ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION III

(ELD331T)
 WELCOME
TO
ELECTRICAL DISTRIBUTION III
(ELD331T)

LECTURER: Chaise Khumalo

TEL: (012) 382-5965

EMAIL: [email protected]

OFFICE NO: 6-267

VARIABLE LOAD ON POWER STATIONS
 Chapter 3:
Variable Load on Power Stations
by

Chaise Khumalo

Department of Electrical Engineering

 Prescribed Literature:

BOOK: Principles of Power System

AUTHOR: V. K. Mehta and Rohit Mehta

PUBLISHER: S. Chand & Company LTD.

STUDY MATERIAL
Learning Outcomes:
• Draw & describe the
one-line diagram of an
electric power system,

• Describe the effects of

variable load on the
power station,

• Define important terms

& factors in power
system,

What you are expected to achieve

Learning Outcomes:
• To know & differentiate
types of loads on the
power system,

• Describe load curves &

selection of generating
units,

• The important points in

the selection of units,

What you are expected to achieve

Learning Outcomes:
• To know the difference
between base & peak
load on power station.

• Describe the method of

meeting the load on
power stations,

• To list the advantages of

interconnected system

What you are expected to achieve

 Electrical Power Generation:
• Power station delivers power to a large number of
consumers.

• Customers demands vary in accordance with their

activities.

• The load on power station varies from time to time.

• Power is generated as and when demanded to meet

customer’s requirements.

• Problems of variable load on power station.

 Structure of Electric Power
System:

• Power system connects power stations to the consumers’

loads

• Power system components:

Power Station

Transmission Lines

Distribution Systems
 Power System Elements:

The power system elements include:

• Generators

• Transformers,

• Transmission lines,

• Busbars, loads, switching devices

• Control devices, protection and measuring instruments

.
Power System Structure:
Power System Structure:
 Effects of Variable Load
on Power Station:
1. Need of additional equipment

• Steam power plant = air, coal & water

• Increase in power demand = increase in raw materials

• Additional equipment needed

• Equipment devoted to adjust rates of supply of raw

materials
 Effects of Variable Load
on Power Station:
2. Increase in production cost

• Variable load increases the cost of electrical production

• Alternator operates at maximum efficiency near its rated

capacity

• A number of alternators of different capacities are

installed

• More alternators increases the initial cost per kW

 Load Curves:

• Showing the variation of load on power station w.r.t time.

• Daily load curve – variations of load w.r.t time during the

day.

• Monthly load curve – from daily load curves of that

month. (used to fix the rates of energy).

• Yearly load curve – from monthly load curves of that

year. (used to determine the annual load factor).
Load Curves (Cont.):
 Importance of Load Curves:

• Variation of load during different hours of the day.

• Units gen./day = Area (in kWh) under daily load curve.

• Highest point = max. demand on the station on that day.

• Average Load = Area (in kWh) under daily load curve

24 hours
 Importance of Load Curves:

• Helps in selecting the size & number of gen. units

• Helps in preparing the operation schedule of the station

• Load factor = Average load X 24

Max. demand X 24
 Important Terms and Factors:

1. Connected load = the sum of continuous ratings of all

the equipment connected to supply system

• The sum of the connected loads to the power station.

 Important Terms and Factors:

2. Maximum demand = the greatest demand of load on the

power station during a given period.

• Max. demand ˂ connected load

• It helps in determining the installed capacity of the station.

• Station must be capable of meeting the max. demand

 Important Terms and Factors:

3. Demand factor = the ratio of max. demand on the power

station to its connected load.

• Demand factor = Max. demand

Connected Load

• The value of demand factor is less than 1.

• It is vital in determining the capacity of the plant

equipment.
 Important Terms and Factors:
4. Average load = average of loads occurring on the power
station in a given period.

• Daily average load = No. of units (kWh) gen. in a day

24 hours

• Monthly average load = No. of units (kWh) gen. in a month

No. of hours in a month

• Yearly average load = No. of units (kWh) gen. in a year

8760 hours
 Important Terms and Factors:

5. Load factor = the ratio of average load to max. demand

during a given period.

