Three Phase System

University of Technology
Electrical Engineer
Second stage

Three – phase system

Under the supervision of Dr. Inaam Ibraheem

Preparation Ali Khalid Raheem

0
Three Phase System

THREE PHASE VOLTAGES GENERATION AND THE PHASE SEQUENCE

• Three-phase generator consists of three single-phase generators, with voltages equal in magnitude
but differing in phase angle from the others by
120◦.

• Three-phase generator connected to three identical loads.

• Each of these three generators could be connected to one of three identical loads by a pair of wires.

• Phase Sequence of a three-phase power system is the order in which the voltages in the individual
phases peak.

• Three-phase power system may becomes ‘abc’ phase sequence (positive) and also possible to
connect as ‘acb’ phase sequence (negative).

1
Three Phase System

THREE PHASE CONNECTION IN BALANCED LOAD AND UNBALANCED

LOAD (WYE AND DELTA):
• A three-phase system is equivalent to three single-phase circuit

• Two possible configurations in three-phase system:

1. Y-connection (wye/star connection)

2. ∆-connection (delta connection)

A three-phase connections generator and load:

• The point at which all the terminals are connected is called the neutral point.

• If a conductor is not attached from this point to the load, the system is called a Y-connected, three-
phase, three-wire generator.

• If the neutral is connected, the system is a Y-connected threephase, four-wire generator.

• The three conductors connected from A, B and C to the load are called lines.

2
Three Phase System

(Three-phase,4 wire) (Three-phase, 3 wire)

• Balanced load = The power loading is split equally among all three phases.

• Load on phase A=Load on phase B= Load on phase C

• The current is equal in all three phases

• When the load impedance in the three phases are not equal in magnitude or phase or both, the load
is said to be unbalanced.

• If three unequal loads are connected to form a delta and connected across a 3-phase supply the
currents in the three loads will not be equal in magnitude and/or phase. The threephase currents and
the line currents will also be unbalanced.

Relationship between line and phase value in the YConnection:

• The voltages and currents in a given phase are called phase quantities.

• The voltages between lines and currents in the lines connected to the generators are called line
quantities.

• Line voltage, Vab ; Vbc ; Vca

• Phase voltage, Van ; Vbn ; Vcn

• The phase voltage in this generator are

given by:

• The relationship between the

magnitudes of the line-to-line(line)
voltage and line-to-neutral (phase)
voltage is:

3
Three Phase System

VB

•Figures show the line-to-line and

phase voltages for the
Y-connection.
(abc phase sequence)
• Since the load connected to this generator is
assumed to be resistive, the current in each phase of
the generator will be at the same angle.
• The current in each phase:

• The current in any line is the same as the current in the corresponding phase which is :

4
Three Phase System

a) Phasor diagram of the line and phase voltages of a three-phase generator;

b) demonstrating that the vector sum of the line voltages of a three-phase system is zero

Phase sequence (Y-connected generator)

ABC (Positive) Phase sequence Phase voltage (in phasor):

Phase sequence (Y-connected generator):

ACB (Negative) Phase sequence Phase voltage (in phasor):

5
Three Phase System

Y-Connected Generator with a Y-Connected Load:

• Loads connected with three-phase supplies are of two types: the Y and the ∆.

• If a Y-connected load is connected to a Y-connected generator, the system is symbolically

represented by Y-Y

• If the load is balanced, the neutral connection can be removed without affecting the circuit in any
manner; that is, if Z1 = Z2 = Z3, then IN will be zero

The currents flowing in the three phases are:

Balanced Y-Δ Connection

• There is no neutral connection for the Y-∆ system as shown below.

• Any variation in the impedance of a phase that produces an unbalanced system will simply vary
the line and phase currents of the system.

• For a balanced load,

Z1 = Z2 = Z3 = ZΔ

• The voltage across each phase of the

load is equal to the line voltage of the
generator for a balanced or an
unbalanced load: Vɸ = EL.

• Assuming the positive sequence:

– the phase voltage are:

6
Three Phase System

– The line voltages are:

– The phase current is

Relationship between line and phase value in the ∆ Connection:

• Phase voltage, Vab ; Vbc ; Vca

• The phase voltage in this generator are given

by:

• The line-to-line voltage between any two lines

will be the same as the voltage in the
corresponding phase. So :

•Unlike the line current for the Y-connected generator, the line
current for the ∆-connected system is not equal to the phase
current. The relationship between the two can be found by
applying Kirchhoff’s current law at one of the nodes and
solving for the line current in terms of the phase current; that is,
at node A,,

IBA = IAa + IAC or IAa = IBA - IAC = IBA + ICA

Definition of Phase Current:

In 3 -phase system, for ∆-connected, the current that flow from one phase to another is called a
phase current.

IBA – phase A current

ICB – phase B current

IAC – phase C current

7
Three Phase System

Definition of Line Current:

In 3 -phase system, for ∆-connected, the current that flow through the line is called a line current.

IAa – line A current

IBb – line B current

ICc – line C current

∆ -Connected system (Generator):

Line current:

IAa ; IBb ; ICc

Phase current:

for generator:

IBA ; IAC ; ICB

∆ -Connected system (Load):

Line current:

IAa ; IBb ; ICc

Phase current:

for load:

Iab ; Ibc ; Ica

Current in ∆ -Connected system (Generator Side):

For 3-phase ∆-connected system (generator), if the phase current IBA is taken as the reference, so

8
Three Phase System

With the same method,

Current in ∆ -Connected system (Load Side):

For 3-phase ∆-connected system (load), if the phase current Iab is taken as the reference, so

9
Three Phase System

By applying Kirchhoff’s Current Law, the line current can be written as

With the same method

And

∆ -Connected system:
The relationship between the line current and the phase current can be represented as

Where; IL : line current

Iφ = Ip : phase current

IL lags Iφ by 30°

The phasor diagram is shown below for a balanced load.

- In general, line current is:

10
Three Phase System

Phase sequence (Δ -connected generator):

- Even though the line and phase voltages of a ∆ -connected system are the same, it is standard
practice to describe the phase sequence in terms of the line voltages

- In drawing such a diagram, one must take care to have

the sequence of the first and second subscripts the same

- In phasor notation,

ABC (positive) phase sequence

Phase sequence (Δ -connected generator):

• Because the load is resistive, the phase current are given by:

• The relationship between the magnitudes of the line and phase currents is:

11
Three Phase System

• Figures show the line and

phase currents for the

∆ -connection.

(abc phase sequence)

Summary of relationships in Y and ∆ -Connections :

12
Three Phase System

References
1-Keljik,Jeffrey (2008). Electricity 3: Power Generation and Delivery. Clifton Park, NY: Cengage
Learning/Delmar. p. 49. ISBN 978-1435400290.

2- "Delta and Wye 3-phase circuits"

3-Fowler, Nick (2011). Electrician's Calculations Manual 2nd Edition

4-Cotton, H, Electrical Technology, 6th Ed.

5- Hawkins Electrical Guide

13