Power Station : Terms & Factors. Part-2

(Continue from previous post........)

It is matter of fact that generated electrical power cannot be stored, that's why power stations need to produce as and when demanded to fulfill the requirements of the consumers. As we know demand of  consumers varies time to time what makes the power engineer to consider some factors, as we discussed before. Today we discuss next level of factors. 

• Load Factor: Ratio of average load to maximum demand for a given period is known as Load Factor.

Hence,

Load factor = Average load ÷ Maximum Demand.

for a given period T, 

Load factor= (Average load x T)÷(maximum demand x T)

                   = (Units generated in T hours)÷(maximum demand x T)

It will always less then 1 because average load is smaller then the maximum demand. This factor help to determine the cost per unit generation. If load factor of power station goes higher the per unit cost will be lesser because high load factor means low maximum demand and low maximum demand means lower capacity of plant which reduce the cost of plant.

• Diversity Factor: The ratio of the sum of individual maximum demand to the maximum demand on power station is known as Diversity Factor.

Hence,

Diversity factor = Sum of individual maximum demand ÷ Maximum demand on power station.

This factor will always be greater then 1 and higher the diversity factor lesser the cost of per unit generation.

• Capacity Factor: The ratio of actual energy generated or supply over a period of time to the possible energy that would have been produced if the plant had operated continuously at its maximum rating.

Hence,
Capacity factor = Actual energy produced ÷ Max. energy that could have been produced.

for a given period T, 

Capacity factor = (Average demand x T) ÷ (maximum demand x T)

                          = Average demand ÷ Plant capacity

Annual Capacity factor= Annual kWh output ÷ (plant capacity x 8760)

• Plant Use-factor or Utilization Factor: It is the ratio of energy (kWh) produced or generated to the product of plant capacity and the number of hours for which the plant was in operation.

Hence,
Plant Use-factor= Station o/p in kWh ÷ (plant capacity x hours in operation)