ELE B7 Power Systems

Engineering
Symmetrical Components

Analysis of Unbalanced Systems

Except for the balanced three-phase fault, faults

result in an unbalanced system.
The most common types of faults are single lineground (SLG) and line-line (LL). Other types are
double line-ground (DLG), open conductor, and
balanced three phase.
The easiest method to analyze unbalanced system
operation due to faults is through the use of
symmetrical components

Slide # 1

Symmetrical Components

The key idea of symmetrical component analysis is

to decompose the unbalanced system into three
sequence of balanced networks. The networks are
then coupled only at the point of the unbalance (i.e.,
the fault)
The three sequence networks are known as the

positive sequence (this is the one weve been using)

negative sequence
zero sequence

Slide # 2

Symmetrical Components
Balance
Systems

Unbalance Currents

Unsymmetrical
Fault

IA

IC

IB

zero sequence

Zero
Sequence

Symmetrical
components

Unbalance
System

Sequence Currents

Positive
Sequence

positive sequence
Three
balanced
Systems

Negative
Sequence

negative sequence

Slide # 3

Symmetrical Components
Assuming three unbalance voltage phasors, VA, VB and VC having a positive
sequence (abc). Using symmetrical components it is possible to represent each
phasor voltage as:

VA VA0 VA VA

VB V V V
0
B

VC VC0 VC VC

Zero Sequence Component

Positive Sequence Component
Negative Sequence Component

Where the symmetrical components are:

Slide # 4

Symmetrical Components

The Positive Sequence Components (

VA , VB , VC )
Three phasors
Equal in magnitude
Displaced by 120o in phase
Having the same sequence as the original phasors (abc)
The Negative Sequence Components (
VA , VB , VC )
Three phasors
Equal in magnitude
Displaced by 120o in phase
Having the opposite sequence as the original phasors (acb)
0

The zero Sequence Components ( VA , VB , VC

Three phasors
Equal in magnitude
Having the same phase shift ( in phase)

VA

VC

120 o
120 o 120 o

VB

VA

VB

120 o
120 o 120 o

VC

VB0

VA0
VC0
Slide # 5

Example
VA VA0 VA VA
VB VB0 VB VB

V A0
VB 0
VC 0

Zero
Sequence
VA

VC VC0 VC VC
V A0

V A

Positive
Sequence

VC 0

V A
VC

120 o

V A

120 o

VB

VA

VC 0

V A

VB
Unbalance
Voltage

Negative
Sequence

120 o
120 o VC

VB

VB

Synthesis Unsymmetrical phasors

using symmetrical components
Slide # 6

Sequence Set Representation

Any arbitrary set of three phasors, say Ia, Ib, Ic can

be represented as a sum of the three sequence sets
Ia
Ib
Ic

0
Ia
I b0
I c0

Ia
I b
I c

Ia
I b
I c

where
I a0 , I b0 , I c0 is the zero sequence set
I a , I b , I c is the positive sequence set

I a , Ib , I c

is the negative sequence set

Slide # 7

Conversion Sequence to Phase

Only three of the sequence values are unique,
I0a , I a , I a ; the others are determined as follows:

= 1120

2 3 0

3 1

I0a I0b I0c (since by definition they are all equal)

I b 2 I a

I c I a

I b I a

I c 2 I a

1
1
1
1
I

a
1
Ia
1

0
+
2
2
I I 1 I I 1
Ia
b
a
a
a

2 1 2 I
I c
1


a
Slide # 8

Conversion Sequence to Phase

Define the symmetrical components transformation
matrix
1
1 1

A 1
1 2

0
0

I
I
a
Ia

Then I I b A I a A I A I s



I c
I a
I
Slide # 9

Conversion Phase to Sequence

By taking the inverse we can convert from the
phase values to the sequence values
1

Is A I
1
1 1
1 1
2
with A 1
3
1 2

Sequence sets can be used with voltages as well

as with currents
Slide # 10

Example
If the values of the fault currents in a three phase system are:
I A 150 45 I B 250 150
I C 100 300
Find the symmetrical components?
Solution:

VO

Slide # 11

Example
If the values of the sequence voltages in a three phase system are:
Vo 100
V 200 60
V 100 120
Find the three phase voltages
Solution:
V A 200 60 100 120 100

V A 300 60
V B 1 240( 200 60 ) 1120( 100 120 ) 100
V B 300 60
VC 1120( 200 60 ) 1 240( 100 120 ) 100
VC 0

Slide # 12

Use of Symmetrical Components

1. The Sequence circuits for Wye and Delta connected loads

Consider the following Y-connected load:

