216 Electrical Circuit Theory and Technology
Figure 15.6
a.c. series circuit the current is common to each component and is thus
taken as the reference phasor.
From the phasor diagram of Figure 15.6, the ‘voltage triangle’ is derived.
For the R –L circuit: V D
V
2
R
C V
2
L
(by Pythagoras’ theorem)
and tan D
V
L
V
R
(by trigonometric ratios)
In an a.c. circuit, the ratio
applied voltage V
current I
is called the impedance Z,
i.e.
Z =
V
I
Z
If each side of the voltage triangle in Figure 15.6 is divided by current I
then the ‘impedance triangle’ is derived.
For the R –L circuit: Z D
R
2
C X
2
L
tan D
X
L
R
, sin D
X
L
Z
and cos D
R
Z
Problem 6. In a series R –L circuit the p.d. across the resistance
R is 12 V and the p.d. across the inductance L is 5 V. Find the
supply voltage and the phase angle between current and voltage.
From the voltage triangle of Figure 15.6,
supply voltage V D
12
2
C 5
2
i.e. V = 13 V
(Note that in a.c. circuits, the supply voltage is not the arithmetic sum of
the p.d’s across components. It is, in fact, the phasor sum.)
tan D
V
L
V
R
D
5
12
, from which D arctan
5
12
D 22.62
°
D 22
°
37
lagging
(‘Lagging’ infers that the current is ‘behind’ the voltage, since phasors
revolve anticlockwise.)
Problem 7. A coil has a resistance of 4 and an inductance
of 9.55 mH. Calculate (a) the reactance, (b) the impedance, and
(c) the current taken from a 240 V, 50 Hz supply. Determine also
the phase angle between the supply voltage and current.
R D 4 ; L D 9.55 mH D 9.55 ð 10
3
H; f D 50 Hz; V D 240 V
(a) Inductive reactance, X
L
D 2fL D 2509.55 ð 10
3
D 3 Z