3 Phase Power Basics

Thomas Greer
Executive Director Engineering
Services
TLG Services

Agenda
z
z
z

Terminology
Basic Electrical Circuits
Basic Power Calculations

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Why This Electricity Stuff?

To Become an Electrical Engineer?

So We Wont Have to Call Our AE?
To Moonlight Teaching at the University?

I Dont Think So!

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Why This Electricity Stuff?

z
z

Able to talk the talk

Fundamental
language with
customers,
consultants, and
contractors in this
industry
Improved technical
skills help you to
meet and exceed
the expectations of
your customers

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What You Will Take Home

z

Understand basic terminology in electrical

circuits and power systems
Able to perform basic power calculations

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Current
z

The movement of electrons in a circuit. It is the

flow of electricity.
Unit of measure is the ampere abbreviated
AMP or A.
Represented in equations by the letter I.

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Direct Current
z
z

Direct Current (DC) - Current flows in one direction

Common DC source - battery

DC Current
Current

Time

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Alternating Current
z

Alternating Current (AC) - Current flows first in one

direction and then the other, reversing direction
periodically
Common AC source - Commercial Power (AC Generator)
+

AC Current

Current

Time
-

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Voltage
z

Is the electrical potential or force that causes

current to flow in a circuit.
Unit measure is the volt, abbreviated V.

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Impedance
z

Impedance is the total opposition a circuit offers to the

flow of electric current
DC circuit impedance include resistance only
AC circuit impedance includes resistance and reactance
Reactance comes from inductors and capacitors

z
z

Measured in ohms ()
Represented in equations by the letter Z

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Electric Circuit
z

Route in which current flows from a power

source to a load and back to the power source.
Switch

AC Power Source

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Load

Hydraulic and Electric Circuit Analogy

Pump generating mechanical pressure

Battery developing
electrical pressure

Wire conducting
current flow

Direction of current
flow

Resistance
(electrical load)

Electric Circuit

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Pipe conducting
water flow

Mechanical Load

Ohms Law
Ohms Law - The current in an electric circuit is directly
proportional to the applied voltage and inversely
proportional to the circuit impedance.
I = V
Z

I = Current (Amps)
V = Voltage (Volts)
Z = Impedance (Ohms)

V = IZ
Solving for Voltage or
Impedance

or

Z=
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V
I

Applying Ohms Law

I=?
V = 120VAC

Z=10

Example: AC circuit with resistive electric heater load of 10 ohms.

I = V/Z
I = 120/10
I = 12A

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Are You Still There?

Any Questions?

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AC Waveform - 3 Phase
C

B
One Cycle
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360
330

300
270

240
210

150

90

120

180

Frequency
# Cycles Per Second
Hertz

Peak and RMS Values

1.0
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
0
-0.1
-0.2
-0.3
-0.4
-0.5
-0.6
-0.7
-0.8
-0.9
-1.0

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Peak 1.0 (170V)

z

RMS 0.707 (120V)

RMS value of an AC current is

equal to the DC current which
will produce the same average
heating effect in a given
resistance

For Sinewave
Irms = .707 Ipeak
Ip = 2 Irms

Distorted Sinewave

Voltage Waveform with distortion caused by load with

switching SCRs

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Harmonics
z

Used as Building Blocks to Define a non

Sinusoidal Waveform.
Periodic Sinusoidal Components
Multiples of Fundamental
3rd Harmonic of 60Hz Sinewave is 180Hz

Harmonic Distortion - A current or voltage

waveform includes includes non 60Hz
components. Therefore, it is a distorted
sinewave. Most real world 3 phase loads include
harmonic distortion.

