Refected Power

Cursitor Doom · 2015-11-29T12:28:53+00:00

Not really a "basic" question, but here goes: I'm just reading up on the subject of power factor in electrical supply lines and how as the PF heads down towards zero (as the phase difference between i and v gets more pronounced) more and more power is returned to the generator and how this can be fixed by adding capacitance or inductance in parallel with the load. This struck me as incredibly similar to the situation with RF transmission lines where an antenna - if not at its resonant frequency - can be 'seen' as inductive or capacitive and when such is the case, power is reflected back to the transmitter, but this can be fixed by adding compensatory capacitance or inductance in parallel with the tx line. Would I be right to infer from the above that these two phenomena are in fact one and the same? I just wonder if it's correct to do that, because we never seem to hear the terms 'power factor' applied to RF tx lines, nor 'reflections' applied to power lines. Can some kind soul clarify? thanks!