Apparent power definitions for three-phase systems

It is shown that currently used apparent power definitions, namely the arithmetic VA, S_A and the vector VA, S_V, both lack an important property: the system power losses are not a linear function of the apparent power squared, S_A² or S _V². The only apparent power definition known today, that holds this property for all the possible situations-balanced, unbalanced, sinusoidal or nonsinusoidal-has the mathematical expression suggested by F. Buchholz; and explained by W. Goodhue. This paper gives a set of basic examples meant to emphasize the merit of Buchholz-Goodhue approach