Wiktor Wise
The diversity factor is a term used in electrical engineering to describe the ratio of the sum of the maximum demands of the various parts of a system to the coincident maximum demands of the entire system. In other words, it is a way to estimate the load of a particular node in the system. It is commonly used in engineering to complete coordination studies for a system. The diversity factor is always greater than 1. In the context of electricity, the diversity factor is used to calculate the load for a service or a feeder supplying a facility.
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What You'll Learn
Diversity factor vs demand factor
Diversity factor and demand factor are two terms that often confuse electrical designers. They are both important concepts in energy management, alongside demand interval factor, utilisation factor, load factor, and coincidence factor.
The demand factor of an electric power station is defined as the ratio of the maximum demand on the power station to its connected load. The demand factor is always less than one because the maximum demand on the power station is usually less than the connected load to the power station. The knowledge of demand factor is important in determining the capacity of equipment of the power plant.
The diversity factor is the ratio of the sum of the individual non-coincident maximum loads of various subdivisions of the system to the maximum demand of the complete system. The diversity factor is always greater than one because the sum of individual maximum demands is always greater than the maximum demand of the power station. The diversity factor provides a correction factor that results in a lower total power load. It does not affect the energy, only the power.
The diversity factor is closely related to the load factor. The higher the load factor, the lower the cost of unit generation. The load factor is defined as the ratio of the average load to the maximum demand of a power station during a certain period of time. The load factor is always less than one because the average load on the power station is always less than the maximum demand.
To illustrate the difference between demand and diversity factors, consider the following example. A sub-station has three outgoing feeders with a maximum demand of 33 MW at 8:00 pm. The sum of the maximum demand of the individual sub-systems is 37 MW. In this case, the demand factor is 33/37 = 0.89, and the diversity factor is 37/33 = 1.12.
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Diversity factor calculations
Diversity factors are crucial in electrical engineering, especially in designing systems where the peak load is much lower than the sum of all potential loads. This is due to the time-dependent operation of different devices or subsystems.
The diversity factor is always greater than 1. This means that the system's peak load is less than the sum of the individual maximum loads. This difference is due to load usage, as not all devices peak at the same time.
Diversity factors are the ratio of the sum of non-coincident maximum loads of various subdivisions of a system to the system’s maximum demand. It measures how parts of a system peak at different times, not all at once.
For example, a transformer supplies power to a small mall with various stores. Each store might have a maximum load of 20 kW. If there are 10 stores, the total possible maximum load is 200 kW. However, not all stores will use their maximum power at once. So, the peak demand on the transformer might be only 120 kW. The factor would therefore be: Diversity Factor=∑Maximum Loads/Peak Load=200 kW/120 kW=1.67.
The diversity factor is used to estimate the total power demand and size the electrical service that varies around loads from different areas or units of buildings. It is also used for distribution feeder size and transformer as well as to determine the maximum peak load.
In the case of a distribution board with a 100A supply fuse, the diversity factor can be calculated as 192A/100A, or 1.92, or 52%.
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Diversity factor in electrical design
Diversity factor is a term used in electrical engineering to describe the ratio of the sum of the maximum demands of the various parts of a system to the coincident maximum demands of the whole system. It is used to estimate the load of a particular node in the system.
In electrical design, the diversity factor is used to account for the fact that not all electrical loads will run at full capacity at the same time. It is a correction factor that results in a lower total power load for the system. For example, a facility with ten AC units that run for 2000 hours a year each will not all turn on simultaneously, affecting the facility's peak load. The diversity factor can be used to bring the power in line with the facility's true peak load.
The diversity factor is always greater than 1, and it is dependent on equipment characteristics and time. It is commonly used in engineering for coordination studies. For lighting loads, the diversity factor is typically between 1.10 and 1.50, while for power and lighting loads, it is usually between 1.50 and 2.00.
The diversity factor is related to the demand factor, which is the percentage by which the total connected load on a service or feeder is multiplied to determine the greatest probable load it may be called upon to carry. The demand factor is always less than one, and it helps determine the required system capacity.
In hot water systems, the diversity factor is always less than 1, and for space heating in more than 40 dwellings, it levels out to approximately 0.62.
