Solving problems for balanced three-phase systems

1. Simplify the system by keeping just one phase

2. Solve the one phase problem
3. The solutions to the other two phase quantities
are obtained from the above solution by adding
phase delays (-120 deg and -240 deg, respectively).

Treat a three-phase balanced circuit on a per-phase basis

and use the phase relationship to determine all voltages
and currents.
Balanced three phase system analysis: extract and solve
for the problem with one phase only and the solutions to
the quantities in the other two phases are obtained by
phase relation (-120 degree phase lag for phae-b vs
phase-a and for phase-c vs phase-b).
 Current in neutral line is the sum of Ia, Ib, and Ic. It can be shown that
I n = I a + Ib + Ic = 0
Also observed is that the line current is the same as the load current.
Example: An abc-sequence three-phase voltage source connected in a
balanced wye has a line voltage of Vab = 208 /−30° V rms. We wish to
determine the phase voltages.

Solution: Start from here: Vab = Van 330o V rms

1 1
Van = Vab (−30o ) = 208(−30o )  (−30o )
3 3
= 120(−60o )V rms
The other two voltages can be derived using Van by adding phase lagging of
120 (deg) and 240 (deg), respectively:

( )
Vbn = 120 − 180o V rms
Vcn = 120(− 300 ) = 12060 V rms
o o
Wye-Wye connected balanced three-phase circuit.
For phase-a, Van=120Vrms, load = 20 + j10 Ω, line
impedance is 1 + j1 Ω.
Ddetermine the value of the line currents and the
load voltages.
Solution:
The phase-a circuit is shown on the right.
Step-1: Calculate current using Van/(Zload+Zlin)
Van 1200o
I aA = = = 5.06(−27.65o ) A rms
Z load + Z line 21 + j11
Step-2: Use current to get load voltage

VAN = Z load I aA = (20 + j11)  5.06(−27.65o ) = 113.19(−1.08o )V rms

Step-3: The solutions for the other two phases are obtained using phase relation.

I bB = 5.06(−147.65o ) A rms VBN = 113.19(−121.08o ) V rms

I cC = 5.06(92.35o ) A rms VCN = 113.19(118.92o ) V rms
Notations:

Phase voltage (source side): Van

Voltage across the Y-load of phase a: VAN
Line current: I a or I aA
 Wye connected source
Delta connected source

Vab = Van 3 30o

Problem solving strategies

1. Convert to Wye-Wye connection (if source and/or load are not in Wye).
2. Solve the Wye-Wye configuration problem
3. Convert the solution back to Delta source and/or Delta load connection.

The equations used for the source convertion are shown in the diagram.
Example: For the circuit shown, we wish to determine
the line currents and the magnitude of the line voltage
at the load.

Solution:
Known: Line-voltages Vab , Vbc , Vca
Line impedance for each phase
Load impedance for each phase

Solve for: Line currents: I aA , I bB , I cC

line voltages at load: V
AB , VBC , VCA
 Step-1 Step-2 For phase-a: solve for IaA and VAN.
Delta-to-Wye connection
Conversion for source 120(−30o )
I aA = = 9.37(−49.14o ) A rms
12.1 + j 4.2
I bB = 9.37(−169.14o ) A rms
I cC = 9.37(−289.14o ) A rms

VAN = I aA  (12 + j 4)
= 118.6(−30.71o ) V rms
120(−30o ) Vrms

Step-3

Convert back to Delta connected

source

| VAB | = 118.6 3 = 205.42V rms

DELTA-CONNECTED LOAD

We wish to calculate the voltages and

the currents over the load impedance.

Hence we need: VAB and I AB

(The voltage and the currents on the
other two loads have 120 (deg) and
240(deg) phase differences with that
on phase A.

Two options can be applied.

