Powerinto

Powerinto is a term used in energy systems and electrical engineering to denote the amount of electrical power directed into a specific subsystem, port, or load at a given time. It is commonly represented by the symbol P_into (or P_in) and is measured in watts. In DC contexts, powerinto is often defined as the product of input voltage and input current (P_into = V_in × I_in). For AC systems, it refers to the real power entering a port, calculated as P_into = V_rms × I_rms × cos(phi), where phi is the phase angle between voltage and current.

In multi-port systems, powerinto is distinguished from powerout and from transmitted or recovered power. The balance of powerinto and powerout, accounting for losses, defines system efficiency. Sign conventions for P_into can vary by discipline or software, so explicit documentation of port orientation is important in modeling and analysis.

Applications of the concept appear in power electronics, grid interfaces, battery management, and multi-port energy converters. It is used for monitoring input energy, optimizing energy flow, and performing port-level power accounting. For example, in a solar inverter, the DC power entering the inverter from panels constitutes P_into, while the AC power delivered to the grid represents P_out, with losses reducing the effective efficiency.

Variations of the term may appear as Power-Into in software models or as a label for an input power port. There is no universal standard definition, so practitioners typically specify the port’s sign convention and measurement basis in context. See also input power, power flow, efficiency, and port-based modeling.