POLYPHASE SYSTEMS

1.0 Introduction
A Polyphase systems generally consists of an arrangement of two or more similar single-phase
systems in which the maximum values of the independent voltage waves do not occur at the same
instants of time. The most common combination is the three-phase system, an interconnection
of three single-phase systems, whose voltage waves, though similar in amplitude and frequency,
are displaced by 120 electrical degree from one another; in the two-phase system two voltage
waves are displaced by 90 electrical degree from each other. For special installations such as
rotary converters, electrolytic service, and other, it is sometimes found desirable to have systems
of 6, 12, and more phases; these involve voltage waves that are displaced by 60, 30, and etc, in
electrical degrees.
The main advantages of Three-phase system over Single-phase system:
1. Higher Rating
The rating output of a three-phase machine is nearly 1.5 times the rating (output) of a
single-phase machine of the size.
2. Constant Power
In single-phase circuits, the power delivered is pulsating. Even when the voltage and
current are in phase, the power is zero twice in each cycle. Whereas, in the polyphase
system, the power delivered is almost constant when the loads are in a balanced condition.
3. Power Transmission Economics
The three-phase system requires only 75% of the weight of conducting material of that
required by the single-phase system to transmit the same amount of power over a fixed
distance at a given voltage.
4. Superiority of 3 Phase Induction Motors
The three phase induction motors have a wide field of applications in the industries
because of more advantages than single-phase induction motor.

2.0 Generation of Single- and Two- and Three- Phase Voltages:

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J. N. Archival, REE, Ph.D.
 POLYPHASE SYSTEMS
Phasor Diagram: are a graphical way of representing the magnitude and directional relationship
between two or more alternating quantities.
For Two- and Three-phase system:

Phase Sequence
The order of rotation of the coil voltage in a balanced polyphase system. Example: If phase
sequence is a-b-c this means that “vector A” comes first, followed by “ vector B” and then
“vector C” (Refer to the phasor diagram above).
Note: Vector A is the reference vector according to the given sequence. Vector rotation unless
otherwise specified is assumed to rotate in a counterclockwise direction.

3.0 Three-phase (WYE or Star) connected balanced system

Phase Voltages:

 𝑉𝐴𝑁 = 𝑉𝑝ℎ ∠00 𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒

 𝑉𝐵𝑁 = 𝑉𝑝ℎ ∠−1200
 𝑉𝐶𝑁 = 𝑉𝑝ℎ ∠1200

Note: |𝑉𝐴𝑁 | = |𝑉𝐵𝑁 | = |𝑉𝐶𝑁 |

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 POLYPHASE SYSTEMS

Line Voltages:

 𝑉𝐴𝐵 = 𝑉𝐴𝑁 + (−𝑉𝐵𝑁 ) = 𝑉𝐴𝑁 + 𝑉𝑁𝐵 = 𝑉𝐿 ∠300

 𝑉𝐵𝐶 = 𝑉𝐵𝑁 + (−𝑉𝐶𝑁 ) = 𝑉𝐵𝑁 + 𝑉𝑁𝐶 = 𝑉𝐿 ∠−900
 𝑉𝐶𝐴 = 𝑉𝐶𝑁 + (−𝑉𝐴𝑁 ) = 𝑉𝐶𝑁 + 𝑉𝑁𝐴 = 𝑉𝐿 ∠1500

Note: |𝑉𝐴𝐵 | = |𝑉𝐵𝐶 | = |𝑉𝐶𝐴 |

𝑉𝐿 = √3𝑉𝑝ℎ for balanced system only

4.0 Three-phase Delta Connected Balanced system

Line/Phase Voltages:

 𝑉𝐴𝐵 = 𝑉𝑝ℎ ∠00

 𝑉𝐵𝐶 = 𝑉𝑝ℎ ∠−1200
 𝑉𝐶𝐴 = 𝑉𝑝ℎ ∠1200

Note: 𝑉𝐿 = 𝑉𝑝ℎ for balanced system

5.0 n-Phase System

Star connected system
One terminal of each phase (windings) are connected together while the other terminals
represent the line terminals

1800
Voltage: 𝑉𝐿 = 2𝑉𝑝ℎ sin
𝑛

Current: 𝐼𝐿 = 𝐼𝑝ℎ

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 POLYPHASE SYSTEMS
n-Phase Mesh Connected System
Each phase (windings) is connected end to end thus forming a closed geometric figure. The
line terminals are tapped at each phase terminals.