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Power
Rate of Doing Work
P=V * I
P = Power (Volt Amperes or Watts)
V = Voltage (Volts)
I = Current (Amperes)
Z = Impedance (Ohms)
Since, V = I * Z , Power can also be expressed as follows:
P = V2/Z

and P = I2Z

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AC Power
z

Apparent Power
Total power measured in Volt-Amperes or VA.
Obtained from the measured current and voltage.
KVA (Single Phase) = (V * A) / 1000
KVA (Three Phase) = (VLN * A * 3) / 1000 or
KVA (Three Phase) = (VLL * A * 3) / 1000
Where 3 = 1.732

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AC Power
z

Real Power
Power which is actually available to do work.
Total power (KVA) includes reactive components due to
inductance and capacitance. Power useful for work is
resistive component only.
Measured in KW (kilowatts)
Must be obtained by measurement with a Wattmeter or
calculated.

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Power Factor
z

Ratio of Real Power to Apparent Power

PF = KW / KVA
Power Factor is described as leading or lagging
based on whether the current leads or lags the
voltage
For a sinusoidal current and voltage the power factor
equals the cosine of the phase angle between the
current and voltage

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Capacitor
z
z
z

Electrical device that stores electrical energy.

Does not allow instantaneous voltage change
Capacitance - storage capability of capacitor
Measured in farads

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Capacitor
Capacitor voltage and current
+

Voltage
Current
0

90

180
Time

270

360

The capacitor current is out of phase with the generated voltage,

and leads the voltage by 90 degrees.
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Inductor
z
z
z

Device which stores electrical energy.

Impedes instantaneous change in current.
Inductance - measure of the amount of
interaction between alternating current and
resultant changing electromagnetic fields in a
device.
Unit of measure is henry

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Inductor
Inductor voltage and current
+

Voltage
Current
0

90

180
Time

270

360

The inductor current is out of phase with the generated voltage, and
lags the voltage by 90 degrees.
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Lead and Lag Power

Factor Components
Lagging Power Factor

Leading Power Factor

Single - Phase
Transformer

Filter

Three - Phase
Transformer

Capacitor

Choke

Unity Power Factor

Induction Motor

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Incandescent Lamps
Heaters
PFC Power Supplies
Synchronous Motors

Efficiency
Ratio of useful output energy to total useful input energy
Power out

Kw out
Kw in
Power in
100 kva load
110 kVA

Efficiency =

Input and output PF must be known as efficiency is a ratio of Kws

EX: PF in = PF out (this case only) = 0.8
Find efficiency.
100 (.8)
Efficiency = 110 (.8) = .91(100) = 91%

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System Efficiencies

Overall system efficiency is obtained by multiplying

efficiencies of series components

Sample System
Building
Xformer
99%

Stepdown
Xformer
98%

UPS
90%

Overall Efficiency = (.99 * .98 * .9 * .8) = 70%

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Load PS
80%

Still With Me?

Any Questions?

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Single Phase Systems

220/230/240V - 50 Hz
110/115/120V - 60 Hz
load voltages may be obtained from these systems

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Single Phase Systems

Neutral
240V
120V

Three load voltages may be obtained from this system

1. 120 volt single phase, two wire
2. 240 volt single phase, two wire
3. 120/240 volt sing;e phase, three wire
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Three Phase Systems

480V
N

380/400/415
480V
(Line-to-Line)
220/
480V

Delta Connected System

No Neutral
Line-To-Line Voltages Only

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Three Phase Systems

480V
277V
N

380/400/415
480V (Line-to-Line)
220/230/240
277V (Line-to-Neutral)

Wye Connected System

Load voltages obtained from 480V systems
1.
2.
3,
4.

277 volt single phase, two wire (L-N)

480 volt single phase, two wire
480 volt three phase, three wire
480/277 volt three phase, four wire

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Three Phase Systems

208V
120V
N

380/400/415
208V (Line-to-Line)
220/230/240
120V (Line-to-Neutral)

To find the line-to-neutral voltage if the line-to-line

voltage is 208V
V
1.73
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208
1.73

120V

Three Phase Systems

z

Worldwide Voltages available

60Hz
600/346V (Canada)
480/277V
208/120V
220/127V (Mexico)

50Hz
380/220V
400/230V
415/240V

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POWER
CALCULATIONS
Putting it All
Together

38

Determining kVA of Power Feeder

Service (Single Phase)
KVA = V A
1000
Assume a single phase 120 entrance service
specified at 20 A.
KVA =

120 20

1000

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= 2.4

Determining kVA of Power Feeder

Service (Three Phase)
KVA = V A 3
1000
EXAMPLE 2: Assume a 3 phase 208/120
entrance service specified at 200A.
KVA =

208 200 1.732

1000

75kVA UPS should be selected.