• Load factor = Average load

Max. demand

• Load factor is always less than 1

• Helps in determining the overall cost per unit generated.

 Important Terms and Factors:

6. Diversity factor = the ratio of the sum of individual max.

demands to the max. demand on power station.

• Diversity factor = Sum of individual max. demands

Max. demand on power station

• Diversity factor ˂ 1

• The greater DF, the lesser is the cost of generation of

power.
 Important Terms and Factors:

7. Plant capacity factor = the ratio of actual energy

produced to the max. possible energy that could have
been produced during a given period.

• Is an indication of the reserve capacity of the plant.

• P.S is designed to have reserve capacity to meet

increase load in future.

• Reserve capacity = Plant capacity – Max. demand

 Important Terms and Factors:

8. Plant use factor = the ratio of kWh generated to the

product of plant capacity & the number of hours for which
the plant was in operation.

• Plant use factor = Station output in kWh

Plant cap. X hours in use
 Units Generated per Annum:

• The kWh generated per annum is calculated from max.

demand & load factor.

Units gen./ annum = Max. demand (in kW) X L.F X 8760

Units gen./ per annum = Average load (kW) x hrs in 1 yr

= max demand (kW) x L.F. x 8760
 Load Duration Curve:

• A load duration curve is the graph obtained by arranging

the load components in a descending order.

• It can be a daily-, monthly- or annual load duration curve.

• It readily shows the number of hours during which a given

load has prevailed.

• Area under load duration curve = area under load curve

Load Duration Curve (Cont.):
 Types of Loads:

• A load is a device that taps electrical energy from the

electrical power system.

Domestic load: Lights, fans, refrigerator, heaters, TV's, etc.

Commercial load: lights, fans appliances in restaurants,

etc.

Industrial load: consists of load demand by industries

 Types of Loads (Cont.):

• Municipal load: street lighting, power required for water

pumps and drainage purposes, etc.

• Irrigation load: power needed for pumps driven by

motors to supply water to fields.

• Traction load: e.g. railways, etc.

 Example:

• A generating station has a max. demand of 25 MW, L.F.

of 60%, a plant capacity factor of 50% and a plant use
factor of 72%. Find:

(i) the plant reserve capacity

(ii) the daily energy produced and

iii) the max energy that could have been produced daily if
the plant were fully loaded and running per schedule.
 Solution:
• L.F. = Average demand
Max demand

• Average demand = 25 x 0.60 = 15 MW

• P.C.F = Average demand

Plant capacity

• Plant capacity = 15 / 0.5 = 30 MW

1. Reserve capacity = plant capacity – max demand

= 30 - 25 = 5 MW
 Solution (Cont.):

• Daily energy produced = aver demand x 24

= 15 x 24
= 360 MWh

• Max energy that could be produced = actual energy

produced in a day / plant use factor

= 360
0.72
= 500 MWh/day
 Load Curve & Selection of
Generating Units:

• The selection of the number & sizes of the units is

decided from the annual load curve of the station.

WHAT TO LEARN ?

• The principle of selection of number and sizes of

generating units is illustrated in textbook
 Important Points in the Selection
of Units:
• The number & size of units must fit the annual load curve
of the station

• Different capacity units to meet the load requirements

• Plant capacity should be 15 – 20% more than the max.

demand to meet future load requirements.

• Spare gen. units for repairs & overhauling of working units

• Avoid large number of units of small capacity

 Base Load & Peak Load:

• Base load = unvarying load which occurs almost the

whole day on the power station.

• Peak load = the varying peak demands of load over &

above the base load of the station.
Base Load & Peak Load on
Power Station:
 Interconnected Grid System:

• The connection of several generating stations in parallel.

• The advantages of such a system include:

Exchange of peak loads: a peak demand > plant’s rated

capacity can be taken to other plants.

Increased supply reliability: outage in one station does not

necessarily interrupt supply.
 Interconnected Grid System:
Use of older plants: maybe called upon to carry peak loads
of short durations.

Economic operation of equipment: more efficient plants

work throughout the year at a high L.F.

Increase in diversity factor: system max demand <

individual stations’ max demand.

Reduction in plant reserve capacity: standby units at

stations not very necessary.
THANK YOU!!!