Three – Phase A.C.
Circuits
8 THREE–PHASE A.C. CIRCUITS
The signals in chapter 7 were sinusoidal alternating
voltages and currents of the so-called single–phase
type. An emf of such type can be easily generated by
rotating a single loop of conductor (or single winding),
hence single–phase, in a magnetic field.
In practice single–phase alternating emf is not
sufficient and satisfactory for many practical
applications, such as a.c. motors. For this reason
multiphase a.c. emfs (produced by multiple windings)
are generated and utilised in many electrical systems.
The three–phase system is by far the most common
multiphase system used for generation, transmission,
and heavy power utilisation of a.c. electric energy
because of its economic and operating advantages.
One type of an ideal three–phase generator, contains
three identical windings displaced by 120° from each
other in space and rotating within a constant
magnetic field. Such a source generates three
sinusoidal voltages of equal amplitudes displaced
form each other by 120° in time.
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Three – Phase A.C. Circuits
8.1 Single–Phase A.C. Generators: the principles
A single–phase alternating sinusoidal voltage can be
generated by rotating with constant angular velocity
ω a single winding aa′ in a constant magnetic field B.
As aa ′ rotates anticlockwise in the magnetic field B its
sides a and a ′ cut the magnetic flux and emf is
induced in them by motional induction. The induced
emf at both sides of the winding at time t is
eaa′ (t ) = 2 Blvh = 2 Blrω sinϑ = 2 Blrω sinωt (8.1)
the motion referred from the horizontal position at
time t = 0 .
v = ω ×r
ω winding
N vh
B r
i(t ) l ϑ
B ω
a′ e a
aa ′ −v h
S
−v
Cross section perpendicular
to the axis of rotation
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The three–phase scheme of power transmission
offers the advantages of using the a.c mode, constant
power flow, and high power transfer capability.
In general, three–phase systems have a number of
advantages over single–phase systems, like:
• More efficient power transmission.
• More cost–effective (the total number of
conductor material less than in the single–phase).
• Motors and control gear are simpler, more
efficient and less costly.
• Industry makes use of 6–, 12– and 24–phase
systems that can be produced form a three–
phase supply.
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Three – Phase A.C. Circuits
8.2 Three–Phase Balanced A.C. Generators
A three–phase supply uses the same principle as the
single–phase, where three coils angularly displaced
between each other around the same axis of rotation
are used, instead of one coil.
Each coil is called phase winding. The three phases
are usually given the names
• red phase (R–phase), or A–phase
• yellow phase (Y–phase), or B–phase and
• blue phase (B–phase), or C–phase
A balanced or symmetrical three–phase supply
consists of three identical coils displaced by 120° in
space from each other. Therefore, a balanced or
symmetrical three–phase supply has sinusoidal
alternating phase voltages (or currents), which are
• equal in magnitude and
• displaced in time from one another by a phase of
120° .
It is assumed that the load at each phase is also
balanced (see later), or well buffered.
If either of the above conditions do not apply, the
supply is said to be imbalanced.
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Three – Phase A.C. Circuits Three – Phase A.C. Circuits

An elementary three–phase, two–pole generator is The voltage signals from a balanced emf generator
shown bellow. are given by

• It has three identical stator coils ( aa′, bb′, and cc′ ), eaa′ = V ph sin(ωt )
U|
of one or more turns, displaced by 120° in space ||
|
from each other and ebb = V ph sin(ωt −120° )|V (8.2)
′ ||
• The rotor carries a field winding excited by the |
d.c. supply through brushes and slip rings and is ecc′ = V ph sin(ωt − 240° )|
|W
driven at an angular velocity ω in such a way that
the flux is distributed sinusoidally over the poles.
Using the spatial geometry of the coils in the
Here the phase windings are static within a rotating armature, the phasor diagram in polar form of the
magnetic field, but the principle of induction is the above signals is the following
same as in the single–phase generator.
a
A–Phase
Field Armature Eaa′
winding a or 120°
stator a′ b′
Ecc′ c′ Ebb
c′ ′
b′
b
c
N S
120°
Armature Note that
Field system c Rotation b Coil sides
or Eaa′ + Ebb + Ecc′ = 0 or eaa′ (t ) + ebb (t ) + ecc′ (t ) = 0 (8.3)
rotor ′ ′
a′

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Three – Phase A.C. Circuits Three – Phase A.C. Circuits

