What Are The Advantages of AC over DC?

In 1882, New York City built the first electric power grid. A steam generator generated DC electricity, which was distributed to 59 consumers. During this decade, several small dc power systems were built all over the world.

The invention of transformers and ac transmission has paved the way for a significant increase in the generation of electrical power. Then there was a debate over whether the electrical utility industry should be standardized for ac or dc electricity.

We’re all familiar with the words ac and dc. There are some distinctions between the two, as well as advantages and disadvantages or disadvantages of ac over dc. In this post, I’ll go over the benefits, and in the next, I’ll go over the drawbacks. Let’s take a closer look at each one individually.

AC Power system

Unlike DC, AC is a variable quantity. This has far-reaching consequences. Look up Lenz’s law to see how AC currents now have to contend with not only resistance (of the material), but also opposition provided by the inductive reactance of transmission lines, transformers, motors, and other devices.

In the power system, the real power defined in the equation (to the left) performs the actual work. It’s what powers the engines, switches on the lights, and so on. Reactive force, on the other hand, does not produce any results. Nevertheless, it is necessary.

It’s often used to magnetize transformers, engines, coil products, transmission lines, and other similar items. In other words, it makes real-time power transfer easier by addressing the requirements of each piece of equipment.

DC Power Supply

A DC system can’t be used in any part of the power system. It’s difficult to change the voltage since the DC produces a steady magnetic field (using induction). That is to say, it is unsuitable for power distribution.

If power is transmitted to a home, a power adaptor (which includes a tiny transformer and a rectifier) supplied by your system manufacturer can be used to generate DC power.

The DC system has a small use at the bulk transmission stage. Extra high voltage DC power (derived from AC power) must be converted back to AC, which necessitates the use of expensive converter stations, which can cost upwards of $100 million. The converter stations in North America link interregional power systems at their borders.

The western interconnect (in purple) is, for example, connected to the Eastern interconnect (in blue and green). Texas (in grey) and Canada are connected by the Eastern interconnect (in white).

What are the Pros and Cons of AC vs. DC?

The alternative current generation is less costly than the DC generation. AC devices are tough, easy, and convenient, and they don’t need much in the way of maintenance and repairs when in use. In AC systems, some transformers can achieve a wide range of voltages.

The magnitude of the current can be reduced without wasting much energy by using a conductor or an inductance. Using rectifiers, AC systems can easily be converted to DC. In contrast to DC transmission, line wastes are poor when AC type is used at higher voltages in long-distance applications.

The advantages of AC over DC are numerous, but the following are the most important ones:

  • We all know that we have power for appliances in our homes, and that power is transmitted over long distances. Step-up transformers can transmit alternating
  • current (AC), but they cannot transmit direct current (DC).
  • The ac is easier to make than the dc.
  • It is less expensive to produce ac than it is to generate dc.
  • The efficiency of ac generators is higher than that of dc generators.
  • The energy lost during transmission is negligible.
  • The ac to dc conversion is easy.
  • Transformers, either step up or step down, will easily change the ac voltage.
  • The value or magnitude of ac can be easily reduced without wasting too much energy. Choke coils may be used to do this.

Conclusion,

AC produces less carbon dust than DC spinning machines with brush gear, where carbon dust gets trapped between the windings. Carbon dust collects between terminals, reduces insulation, and sometimes tracks around. The amount of carbon in Brushes must be aligned perfectly on the commutator, commutators must be skimmed and undercut, brush gear must be balanced for armature reaction, and there are extra inter poles. The contact surface of the DC switchgear suffers more than the AC equivalent rating.

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