AC Circuits and Power Systems in Practice

Preface

This book is written as a practical power engineering text for engineering students and recent graduates. It contains more than 400 illustrations and is designed to provide the reader with a broad introduction to the subject and to facilitate further study. Many of the examples included come from industry and are not normally covered in undergraduate syllabi. They are provided to assist in bridging the gap between tertiary study and industrial practice, and to assist the professional development of recent graduates. The material presented is easy to follow and includes both mathematical and visual representations using phasor diagrams. Problems included at the end of most chapters are designed to walk the reader through practical applications of the associated theory.

The text is divided into two parts. The first (Chapters 1–6) is primarily intended for undergraduate students. It includes a general overview of the power system, AC circuit theory, network theorems and phasor analysis, in addition to a discussion of active and reactive power, magnetic circuits and an introduction to current and voltage transformer operation. Part 1 concludes with a discussion of symmetrical component theory and the parameters affecting the flow of power in AC networks, including the phenomenon of voltage collapse.

Chapter 1 provides a general overview of low, medium and high voltage power systems, including the changes to the generation profile presently occurring and their implications ...