Cairo University Third Year

Faculty of Engineering Power Systems Lab

Electrical Power & Machines Dept. Symmetrical Components (P3)

Symmetrical Components
Objectives
To show how the method of symmetrical components can be used to study the
performance of the power systems under unbalanced conditions.

Theory
The zero, positive and negative sequence components V0, V1, and V2 of three
phase unbalanced voltages Va, Vb and Vc are given by:

V0 =
1
(Va + Vb + Vc )
3
1
(
V1 = Va + aVb + a 2Vc
3
) (1)

1
(
V2 = Va + a 2Vb + aVc
3
)
In case of unbalanced three phase load with impedances Za, Zb and Zc under
unbalanced voltages Va, Vb and Vc such that Va = I a Z a , Vb = I b Z b and
Vc = I c Z c , the following relation is satisfied:
⎡V0 ⎤ ⎡ Z 00 Z 01 Z 02 ⎤ ⎡I 0 ⎤
⎢V ⎥ = ⎢ Z Z11 Z12 ⎥⎥ ⎢I ⎥ (2)
⎢ 1 ⎥ ⎢ 10 ⎢ 1⎥
⎢⎣V2 ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣ Z 20 Z 21 Z 22 ⎥⎦ ⎢⎣I 2 ⎥⎦

Where

Z00 = Z11 = Z 22 =
1
(Z a + Z b + Z c )
3
1
(
Z10 = Z 21 = Z02 = Z a + aZ b + a 2 Z c
3
)
1
(
Z 20 = Z01 = Z12 = Z a + a 2 Z b + Z c
3
)
Actual coupling exist between the three sequence systems and they can’t be
represented physically although they can be treated mathematically.

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Cairo University Third Year
Faculty of Engineering Power Systems Lab
Electrical Power & Machines Dept. Symmetrical Components (P3)

Experiment and discussion

1. Referring to the connection diagrams shown in figures 1, 2 and 3, and with the
transformers ratios set to different values, measure Va, Vb, Vc, Vt, IR and PR in
each case.
2. Find the values of V0, V1 and V2 using the measured values.
3. Compare the previously found values of the sequence voltage with those
calculated using equation (2).

Results
 Zero sequence voltage
Va Vt
Vb θVt
Vc

 Negative sequence voltage

Va Vt
Vb θVt
Vc

 Positive sequence voltage

Va Vt
Vb θVt
Vc

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Cairo University Third Year
Faculty of Engineering Power Systems Lab
Electrical Power & Machines Dept. Symmetrical Components (P3)

Phase
meter

Figure 1: Connection diagram for calculating zero sequence voltage

Phase
meter

Figure 2: Connection diagram for calculating negative sequence voltage

Phase
meter

Figure 3: Connection diagram for calculating positive sequence voltage

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