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= 72

Determining kVA From Power Profile

of Equipment
Simple Addition of KVA Values
EQUIPMENT
1 CPU

VOLTAGE /
PHASE
208 / 3 Phase

LOAD
.11 KVA

1 Controller

208 / 3 Phase

12 Amps

4 Disc

208 / 1 Phase

6 Amps Each

1 Printer

208 / 1 Phase

5 Amps

6 Terminal

120 / 1 Phase

4 Amps Each

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Determining kVA From Power Profile

of Equipment
EXAMPLE (cont)
EQUIPMENT
CPU
Controller

INDIVIDUAL

None Required
V A 3
KVA =
1000

KVA = .11
KVA = 4.3

Disc

KVA =

VA
1000

KVA = 1.25

Printer

KVA =

VA
1000

KVA = 1.0

Terminal

KVA = V A
1000

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P

CALCULATION

KVA = 0.48

Determining kVA From Power Profile

of Equipment
EXAMPLE (cont)

EQUIPMENT
1 CPU
1 Controller
4 Disc
1 Printer
6 Terminal

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KVA EACH
@ .11
@ 4.3
@ 1.25
@ 1.0
@ 0.48
Total KVA

TOTAL
KVA LOAD
0.11
4.3
5.0
1.0
2.9
24.20

Determining kVA from Power

Profile of Equipment
z

A 30kVA UPS could be selected as a minimum

To allow for growth a larger unit should be

selected. This should be discussed with your
customer to determine what size is needed.
Rule of thumb is 20% - 30%

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Determining kVA from Power

Profile of Equipment
Load Calculations by Phase
Equipment

Voltage

Load

Phase A

Phase B

Phase C

CPU

208v / 3 Phase

30.5

30.5

30.5

30.5

Controller

208v / 3 Phase

12.0A

12.0

12.0

12.0

Disc #1

208v / 1 Phase

6.0A

6.0

6.0

Disc#2

208v / 1 Phase

6.0A

Disc #3

208v / 1 Phase

6.0A

6.0

Disc #4

208v / 1 Phase

6.0A

6.0

Printer

208v / 1 Phase

5.0A

Terminal #1 120v / 1 Phase

4.0A

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6.0

6.0
6.0

6.0
5.0

5.0
4.0

Determining kVA from Power

Profile of Equipment
Load Calculations by Phase (continue)
Equipment

Voltage

Load

Phase A

Terminal #2 120v / 1 Phase

4.0A

4.0

Terminal #3 120v / 1 Phase

4.0A

Terminal #4 120v / 1 Phase

4.0A

Terminal #5 120v / 1 Phase

4.0A

Terminal #6 120v / 1 Phase

4.0A

Total Phase Load

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Phase B

Phase C

4.0
4.0
4.0
4.0
68.5

69.5

71.5

Determining kVA from Power

Profile of Equipment
Load Calculations by Phase (continued)

Calculating the kVA from the most

heavily-loaded phase (phase C):
208V 71.5A 3
kVA =
1000

kVA = 25.8

A 30kVA UPS could be selected as a minimum

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Something to take home

z

Single phase capacity

V x A = VA
120 x 100 = 12 Kva

Three phase capacity

V x A x 1.73 = VA
208 x 100 x 1.73 = 36 Kva

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Something more to take home

z

Power factor = Kw / Kva

Kva = Kw / Pf

Must know kVA and kW to properly select UPS size

kW can be determined from PF and kVA

Maximum UPS output at rated power factor

100Kva/80kW unit can be fully loaded at 80Kva if load PF is 1.0

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The End