Rated Capacity
Named capacity or rated capacity means the maximum allowed sustained output of a specific facility including a power plant, an oil refinery, a mining facility, a factory, a fuel plant, a food processing plant, and others. These names are based on equipment that is used in generating power such as steam turbines, thermal engines, gasoline engines, diesel engines, etc. named capacity is usually expressed as curtail or steady state rating. Curb load is used to indicate a maximum amount of power that can be generated by the facility. Stable rating indicates the rate at which the facility's equipment can perform its functions without being disrupted. The power level achieved is usually the anticipated maximum over a period of time and is a reliable measure of electrical generation capability.
The relationship between rated capacity and actual production is described by the equation: Maximum expected load (MEM) times maximum speed (Pmax) divided by maximum production capacity (PFC). An example would be, if a power plant is anticipated to generate 10 megawatts of electricity, it would be assumed to reach that level of output once continuously running at its maximum speed. If the power plant reaches or surpasses the maximum speed, then the potential for generating electricity is less than the maximum power produced.
Maximum safe weight, or MSW, is an expression used to indicate the maximum weight of the mechanical parts that can be supported by the structure without posing any risk to the operator. For example, a structure may support only a certain maximum weight, known as maximum safe weight, before the structure begins to sway, sink, warp, contract, break, etc. Over the years, the concept of rated capacity has been developed to help managers determine the right kind of equipment and machinery to be purchased depending on the operation, and the kind of work to be performed. Some examples of factors considered in rating capacity are the effects of shock, vibrations, and temperature, the lifetime of the equipment, and its service life.
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