Direct Current (DC) Advantages, Disadvantages, Properties

DC supply or the Direct Current Supply is the nature of electrical energy. There are mainly two forms of electrical supply - 1. DC or Direct Current Supply and 2. AC or Alternating Current Supply. Both forms of electricity have their own advantages and disadvantages and field of applications. In this article, we are going to discuss the Direct Current or DC advantages and disadvantages. Before going to know the advantages and disadvantages you must know the characteristics or properties of DC supply.

DC(Direct Current) Characteristic or Properties

1. The magnitude of the DC supply always constant, it does not change with time like AC supply.

2. The direction of flow of the current of the DC supply also unidirectional. The current always flows from positive to negative.

3. DC power supply has a constant polarity - Positive and Negative

4. Capacitance and Inductance effect does not occur with the DC supply.

5. DC has a unity power factor, so it does not affect anything. So we can say DC has no power factor.

6. DC can be store in a battery, supercapacitor, etc.

Read Also: 

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Direct Current(DC) Advantages

1. Let's start from generation. DC power can be generated from renewable clean energy sources such as solar energy. So it does not make any pollution. If we see in the case of the generation of AC power supply, most are related to complex design and subjected to pollution such as thermal energy, nuclear energy, etc.

2.  The magnitude and polarity are constant for DC supply so they are very energy efficient. If we see the AC power supply, the magnitude is changing with time so they not so energy efficient as DC, in fact, there power factor issue, noise, occurs.

3. As the nature of DC supply is constant, so it most suitable for electronic circuits. Due to that, all electronic devices work on DC supply.

4. DC supply operated machines, devices such as motors, lights are very high efficient than AC supply operated devices or machines.

5. There is no inductance and capacitance effect that occurs with the DC supply, so DC circuits are noise-free, low power loss, high efficient.

6. Another great advantage of DC(Direct Current) is energy storage. Yes, electrical energy can be stored very easily in a battery or supercapacitor in form of direct current or DC but AC can not be stored.

7. DC power transmission and distribution is low expensive than AC power transmission and distribution.

8. Modern digital electronic communication systems, control systems, technology all are dependent upon the DC power supply only not AC.

Read Also: 

• Which is more dangerous AC or DC-Explained in details
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Disadvantages of Direct Current or DC

1. DC generators are more complex than AC generators. In fact, DC cannot be generated at a very voltage due to the commutation problem.

2. Although DC transmission and distribution more simpler and low expensive than the AC but DC cannot be transmitted over a long distance because it cannot be step up or step down.

3. AC to DC conversion is very simple but when coming to the pint to DC to AC conversion, it is more complex, and proper output also can not be obtained.

4. Although DC machines are more efficient than AC machines but they have complex construction and working mechanisms. For example, if we see the AC motor and DC motor, the AC motor is very simple in design than a DC motor.

5. As the inductance and capacitance effect does not occur with DC supply, so some important theories such as electromagnetic induction, shunt reactance cannot be used for practical applications.

6. DC supply operated electrical machines, devices such as DC motors, DC circuit breakers are more expensive than AC supply operated machines and devices due to their complex design.

7. DC voltage cannot be step up or step down in an easy way. In the case of AC, we just need a transformer to step up or step down the voltage, but in the case of DC, it is very complex. First, we have to convert the DC into AC then need to step up or step down the voltage. In fact, there is more power loss occurs when we step up or step down the DC voltage.

Read Also: 

• Why we use 220V, 50Hz AC at home instead of DC or other voltage?
• Electrical Power Theory and Formula Explanation
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