Voltage: 𝑉𝐿 = 𝑉𝑝ℎ
1800
Current: 𝐼𝐿 = 2𝐼𝑝ℎ sin
𝑛

6.0 Three-phase Balanced Load

The Delta Connected Load

Phase Currents: 𝐼𝑝ℎ = 𝐼𝐴𝐵 = 𝐼𝐵𝐶 = 𝐼𝐶𝐴

𝑉𝐴𝐵 ∠00
 𝐼𝐴𝐵 =
𝑍𝑝ℎ
𝑉𝐵𝐶 ∠−1200
 𝐼𝐵𝐶 =
𝑍𝑝ℎ
𝑉𝐶𝐴 ∠1200
 𝐼𝐶𝐴 =
𝑍𝑝ℎ

Line Currents: 𝐼𝐿 = 𝐼𝐴 = 𝐼𝐵 = 𝐼𝐶

 𝐼𝐴 = 𝐼𝐴𝐵 − 𝐼𝐶𝐴
 𝐼𝐵 = 𝐼𝐵𝐶 − 𝐼𝐴𝐵
 𝐼𝐶 = 𝐼𝐶𝐴 − 𝐼𝐵𝐶

Note: 𝐼𝐿 = √3𝐼𝑝ℎ

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 POLYPHASE SYSTEMS
The WYE (or Star) Connected Load

Phase/Line Current: 𝐼𝐿 = 𝐼𝑝ℎ

𝑉𝐴𝑁 ∠00
 𝐼𝐴𝑁 =
𝑍𝑝ℎ
𝑉𝐵𝑁 ∠−1200
 𝐼𝐵𝑁 =
𝑍𝑝ℎ
𝑉𝐶𝑁 ∠1200
 𝐼𝐶𝑁 = (
𝑍𝑝ℎ

Neutral Current
Current that flows in the neutral conductor, which is equal to the algebraic sum of the three line
currents.

𝐼𝑛 = 𝐼𝐴𝑁 + 𝐼𝐵𝑁 + 𝐼𝐶𝑁

From the concept of conservation of current and charge, the algebraic sum of the currents in a
given node is zero. Hence, the algebraic sum of the three line currents vanishes when no
neutral connection exists. (Note: 𝐼𝑛 = 0 for a balanced load)

Real/True Power per Phase

 𝑷𝒑𝒉 = 𝑽𝒑𝒉 𝑰𝒑𝒉 (𝒑𝒇)

 𝑷𝒑𝒉 = 𝑰𝟐𝒑𝒉 𝑹𝒑𝒉

Total Real/True Power

 𝑷𝑻 = 𝑷𝑷𝒉𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝑨𝑩 + 𝑷𝑷𝒉𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝑩𝑪 + 𝑷𝑷𝒉𝒂𝒔𝒆 𝑪𝑨

 𝑷𝑻 = 𝟑𝑷𝒑𝒉
 𝑷𝑻 = √𝟑𝑽𝑳 𝑰𝑳 (𝒑𝒇)

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 POLYPHASE SYSTEMS
Sample No. 1
A 170 kV, 3-phase electric source delivers 200 MVA to a load, which has a power factor of 90%
lagging. What is the line current?
Solution:
𝑃𝑇
𝐼𝐿 =
√3𝑉𝐿 (𝑝𝑓)
200𝑥106
𝐼𝐿 =
√3(170𝑥103 )(0.9)
𝐼𝐿 = 754.71 𝐴𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑠

Sample No. 2
A 3-phase motor is rated 50 hp, 440 volts and 85% power factor. What is the rated line current?
Solution:
𝑃𝑇
𝐼𝐿 =
√3𝑉𝐿 (𝑝𝑓)
50 𝑥 746
𝐼𝐿 =
√3(440)(0.85)
𝐼𝐿 = 57.58 𝐴𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑠
Sample No.3

A wye-connected load has a 5∠200 ohm impedance per phase and is connected across a 120 V
line-to-line source. Calculate the line B current, if the phase sequence is a-b-c.
Solution:

𝑉𝐵𝑁 ∠ − 1200
𝐼𝐵 =
𝑍𝑝ℎ
120∠ − 900
𝐼𝐵 = √3
5∠200
𝐼𝐵 = 13.87∠ − 1100 𝐴𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑠
Sample No. 4

A balanced delta-connected load having impedance per phase of 20∠36,870 ohms is supplied
from a balanced 3-phase, 240 V source. Determine the total real power.
Solution:

𝑍𝑝ℎ = 20∠36.870 = 16 + 𝑗12 Ω

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 POLYPHASE SYSTEMS
𝑃𝑇 = 3𝑃𝑝ℎ
2
𝑃𝑝ℎ = 𝐼𝑝ℎ 𝑅𝑝ℎ

2 240 2
𝑃𝑇 = 3𝐼𝑝ℎ 𝑅𝑝ℎ = 3 ( ) (16)
20
𝑃𝑇 = 6912 𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑠

Sample No. 5

Three 10 Ω resistences are connected delta on a balanced three-phase source. If the equation
of the phase 𝑉𝐴𝑁 = 120 sin 𝑤𝑡. What is the equation of the line current in line A?
Solution:

𝑉𝐴𝐵 ∠300
𝐼𝐴𝐵 =
𝑅𝑝ℎ

√3(120)∠300
𝐼𝐴𝐵 = = 20.78∠300
10∠00
𝑉𝐶𝐴 ∠1500
𝐼𝐶𝐴 =
𝑅𝑝ℎ

√3(120)∠1500
𝐼𝐶𝐴 = = 20.78∠1500
10∠00
𝐼𝐴 = 𝐼𝐴𝐵 − 𝐼𝐶𝐴

𝐼𝐴 = 20.78∠300 − 20.78∠1500 = 36∠00

Therefore: 𝐼𝐴 = 36 sin 𝑤𝑡 𝐴𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑠

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J. N. Archival, REE, Ph.D.