Option 1: Phase voltage →Line

voltage→Phase current in delta load.
If line impedance is ignored: VAB = Vab
Vab = Van 330 o

As a result, we have
VAB 3Van 30o
I AB = =
Z Z
Option-2: Delta load→Wye load →Line current→Phase current in Delta load:
Z Van 3Van
ZY = I aA = =
3 ZY Z
We now need to establish the relation of IaA and IAB.
It is noted that: I BC = I AB (−120o ) and (
I CA = I AB  − 240o )
Hence: (
I an = I AB − I CA = I AB − I AB  − 240o )
 ( )
= I AB 1 − 1 − 240o = I AB 3(−30o )

I an = I AB 3(−30o )
Summary:
For Delta connected balanced load:

Given :
Van = Phase voltage
Calculate :
I AB = Phase current in Delta load
I aA = Line current (phase a)
Solution

(1) ZY = Z  / 3
Van
(2) I aA = , I bB = I aA(−120o ), I cC = I aA(−240o )
ZY
I aA30o
(3) I AB = , I BC = I AB (−120o ), I CA = I AB (−240o )
3
A balanced delta-connected load contains a 10-Ω resistor in series with a 20-mH
inductor in each phase. The voltage source is an abc-sequence three-phase 60-Hz,
balanced wye with a voltage Van = 120/30° V rms. We wish to determine all Δ
currents and line currents.

Z  = 10 + j 2  60  0.02 = 10 + j 7.54 
Solution:

(1) ZY = Z  / 3 = 3.33 + j 2.51 

(2) I aA = Van / ZY = 28.78(−7 o ) Arms,

I bB = 28.78(−127 o ) A rms, I cC = 28.78(−247 o )A rms

(3) I AB = I aA30o / 3 = 16.62(23o )Arms,

I BC = 16.62(−97 o )A rms, I CA = 16.62(−217 o )A rms
 Example: Find the line current (IaA) and the power Load-2
absorbed by the delta-connected load. Delta-connection

Load-1
Y-connection
Step-1: Convert the Delta load to Y-load.
 30 − j12
= 10 − j 4 = ZY
3

Step-2: Combine the two load

(Both Y-connected and in parallel)

7.22 − j 0.36 
10 − j 4 

15 + j8 
Step-3: Equivalent
Y-load
Z=Z1//Z2
 0.5 + j1  7.22 − j 0.36 

Step4:
Combine line impedance
with load impedance to
get the equivalent
impedance (Y-connection) 7.72 + j 0.64 
Step5: Now convert the source (Delta) into Wye
connection 277.13(−30o ) Vrms

Vab (−30o ) 480(−30o )

= = 277.13(−30o ) Vrms = Van
3 3
Step6: Connect source and the load and calculate line curent Ian.

277.13(−30o ) Vrms
I an 7.72 + j 0.64 

Van 277.13(−30o )
I aA = = = 35.76(−34.77 o ) A rms
Z 7.72 + j 0.64 
 I a 2 = 24.01(−15.79o ) A rms
I aA = 35.77(−34.74o ) A rms 10 − j 4 

15 + j8 
Step7: I a1 = 15.21(−65.66o ) A rms
Compute the current on
load 1 and load 2
And then compute power
on load 2 (The part with
Delta-connection)
Apply factor “3” for total
complex power.
Note: Voltages and
currents are all in “rms”
hence there is no “0.5”
factor.

Total complex power absorbed

by the Delta-connected load

S tot = 3 | I an 2 |2 (10 − j 4) = 3  24.012 (10 − j 4) = (17.29 − j 6.92)KVA

Hints on problem solving strategies

1. Convert source and/or load to Y-connection if needed.

2. Combine load (if there are more than one load)
3. Combine load and line impedance
4. Calculate current and work forward to find other voltages and currents
(for phase-a).
5. Voltages and currents for the other two phases are obtained by phase
shift (-120deg and -240deg) from phase-a.
 I a = I AB − I CA

Vab = Van − Vbn

Van and Vab

Van : Ref (Phase 0) I aA = 3I AB (−30o )
Vbn: Lag 120 deg I CA
Vab = Van-Vbn Van 120o
120o I AB
Ia and IAB
Vbn
Vab = 3Van 30o IAB: Ref (phase- 0)
ICA: Lag 240
Ia=IAB-ICA