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Diversity factor in energy management
Energy management is a critical aspect of any electrical system, and the diversity factor plays a significant role in optimising energy utilisation and ensuring a reliable supply. The diversity factor is a crucial concept in load planning and management, helping engineers and energy managers make informed decisions.
In the context of electricity, the diversity factor is defined as the ratio of the sum of the individual non-coincident maximum loads of various subdivisions of a system to the maximum demand of the complete system. It recognises that the whole load does not equal the sum of its parts due to time interdependence, also known as "diversity". This factor is essential for estimating the load of a particular node in the system.
For example, consider a facility with ten air conditioning units, each with a capacity of 20 tons and an average full-load equivalent operating time of 2000 hours per year. While each unit runs for 2000 hours annually, they do not all turn on simultaneously, affecting the facility's peak load. By applying the diversity factor, we can correct the power load, bringing it in line with the facility's true peak load. This ensures that the energy balance is accurate without altering the energy itself.
The diversity factor is closely related to the demand factor, load factor, utilisation factor, and coincidence factor, all of which are important in energy management. The demand factor, for instance, is the maximum demand of a system divided by the total connected load on the system, and it helps determine the required system capacity. A lower demand factor indicates that less system capacity is needed to serve the connected load.
In practice, diversity factors typically range from 1.10 to 1.50 for lighting loads and 1.50 to 2.00 for power and lighting loads. A higher diversity factor generally leads to a lower cost of power generation. Additionally, the diversity factor is always greater than or equal to 1, and it tends to increase towards 1 as supply availability decreases.
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Diversity factor in load planning
The diversity factor is a crucial consideration in load planning, especially in electrical design. It is defined as the ratio of the sum of the maximum demands of the various parts of a system to the coincident maximum demands of the entire system. In other words, it recognises that the whole load is not equal to the sum of its parts due to time interdependence or "diversity".
For example, consider a feeder supplying five users with the following load conditions: on Monday, user one reaches a maximum demand of 100 amps; on Tuesday, user two reaches 95 amps; on Wednesday, user three reaches 85 amps; on Thursday, user four reaches 75 amps; and on Friday, user five reaches 65 amps. The feeder's maximum demand is 250 amps. The diversity factor can be calculated as follows: Diversity factor = Sum of total demands ÷ Maximum demand on feeder = 420 ÷ 250 = 1.68, or 168%.
The diversity factor is always greater than 1. It is important to note that the diversity factor does not affect the energy; it only affects the power. It is closely related to the load factor, which refers to the total expected power or "load" drawn during a peak period by a device or system of devices. The load factor is the total installed full load ampere divided by the running load ampere. For instance, if the total installed full load ampere is twice the running load ampere, the diversity factor is two.
The diversity factor is also related to the demand factor, which is the maximum demand of a system divided by the total connected load on the system. The demand factor is always less than one. A lower demand factor means that less system capacity is required to serve the connected load. The demand factor permits a feeder ampacity to be less than 100% of all the branch-circuit loads connected to it.
In conclusion, the diversity factor is an important concept in load planning as it helps to estimate the load of a particular node in the system and manage energy demand efficiently. It is used to correct the power load without affecting the energy balance, ensuring that the power is in line with the true peak load of a facility.
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Frequently asked questions
A diversity factor is a ratio that compares the sum of the maximum demands of the various parts of a system to the coincident maximum demands of the whole system.
The formula for calculating a diversity factor is: Diversity factor = Sum of total demands ÷ Maximum demand on the feeder.
A demand factor is a percentage by which the total connected load on a service or feeder is multiplied to determine the greatest probable load it may be called on to carry. A diversity factor, on the other hand, recognises that the whole load does not equal the sum of its parts due to time interdependence or "diversity".
Consider a feeder that supplies five users with the following load conditions: On Monday, user one reaches a maximum demand of 100 amps; on Tuesday, user two reaches 95 amps; on Wednesday, user three reaches 85 amps; on Thursday, user four reaches 75 amps; and on Friday, user five reaches 65 amps. The feeder's maximum demand is 250 amps. The diversity factor can be calculated as follows: Diversity factor = Sum of total demands ÷ Maximum demand on feeder = 420 ÷ 250 = 1.68.
