What is direct current & what is its role in electrical power?
Electrical power occurs from electrical energy, or current, flowing in a closed circuit. The direction in which the energy flows divides electrical power into two types — alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) power. So what is the definition of direct current, exactly?
Direct current (DC)
The direct current definition implies electrical power that occurs from currents moving in one direction in a closed circuit. By contrast, alternating current changes the direction every several seconds to generate electrical power.
Most often, direct current is produced by a number of sources, like solar cells and batteries. In fact, direct current power can be generated from any solar panel in use today. Fuels cells can produce DC power, too.
DC applications
Direct current is best suitable for applications that do not require high voltage. These include some applications in the automotive and aircraft industries as well as uses we come across daily, like battery charging for any electronic device.
For example, alternating current adapters that come with devices like smartphones or laptops turn AC into direct current for the battery to recharge.
Another huge area where DC power is applied is where the power needs to travel long distances. The reason is that transmitting AC is not that easy when it comes to far located destinations. This includes sub-sea transmission lines built for direct current.
The power path for sub-sea applications includes three steps — producing AC power, then converting it to direct current at a terminal station to transmit it further via sub-sea wiring, and lastly, converting it back to alternating current at the next terminal station to deliver the power to the end-user.
DC pros & cons
While DC machines operate with more complex mechanisms than AC and aren’t the best fit for high-voltage applications, there are some meaningful advantages to it. These include a clean source of power generation, particularly solar cells, constant power supply, no noise, and high efficiency.
The constant power supply is another benefit of direct current. In an alternating current power system, short power losses that occur when the current changes its direction are inevitable. While this may not be noticeable to the user, sensitive devices like electronics can be affected.
Finding DC wiring for purchase
Now that you know what direct current is and when it is best to be used, it is time to find the proper cables for your project. Stores like Nassau National Cable have a wide selection of electrical wires to meet the needs of your target application.
