Maximum power transfer theorem
In electrical engineering, the maximum power transfer theorem states that, to obtain maximum external power from a power source with internal resistance, the resistance of the load must
In electrical engineering, the maximum power transfer theorem states that, to obtain maximum external power from a power source with internal resistance, the resistance of the load must equal the resistance of the source as viewed from its output terminals.
Maximum power output is not a major concern in these circuits, but we design for a rated output power which is not necessarily the maximum. The methodology followed in electrical system design is to fix the input voltage, output voltage, and output current, and design the components of the system so that it works at maximum efficiency.
The efficiency curve hits the maximum value at some output power, which may not be the maximum power output. The maximum power efficiency and maximum power output are not the same. You cannot map maximum efficiency conditions to maximum power output conditions in a system.
A refinement of the maximum power theorem says that any reactive components of source and load should be of equal magnitude but opposite sign. (See below for a derivation.) This means that the source and load impedances should be complex conjugates of each other. In the case of purely resistive circuits, the two concepts are identical.
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