8.2.1 Winding Connections for A.C. Balanced Voltage phasor diagram in the WYE connection
Generators
IL
The phase windings may be connected in either wye A
I ph
or delta connections.
ean V ph
Balanced WYE Supply Connection V L− L , or V L
A wye or star connection (represented as Y) results n
ecn N
by connecting together all three primed or unprimed
terminals to form a common terminal known as the ebn
B
neutral of the wye. If a neutral conductor is used, the C
system is known as
• a four–wire, three–phase system, otherwise it is A
• a three–wire, three–phase system.
IL
A I L = I ph
I ph VCA V AN V (8.4)
AB
a V L = 3V ph
N
V ph VBN
V L− L VCN
a′
n C B
c′ N VBC
b′
c
b B VL
C VBC = V L∠0° V AN = V ph∠90°= ∠90°
3
V
where V AB = V L∠120° VBN = V ph∠− 30°= L ∠− 30° (8.5)
− ph stands for phase quantities, and 3
V
− L, and L-L stands for line, and line-to-line VCA = V L∠240° VCN = V ph∠−150°= L ∠−150°
3
quantities respectively.
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Three – Phase A.C. Circuits Three – Phase A.C. Circuits

Current phasor diagram in the DELTA connection

Balanced DELTA Supply Connection I A FH I A = I L IK

A
b
Although almost all a.c. generators have their Ia = I ph∠90° ′ V L− L , or V L
a b Ib
windings connected in a wye connection, the fact that
the sum of the three emfs is equal to zero in the B
c′ IB
balanced case (see Eqn. 8.3), makes a delta a′
c
connection possible. Ic IC
C
A delta or mesh connection (represented as ∆) can
be achieved by connecting in series the three Since the supply is balanced, the current phasors Ia ,
windings of the three phases, i.e. terminals a to b′ , b Ib , and Ic are displaced by equal phases from the
to c′ , and c to a ′ . corresponding voltage phasors Vaa′ , Vbb , and Vcc′
′
( −90° in the ideal case of non-resistor phase
IL windings). Hence the current phasor diagram
A becomes as the following.
I ph b′
V L− L , or V L
a b
B
c′
a′
c Ia V L = V ph
IC IA (8.6)
C I L = 3I ph
Ic Ib

IB

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Three – Phase A.C. Circuits Three – Phase A.C. Circuits

Example 8.1

A star–connected set of unbalanced three–phase

voltages is as follows:
V AN = 200∠100° V
VBN = 100∠20° V
Ia V L = V ph VCN = 150∠−110° V
IC IA
I L = 3I ph
Calculate the magnitudes of the line voltages.
Ic Ib
Solution
IB V AN = 200∠100°= −34.7 + j197 V
A VBN = 100∠20°= 9397
. + j34.2 V
VCN = 150∠−110°= −513 . − j141 V
IL
I B = Ib − Ic = I L∠0° Ia = I ph∠90°= ∠90°
3 V AB The line voltages are
IL
I A = Ia − Ib = I L∠120° Ib = I ph∠− 30°= ∠− 30° (8.7) V AN V AB = V AN −VBN = −1287. + j1628
. V
3
I VBC =VBN −VCN = 1453 . + j1752. V
IC = Ic − Ia = I L∠240° Ic = I ph∠−150°= L ∠− 150° V BN B
3 VCA VCA = VCN −V AN = −166. − j338 V
N
VCN So the magnitudes are
V BC
V AB = V AB = 2075
. V
VBC = VBC = 3384
. V
C
VCA = VCA = 227.6 V

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Three – Phase A.C. Circuits Three – Phase A.C. Circuits

8.3.1 Balanced Load WYE Connection

8.3 Three–Phase Balanced Loads

IA
A
A three–phase load is said to be balanced if the load
impedances in each of the three phases are the same V AN ZY
(both in magnitude and in phase).
IN
N
VBN
ZY ZY
IB
If both the supply and the load are balanced, the B
supply–load system is called a balanced system. VCN IC
C

Three–phase loads can be connected in either wye

or delta connections. V AN = VBN = VCN = V L− N = V ph

V AB = VBC = VCA = V L− L = 3V ph
(8.8)
I A = I B = IC = I L = I ph
I N = I A + I B + IC = 0

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Three – Phase A.C. Circuits Three – Phase A.C. Circuits

8.3.2 Balanced Load DELTA Connection Y–∆ and ∆–Y transformations

IA A wye–connected network can be converted to a

A delta–connected network and vice versa.
I AB
These transformations are useful for the analysis of
VCA V AB Z∆ Z∆ many network problems and they are given below.

