Fundamental electrical engineering concepts and theory
In an earlier note on the site [Photovoltaic (PV) - Electrical Calculations], the theory of solar (PV) ... read more..
In three phase systems, the use of transformers with three windings (or legs) per side is common. These three windings are often connected in delta or star, resulting in common transformer conf... read more..
Many questions sent in to the site are in connection with motor starting and in particular star-delta. For all but the simplest application, there is merit in performing a more detailed study.&... read more..
Induction motors are frequently used in both industrial and domestic applications. Within the induction motor, an electrical current in the rotor is induced by a varying magnetic field in the s... read more..
Traditionally generation of electricity has involved rotating machines to produce alternating sinusoidal voltage and current (a.c. systems). With the development of power electronics during the last ... read more..
Modelica is an open source (free) software language for modelling complex systems. Having never used it before, I thought I would download a development platform and see how it stacked up. This... read more..
When sizing cables, the heat generated by losses within any sheath or armour need to be evaluated. When significant, it becomes a factor to be considered in the sizing of cables.
This ... read more..
Gauss's Electrical law defines the relation between charge ("Positive" & "Negative") and electric field. The law was initially formulated by Carl Friedrich Gauss in 1835.
In Gauss'... read more..
Maxwell's Equations are a set of fundamental relationships, which govern how electric and magnetic fields interact. The equations explain how these fields are generated and interact with each other, ... read more..
Capacitors have numerous applications in electrical and electronic applications. This note examines the use of capacitors to store electrical energy. The sidebar shows details of a typical c... read more..
Capacitors are widely used in electrical engineering for functions such as energy storage, power factor correction, voltage compensation and many others. Capacitance is also inherent in any ele... read more..
If two dissimilar metals are touching and an external conducting path exists, corrosion of one the metals can take place. Moisture or other materials acting as an electrolyte between the metals... read more..
The image (reproduced from IEC 60909) shows a typical fault in an ac system. From the illustration it can seen that there is an initial dc component ...
Laplace transforms and their inverse are a mathematical technique which allows us to solve differential equations, by primarily using algebraic methods...
Nikola Tesla was born exactly at midnight on July 10, 1856 in the tiny village of Smiljan, Lika in Croatia. In his late teens, Tesla left the village to...
ABB has produced a range of technical guides that offer concise explanations of the major technologies and technical issues in low voltage AC drives. ...
When thinking about watts (W) or kilowatt (kW = 1000 W) it can be useful too keep in mind the fundamental ideas behind the unit. Watt is not a pure electrical...
The fundamental component of any analogue computer is the operational amplifier, or op amp. An operational amplifier (often called an op-amp,) is a high...
A frequent problem in fault calculations is the obtaining of equipment parameters. While it is always preferable to use the actual parameters of the equipment...
The following tables provide quick order of magnitude fault levels for a a range of typical low voltage situations.
The European Union is implementing a voluntary code of practice for participants with the aim of improving the overall efficiency of data centres. As part...
Per unit fault calculations is a method whereby system impedances and quantities are normalised across different voltage levels to a common base. By removing...
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