The Standard Electrical Dictionary

1. Efficiency, Commercial

   Practical efficiency of a machine, obtained by dividing the available output of work or energy of a machine by the energy absorbed by the same machine. Thus in a dynamo part of the energy is usefully expended in exciting the field magnet, but this energy is not available for use in the outer circuit, is not a part of the output, and is not part of the dividend. If M represents the energy absorbed, and W the useful or available energy, the coefficient of commercial efficiency is equal to W/M. M is made up of available, unavailable and wasted (by Foucault currents, etc.,) energy. Calling available energy W, unavailable but utilized energy w, and wasted energy m, the expression for the coefficient of commercial efficiency becomes   W / ( W + w + m )   when M = W + w + m Synonym--Net efficiency.