I'm trying to understand how much heat is generated when a given amount of electric power is drawn. And from what I understand, it's pretty much 1 to 1 isn't it?
Example: If I have a 1 HP motor running at 50% load and so pulling about 0.5HP, then isn't the amount of heat coming from the coils equivalent to 0.5HP of heat?
I draw this conclusion based largely on the fact that the only real power used in the motor is supposed to be resistive power. The reactive part produces no heat, nor does it do any mechanical work. Well if I had an Ohmic resistor allowing 1KW of power to flow, then I'm essentially generating 1KW worth of heat aren't I? Granted, not all of the heat is dissipated in the resistor itself. Some of it is dissipated in the various transmission lines and components delivering the power.
Is my understanding correct?
Best Answer
Yes, sir, you are indeed correct.
Unless we account for power loss due to LED illumination or other minor physical details, all energy is dissipated as heat.
That would be the sum of these particular motor loss mechanisms:
1) Your load resistor loss
2) Motor windings (stator copper loss)
3) Friction (drag, viscous) torque
4) Static torque
5) Magnetic core losses caused by the non-zero width of the BH curve.
6) Motor cable resistive loss