By equivalence it is meant that in both connections,

ICA the corresponding currents entering each node and
IB I BC
B Z∆ the corresponding voltage differences between nodes
VBC are equal in both representations.
C
IC For the balanced case, each Y–impedance is one–
third of each ∆–impedance whereas for each ∆–
impedance is three times each Y–impedance.
V AB = VBC = VCA = V L− L = V ph

I AB = I BC = ICA = I L = I ph (8.9)

I A = I B = IC = I L = 3I ph

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Three – Phase A.C. Circuits Three – Phase A.C. Circuits

A A 8.3.3 Single – Line Equivalent Circuits

ZA Due to the symmetry in the balanced three–phase

Z AB ZCA system, the network can be solved by solving only for
the single–line case. A ∆–Y transformation is needed,
in the case of a ∆–connection.
ZB ZC
B C B C
ZBC IL

∆–Y Transformation Y–∆ Transformation V L− N ∠0° ZY

Z AB ZCA Z AZB + ZB ZC + ZC Z A
ZA = Z AB =
Z AB + ZBC + ZCA ZC
Z AB ZBC Z AZB + ZB ZC + ZC Z A
ZB = ZBC =
Z AB + ZBC + ZCA ZA
ZCAZBC Z Z +Z Z +Z Z IL
ZC = ZCA = A B B C C A
Z AB + ZBC + ZCA ZB
(8.10) V L− N ∠0° Z∆−Y

For the Balanced Case

Z A = ZB = ZC = ZY = 1 Z∆ Z AB = ZBC = ZCA = Z∆ = 3ZY

3
(8.11)

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Three – Phase A.C. Circuits Three – Phase A.C. Circuits

8.3.4 Power in Balanced Three–Phase Networks

The total reactive power (in VARs) is given by

The power delivered by a three – phase supply is the
sum of power delivered by each of the three phases.
In the balanced case it is three times the power in any Q = 3V ph I ph sinϕ = 3V L I L sinϕ (8.14)
single phase. So the total average power (in Watts) is

P = 3V ph I ph cosϕ (8.12) and the total complex power is

where
S = P + jQ (8.15)
V ph is the phase voltage
I ph is the phase current
The total apparent power (in VAs) is then
cosϕ is the load power factor
ϕ is the phase difference between V ph and I ph
(positive for leading V ph ). S = S = P2 + Q2 = 3V ph I ph = 3V L I L (8.16)

In terms of line quantities Eqn. (8.12) becomes

P = 3V L I L cosϕ (8.13)

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Three – Phase A.C. Circuits Three – Phase A.C. Circuits

Example 8.2 IA
A
A balanced 433 V, wye–connected, three–phase,
four–wire supply is connected to the following four–
ean V AN ZA
wire, wye–connected load:
N IN
• A–phase: a 10 Ω resistor ecn
• B–phase: an 8 Ω resistor in series with a 2 Ω VBN
ZB ZC
inductive reactance ebn IB
• C–phase: a 4 Ω resistor in series with a 5 Ω B VCN
capacitive reactance. IC
C
Determine the current in each phase of the load and
in the neutral wire.
Z A = 10 Ω , So I A = V AN / Z A = 250∠0° = 25∠0° A
10∠0°
Solution
ZB = 8 + 2 j = 825
. ∠14° Ω , So
Conventionally, it is assumed that 433 V is the rms I B = VBN / ZB = 250∠−120° = 303
. ∠−134° A
. ∠14°
825
value of the line – to – line voltage of the supply
system. Therefore, the magnitude of the phase
ZC = 4 − 5 j = 64
. ∠− 513
. ° Ω , So
voltage is
V ph = V L / 3 = 433 / 3 = 250 V IC = VCN / ZC = 250∠− 240° = 391 . ∠−1887
.°A
. ∠− 513
64 .°

Assume that the phase sequence is A–B–C and take I N = I A + I B + IC

the A–phase as reference. So = 25+ (−2105 . − 218. j) + (−3865
. + 591
. j)
= −437 . −1589. j = 3817
. ∠−1534 .°A
V AN = V ph∠0° , VBN = V ph∠−120° , VCN = V ph∠− 240°

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Three – Phase A.C. Circuits Three – Phase A.C. Circuits

Example 8.3

A three–phase, 440 V a.c. motor provides a full–load (3) Since the power factor is 0.8, then
mechanical output of 10 kW when its power factor is
0.8 (lagging) and its efficiency is 90 per cent. ϕ = cos−1(08
. ) = 3687
. ° lagging. So
Calculate at full load
Apparent power:
(1) the power consumed by the motor,
(2) its line current, and S = 3V L I L = 3 × 440 ×1822
. = 139
. kVA
(3) the apparent and reactive power consumed.
Reactive power:
Solution S = 3V L I L sinϕ = 3 × 440 ×1822
. × sin(3687
. ° ) = 833
. kVAR
(1) The input power to the motor is

P = output power / efficiency = 10 / 09

. = 111
. kW

(2) The input power is equal to the average power

supplied, so

P = 3V L I L cosϕ ∴ I L = P . ×103 = 1822

= 111 . A
3V L cosϕ 3 × 440 × 08
.

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