Three-Phase System
12.1 What is a Three-Phase Circuit?
12.2 Balance Three-Phase Voltages
12.3 Balance Three-Phase Connection
12.4 Power in a Balanced System
12.5 Unbalanced Three-Phase Systems
12.6 Application – Residential Wiring
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12.1 What is a Three-Phase Circuit?(1)
• It is a system produced by a generator consisting of
three sources having the same amplitude and
frequency but out of phase with each other by 120°.
Three sources
with 120° out
of phase
Four wired
system
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12.1 What is a Three-Phase Circuit?(2)
Advantages:
1. Most of the electric power is generated and
distributed in three-phase.
2. The instantaneous power in a three-phase system
can be constant.
3. The amount of power, the three-phase system is
more economical that the single-phase.
4. In fact, the amount of wire required for a three-
phase system is less than that required for an
equivalent single-phase system.
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12.2 Balance Three-Phase Voltages (1)
• A three-phase generator consists of a rotating
magnet (rotor) surrounded by a stationary
winding (stator).
A three-phase generator The generated voltages
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12.2 Balance Three-Phase Voltages (2)
• Two possible configurations:
Three-phase voltage sources: (a) Y-connected ; (b) Δ-connected
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12.2 Balance Three-Phase Voltages (3)
• Balanced phase voltages are equal in
magnitude and are out of phase with each other
by 120°.
• The phase sequence is the time order in which
the voltages pass through their respective
maximum values.
• A balanced load is one in which the phase
impedances are equal in magnitude and in phase
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12.2 Balance Three-Phase Voltages (4)
Example 1
Determine the phase sequence of the
set of voltages.
van 200 cos(t 10)
vbn 200 cos(t 230)
vcn 200 cos(t 110)
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12.2 Balance Three-Phase Voltages (5)
Solution:
The voltages can be expressed in phasor form
as
Van 20010 V
Vbn 200 230 V
Vcn 200 110 V
We notice that Van leads Vcn by 120° and Vcn in
turn leads Vbn by 120°.
Hence, we have an acb sequence.
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12.3 Balance Three-Phase Connection (1)
• Four possible connections
1. Y-Y connection (Y-connected source
with a Y-connected load)
2. Y-Δ connection (Y-connected source
with a Δ-connected load)
3. Δ-Δ connection
4. Δ-Y connection
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12.3 Balance Three-Phase Connection (2)
• A balanced Y-Y system is a three-phase system with a
balanced y-connected source and a balanced y-connected
load.
VL 3V p , where
V p Van Vbn Vcn
VL Vab Vbc Vca
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12.3 Balance Three-Phase Connection (3)
Example 2
Calculate the line currents in the three-wire Y-Y
system shown below:
Ans
I a 6.81 21.8 A
Ib 6.81 141.8 A
I c 6.8198.2 A
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*Refer to in-class illustration, textbook
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12.3 Balance Three-Phase Connection (4)
• A balanced Y-Δ system is a three-phase system with a
balanced y-connected source and a balanced Δ-connected
load.
I L 3I p , where
I L I a Ib Ic
I p I AB I BC ICA
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12.3 Balance Three-Phase Connection (5)
Example 3
A balanced abc-sequence Y-connected source with
( Van 10010 ) is connected to a Δ-connected load
(8+j4) per phase. Calculate the phase and line
currents.
Solution
Using single-phase analysis,
Van 10010
Ia 33.54 16.57 A
Z / 3 2.98126.57
Other line currents are obtained using the abc phase
sequence
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*Refer to in-class illustration, textbook
12.3 Balance Three-Phase Connection (6)
• A balanced Δ-Δ system is a three-phase system with a
balanced Δ -connected source and a balanced Δ -connected
load.
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12.3 Balance Three-Phase Connection (7)
Example 4
A balanced Δ-connected load having an impedance 20-
j15 is connected to a Δ-connected positive-sequence
generator having ( Vab 3300 V ). Calculate the phase
currents of the load and the line currents.
Ans:
The phase currents
I AB 13.236.87 A; I BC 13.2 81.13 A; I AB 13.2156.87 A
The line currents
I a 22.866.87 A; Ib 22.86 113.13 A; I c 22.86126.87 A
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*Refer to in-class illustration, textbook
12.3 Balance Three-Phase Connection (8)
• A balanced Δ-Y system is a three-phase system with a
balanced y-connected source and a balanced y-connected
load.
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