Three-phase system For more than a hundred years power systems have operated as three-phase systems.

By definition a three-phase circuit is a combination of circuits energized by alternating electromotive forces which differ in phase by one-third of a cycle (120 degrees . Figure !"#$-$ shows a three-phase %-connected voltage source feeding a balanced %connected load. For a %-connection& the neutrals of each phase are connected. + a.

/d * a. n * c. /d * b. /d b

+n /0 + b. . /0 /0

+ c.

Figure JPT4-4. Three-phase Y-connected voltage source feeding a balanced Y-connected load

#he e'uivalent circuit of the (-phase generator consists of an emf in each of three phases ) circles on the diagram. *ach emf is in series with a resistance and inductive reactance composing impedance Zd. #he terminals of the generator are the points a& b& and c. +n the generator the emf Ean, Ebn,, and Ecn are e'ual in magnitude and displaced from each other 1200 in phase. #he e'uivalency of magnitudes and phase differences means that the source is balanced. ,et us assume that the magnitude of each emf is 100 - and Ean is a reference.

* an = 1000 0 * bn = 1002$0 0 - = 100 120 0 * cn = 100 120 0 - = 100 2$0 0 -

#he phasor diagram (Figure !"#$-1 shows these emfs *c.

1200 *a.

*b.

Figure JPT4-5. Phasor diagram of line-to-neutral voltages

#his diagram represents a positive-se'uence diagram& where phasors Ean, Ebn,, and Ecn follow each other in the cloc2wise se'uence. +f they would follow each other in the countercloc2wise direction they would represent a negative-se'uence diagram. 3ince . and n are at the same potential (assume impedance of the connecting wires negligible &
-a. = * an = 1000 0 -b. = * bn = 1002$0 0 - = 100 120 0 -c. = * cn = 100120 0 - = 100 2$0 0 -

#hese voltages are called line-to-neutral voltages.

#he voltages Vab, Vbc& and Vca between phase are called line-to-line voltages. 4riting a 5irchoff6s -oltage ,aw e'uation for a closed path around buses a& b& and n
-ab = -an -bn

(*'. !"#$-1

Vab =10000 100 1200 = (100 + j 0) ( 10 j98.8 ) =110 j98.8 =17(.20( (0 0 = (1.7( 100) (

From here& 3imilarly&

V ab = ( (100(0 0 )V
V bc = ( 100 :0 0 V

Vca =

( ) ( (100 110 )V
0

#he line-to-line voltages -ab& -bc& and -ca are also balanced since they have e'ual magnitudes of ( 100 -olts and 1200 displacement between any two phases. +n phasor diagram (Figure !"#$-8 they would be represented as follows; -ca

-ab

(00

-bc

Figure JPT4-6. Phasor diagram of line-to-line voltages

Figure !"#$-7 shows the comparison of line-to-line voltages with line-to-neutral voltages using phasor diagrams.

-ca

-ab

1200

(00

*a.

*b.

-bc

Figure JPT4- . !omparison of line-to-line and line-to-neutral voltages

#his comparison leads to the following conclusion; +n a balanced three-phase %-connected system with positive-se'uence sources& the lineto-line voltages are ( times the line-to-neutral voltages and lead by (00.
V ab = (V an (0 0 Vbc = (Vbn (0 0 V ca = (V cn (0 0

(*'. !"#$-2

"alanced #ine !urrents <ssuming impedance /d is negligible& the currents for the circuit in Figure !"#$-$ would be; VaN I aN = ZR V I bN = bN (*'. !"#$-( ZR V I cN = cN ZR 3ince VaN, VbN& and VcN are e'ual in magnitude and displaced 1200 from each other in phase& the currents will also be e'ual in magnitude and displaced 1200 from each other if the load is balanced. #he load is balance when the impedance of each phase has the same magnitude and angle. For example& if each phase of the %-connected load has an impedance /% = 2 (00 & then
I aN = I bN I cN 1000 0 = 10 (0 0 A 0 2(0 100 120 0 = = 10 110 0 A 2(0 0 100 120 0 = = 10:0 0 A 2(0 0

(*'. !"#$-$

<nd they are also balanced& since they have e'ual magnitudes of 10< and 1200 displacement between any two phases. #he neutral current In is determined by writing a 5irchoff6s >urrent ,aw e'uation at bus .; I n = I aN + I bN + I cN (*'. !"#$-1 ?sing the line currents (*'. !"#$-$ ; I n = 10 (0 0 + 10 110 0 + 10:0 0 = 0 (*'. !"#$-8 *ven though the impedance between neutrals n and . is assumed to be zero& the neutral current will be zero for any neutral impedance ranging from 0 to (from short

circuit to open circuit & as long as the system is balanced. +f the system is not balanced which could occur if the source voltages& load impedances& or line impedances were unbalanced then the line currents will not be balanced and a neutral current In may flow between buses n and .. "alanced $elta #oads Figure !"#$-9 shows a three-phase %-connected source feeding a -connected load. For a balanced connection load impedances are connected in a triangle whose vertices form the buses& labeled <& B& >. #he connection does not have a neutral bus. #he source line-to-line voltages are e'ual to the load line-to-line voltages& since we neglect line impedance between the source and the load. #he load currents Iab, Ibc& and Ica are; a +a <