I n I a Ib I c
Vag I a Z y I n Z n

Ia
V ab

Vag ( ZY Z n ) I a Z n I b Z n I c

ZY

Ib

Vbg Z n I a ( ZY Z n ) I b Z n I c

ZY

V ca

Ic

V an

I n 3 I ao

ZY

Zn

V bc

Vcg Z n I a Z n I b ( ZY Z n ) I c

Vag
Z y Zn

Vbg Z n
V
Z
n
cg

Zn
Z y Zn
Zn

Ia

Z n Ib

Z y Z n I c
Zn

Slide # 13

Vn

Use of Symmetrical Components

Vag
Z y Zn
Zn
Zn Ia

Z y Zn
Z n Ib
Vbg Z n

V
Z
I c
Z
Z
Z

n
n
y
n
cg

V
Z I , V A Vs , I A I s
A Vs Z A I s

Z y 3Z n

1
0
A ZA

Vs A 1 Z A I s
0

Zy
0

0
Z y
Slide # 14

Networks are Now Decoupled

V 0
Z y 3Z n 0

Zy
0
V

0
0
V

Systems are decoupled

V 0 ( Z y 3Z n ) I 0
V Zy I
I ao

Vao

ZY

Zo

Zero Sequence Circuit

Ia

ZY

3Z n

Va

0
0 I

0 I

Z y I

Positive Sequence Circuit

Zy I

Ia

Va

ZY

Negative Sequence Circuit Slide # 15

Y-connected load (Isolated Neutral):

Ia

I ao

Vca

ZY

Ic

Vao

ZY

Ib

Zo

Van

Vab

ZY

ZY

If the neutral point of a Y-connected load is not

grounded, therefore, no zero sequence current
can flow, and

Zn
Symmetrical circuits for Y-connected load
with neutral point is not connected to ground
are presented as shown:

Zn

Zero Sequence Circuit

Ia

Vbc

Va

ZY

Positive Sequence Circuit

Ia

Va

ZY

Negative Sequence Circuit Slide # 16

Delta connected load:

The Delta circuit can not provide a path through
neutral. Therefore for a Delta connected load or its
equivalent Y-connected can not contain any zero
sequence components.

Vab Z I ab

Vbc Z I bc

Ia
Vab

Vca Z I ca

Ib

The summation of the line-to-line voltages

or phase currents are always zero

1
( Vab Vbc Vca ) Vab 0 0
3

and

I ab

Vca

Vbc

Ic

V ao

Va

I bc

1
( I ab I bc I ca ) I ab 0 0
3

Therefore, for a Delta-connected loads without sources or mutual

will be no zero sequence currents at the lines (There are some
circulating currents may circulate inside a delta load and not seen at
the zero sequence circuit).
Ia
Ia
I ao
Z
Z
/
3

n
Zero
Sequence
Circuit

I ca

Positive
Sequence
Circuit

Va

coupling there
cases where a
the terminals of
Z / 3

Negative
Sequence
Circuit
Slide # 17

Sequence diagrams for lines

Similar to what we did for loads, we can develop

sequence models for other power system devices,
such as lines, transformers and generators
For transmission lines, assume we have the
following, with mutual impedances
Ia

Zaa

Ib

Zaa

a
b

Zab
Ic

c
n

In

Zan

Zaa
Z nn

c
n

Slide # 18

Sequence diagrams for lines, contd

Assume the phase relationships are
Va
V
b
Vc
where

Zs
Zm

Z m

Zm
Zs
Zm

Zm Ia
Z m Ib

Z s I c

Z s self impedance of the phase

Zm

mutual impedance between the phases

Writing in matrix form we have

V

ZI
Slide # 19

Sequence diagrams for lines, contd

Similar to what we did for the loads, we can convert
these relationships to a sequence representation
V
A Vs

ZI

Z A Is

Z s 2Z m
A 1 Z A
0

A Vs
Vs
0
Zs Zm
0

I A Is
A

Z A Is

0
0

Z s Z m

Slide # 20

Sequence diagrams for lines, contd

I ao

Therefore,

Zo

Zo Z s 2 Zm

Van0

Z Zs Zm

Z Zs Zm

Where,

Van 0

Ia

Z s Z aa Z nn 2 Z an

Van

Z m Z ab Z nn 2 Z an

n
a

The ground wires (above overhead TL) combined with the earth
works as a neutral conductor with impedance parameters
that effects the zero sequence components. Having a good grounding
(depends on the soil resistively), then the voltages to the neutral can
be considered as the voltages to ground.

Van

Ia

Van

Van

Slide # 21

Sequence diagrams for generators

Key point: generators only produce positive

sequence voltages; therefore only the positive
sequence has a voltage source
I ao

Ia

Ean

Z go
Va

Va

Vao

3Zn

During a fault Z+ Z Xd. The zero

sequence impedance is usually substantially
smaller. The value of Zn depends on whether
the generator is grounded
Slide # 22

Sequence diagrams for Transformers

The positive and negative sequence

diagrams for transformers are similar to
those for transmission lines.

The zero sequence network depends upon both how

the transformer is grounded and its type of connection.
The easiest to understand is a double grounded wyewye
Z
Z
+

Reference Bus

Z-

Reference Bus

Z0

Reference Bus
Slide # 23

Transformer Sequence Diagrams

Slide # 24