There is a noticeable difference between KVA and KW even though both are used to represent electric current. These units are power ratings used in every measuring instrument for measuring the current characteristics. Both the units are used to express power and are abbreviations of kilovolt amperes and kilowatts. In this session, let us know the difference between KVA and KW.
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Difference Between KVA and KW
KVA is used to represent apparent power and KW is used to represent the real power of an electrical system. Its usage differs in electrical circuits because of the difference between AC and DC circuits. When considering a DC circuit, the KW and KVA are equal because the current does not get out of phase. But, when considering an AC circuit, we could find out several differences.
For solving real power, we need a nebulous value which varies depending on electrical appliances. It is called the power factor, its values are given as 0 and 1 or percentage. The closer the power factor to unity, the more the efficiency of any device regarding electricity usage. The relation between a KVA and KW and the power factor is kva=kw/power factor. In the DC circuit, the power factor is unity. Therefore, kw=kva.
| KVA | KW |
| It is used to represent apparent power | It is used to represent actual power |
| Both kinds of power are equal in DC circuits | Both kinds of power are different in AC circuits |
| A fraction of kva is accessed to do work and the rest is considered excess in current | It shows the actual power which does the valid work |
| Its full form is kilovolt amperes | Its full form is kilowatts |
These were some difference between KVA and KW.
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Frequently Asked Questions – FAQs
What is kilowatt?
It is a measure of how much power an electric appliance consumes. It is equal to one thousand watts of electrical power.
State true or false: KVA is used to represent apparent power.
True.
Give the KVA and KW relation for AC and DC circuits?
The KVA and KW relation for AC and DC circuits are:
For the DC circuit:
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Power Factor=1
KW= KVA
For the AC circuit:
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Power Factor >1
KW= KVA*PF
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