireplaces, and wood stoves are examples of local heating-only
systems.
Note: In general central system is preferable for large buildings having multiple zones and
local heating is a plus, if majority of areas remain unoccupied and if the people preferences
require different temperatures or they disagree about the most comfortable temperature.

C- Equipment used to generate heating in central heating systems:

1.
Furnace.
2.
Hot water & steam boiler.
3.
Heat Pump.
1- Furnace:
A furnace is a heating system component designed to heat air for distribution to various
building spaces. All four heat source categories are used with furnaces.

1.1 Principle of operation:

Regardless of the type of fuel the furnaces generally work on the same principle. The burning
of fuel takes place inside an enclosed metal container (generally referred to as a fire box or
heat exchanger), which warms the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger, now hot, radiates the
heat into the air. This heated air is either circulated by density differential via a Gravity
Furnace or by aid of a blower via Forced air Furnace.

1.1.a Gravity Furnace:

Gravity Furnace
Small-capacity furnaces that rely on natural convection for heat distribution are classified as
gravity furnaces. The term gravity refers to the fact that the furnace has no blower to move
the heated air around the room. They rely on the fact that heated (less dense) air rises and
the cooler (more dense) air falls to circulate the heat. This is not a very efficient way to heat
a space and generally can effectively condition only one space.

1.1.b Forced Air Furnace:

Forced Air Furnace

Forced are furnaces are equipped with fans to circulate warm air over greater distance
through a ductwork system. Cool return air from occupied spaces passes first through a filter,
the blower, and the heating chamber, arriving at the supply ductwork at a raised
temperature. The exhaust gases (including carbon-mono-oxide) are vented to the exterior of
the building. The unit may also include a humidifier that evaporates moisture into the air as it
passes through.

1,2 Types of Furnaces:

There are three types of furnaces:
1- Single-Stage Furnace:
Single stage implies the furnace fan control is simply on and off.
Since every space has a unique "heat load which varies throughout the day, the
manufacturers wisely put options in the furnace fan speed.

2- Two-Stage Furnace:
Two-Stage furnaces were developed with comfort in mind. Here is how they function. When
the thermostat activates the furnace, it comes on at 2/3 rd strength (burning gas at 65% of
maximum). If, after 10 minutes of operation, the thermostat is still calling for heat - the
furnace will switch to 100%. What that accomplishes is a uniform heating of entire space.
Two-Stage furnaces are more efficient and more effective way than single stage furnaces.

3- Two-Stage Variable Furnace:

Two-stage variables furnace incorporates an additional feature of variable speed blower. In a
single-stage furnace, the control is On-Off where as in the variable furnace, the fan turns
over slowly and varies the air circulation per the load. This offers better energy efficiency.

1.3 Furnace Configuration

there are two major types of furnace configurations as follows:
a- Up flow Furnace:

Up flow Furnace
When a furnace is installed in a basement it is considered an "Up flow" furnace, meaning the
cooler air is drawn at the base of the furnace, and the warm air exits out the top of the
furnace.

b- Down flow Furnace:

Down flow Furnace

If a furnace is installed on the main floor of a home and the heat comes from floor registers,
it is a "Down flow" furnace. In a down flow furnace, the cool air enters the furnace at the top
and the warmed air exits at the bottom.

in the next topic, I will explain other heat sources in central heating systems which is " the
Boilers and Heat pumps". so, please keep following.