+
ab

/ / +
bc

+ ca

* b. n

/d +b B >

+c

Figure JPT4-%. Three-phase Y-connected source feeding a balanced deltaconnected load

I ab = I bc I ca

V AB Z V = BC Z V = CA Z

(*'. !"#$- 7

For our example if the line-to-line voltages are given;

V ab = ( (100(0 0 )V Vca =
0

V bc = ( 100 :0 0 V

and if / = 2 (00, then;

I ab = I bc = I ca =

( ) ( (100 110 )V

100(0 0 ( 100(0 0 = ( 2(0 0 = 2(0 0 100 :0 0 ( 100 :0 0 = ( 2(0 0 2(0 0 100 ( 100 110 0 110 0 = ( 2(0 0 2(0 0 (*'. !"#$-9

( 100 0 A = 98.10 0 A 0 0 = ( 10 120 A = 98.1 120 A

120 0 A = 98.1 120 0 A = ( 10

#he line currents can be determined by writing a 5irchoff6s >urrent ,aw e'uation at each bus of the load;
I a = I ab I ca I b = I bc I ab I c = I ca I bc

(*'. !"#$-:

?sing the results from (*'. !"#$-9 ;

+ a = 98.10 0 98.1 120 0 = 1$:.1722 (0 0 = ( 98.1 (0 0 < (*'. !"#$-10

I a = ( 98.1(0 0 = ( I ab (0 0

3imilarly;
I b = ( 98.1110 0 = (I bc (0 0 I c = ( 98.1:0 0 = (I ca (0 0

(*'. !"#$-11

4e can clearly see that the magnitude of the line currents Ia, Ib& and Ic is e'ual to times the magnitude of phase currents (+ab& +bc& and +ca & and that +a lags +ab by (00.

3ee Figure !"#$-: for phasor diagram of a balanced delta-connected load. .ote that +ab is +c

1200 -(00

+<B

+b

+B>

+a

Figure JPT4-(. Phasor diagram of currents for a balanced delta-connected load the reference.

&ingle-phase' or line-to-neutral diagram 4hen wor2ing with balanced three-phase circuits& only one phase can be analyzed. @elta-connected loads can be converted to %-loads& and all source and load neutrals can be connected with a zero-Ahm neutral wire without changing the solution. #hen one phase of the circuit can be solved. #he voltages and currents in the other two phases are e'ual in magnitude and 1200 out of phase with those of the solved phase.

Figure !"#$-10 represents the single-phase (or line-to-neutral e'uivalent of the whole three-phase system of Figure !"#$-$.

Figure JPT4-)*. &ingle-phase e+uivalent of the three-phase Y-connected system

Po,er in balanced three-phase circuit #he total power delivered by a three-phase generator or absorbed by a three-phase load is found simply by adding the power in each of the three phases. +n a balanced circuit this is the same as multiplying the power in any one phase by three since the power is the same in all three phases. +f the magnitude of the voltages-to-neutral Vp for a %-connected load is;
V p =Van =Vbn =Vcn

and if the magnitude of the phase current Ip for a %-connected load is;
I p = I aN = I bN = I cN

then the total three-phase power is;

P = ( V p I p cos p

(*'. !"#$-12

where;

p is the angle by which phase current Ip lags the phase voltage Vp & that is& the angle of the impedance of each phase.
+f V L and respectively&
IL

are the magnitudes of line-to-line voltage and line current

Vp = VL (

(*'. !"#$-1( (*'. !"#$-1$

and;
IP = IL

3ubstituting this in the *'uation !"#$-12;

P= ( VL ( I L cosP = ( ( VL ( I L cosP = ( V L I cosP

(*'. !"#$-11

#he total reactive power is;

Q = (V P I P sin P Q= ( V L I L sin P

(*'. !"#$-18
( V L I L sin P

From this;
S = P 2 +Q2 =

( V L I L cosP

VL

IL

( VL I L

or;
S= P 2 + Q 2 = ( VL I L

(*'. !"#$-17

*'uations !"#$-11& 18& and 17 are used for calculating P, Q& and S in balanced threephase networ2s since the 'uantities usually 2nown are line-to-line voltage& line current& and the power factor cos . 4hen we spea2 of a three-phase system& balanced conditions are assumed unless described otherwiseB and the terms voltage& current& and power& unless identified otherwise& are line-to-line voltage& line current& and total three-phase power respectively. +f the load is delta-connected& the voltage across each impedance is the line-to-line voltage and the magnitude of the current through each impedance is the magnitude of the line current divided by ( ;
VP = VL IL = ( Ip IP = IL (

(*'. !"#$-19

#he total three-phase power is;

P= ( V L I L cosP

(*'. !"#$-1:

which is identical to the previous case (*'. !"#$-11 . +t is clear that Q and S are also identical.