Experiment 1: Three-phase Circuit

I. Objective:
• To study how to design and analyze wye (Y) and delta (Δ) connections.
• To study the relationship between voltages and currents in three-phase circuits.
• To calculate the total power of three-phase circuit.
II. Test Standard
IEEE Std 120™-1989 (R2007), IEEE Master Test Guide for Electrical Measurements in Power Circuits
III. Theory:
Three-phase Connection
In AC systems, it is important to differentiate between reactive loads and resistive loads. Resistive load which
is ‘a resistor’ has a power factor of 1. This means that the waveform for voltage and current are in phase. The
reactive loads include inductor (inductive load) and capacitor (capacitive load). In the inductive load, the
voltage leads the current by 90 degree. Furthermore, in the capacitive load, the current leads the voltage by 90
degree. Fig (1) demonstrates the relations between current and voltage for reactive and resistive loads.

Table 1: Relationship between voltage and current in inductive, resistive, and capacitive circuits.
Load Type Circuit Voltage/Current Waveform Vector Diagram

Resistive

Inductive

Capacitive

In three-phase circuits, there is 120-degree difference between phases and the sum of the voltages at any
time will be zero. This relationship is obtained from the vectors calculation of the three-phase angles. The
graphical relationship between phase voltage and line voltage is represented in the diagram below:

Figure 1: Phasor diagram demonstrating the relation between phase voltage and line voltage.

The Y-Connection
The Y-Connection is the first type of three-phase connection for ac current and this type has three generators
with same magnitude with different phase by 120 degrees. Also, the wye connection has a least three loads
have a common reference which they share with the generators by return line (neutral). The circuit
configuration is demonstrated in figure (2).

Figure 2: Y or Star circuit configuration.

The relation between the phase and the line current and phase/line voltage in three-phase Y-connection is
represented by equation (1) and equation (2) respectively:
𝐼𝑃 = 𝐼𝐿 …………………(1)
𝑉𝐿
𝑉𝑃 = …………………(2)
√3
The Neutral Current IN is equal to the sum of phase A, B, and C currents: equation (3):
𝐼𝑁 = 𝐼𝐴 + 𝐼𝐵 + 𝐼𝐶 …………………(3)
The Delta-Connection
In the delta connection, the end of each coil is connected to the start of another coil as demonstrated in figure
(4). In addition, this type of connection have three terminal and does not have ‘neutral’ terminal.

Figure 3: Delta circuit configuration.

The relation between phase/line current and phase/line voltage in three-phase delta-connection is represented
by equation (4) and equation (5) respectively:

𝐼𝐿
𝐼𝑃 = …………………(4)
√3

𝑉𝑃 = 𝑉𝐿 …………………(5)
The formula for apparent power, true power, and reactive power per phase are given by the following formulas
respectively:
𝑆 = 𝑃 + 𝑗𝑄 …………………(6)

𝑃 = 𝑉𝐼𝑐𝑜𝑠(𝜃) …………………(7)

𝑄 = 𝑉𝐼𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝜃) …………………(8)
The formulas for apparent power, real power, and reactive power for the 3 phase systems are given by the
following formulas respectively:

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 𝑆 = √3 𝑉𝐼 …………………(9)
𝑃 = √3 𝑉𝐼𝑐𝑜𝑠(𝜃) …………………(10)
𝑄 = √3 𝑉𝐼𝑠𝑖𝑛(𝜃) …………………(11)
The relationship between real power (P), reactive power (Q), and apparent power (S), and power factor (PF)
is represented by the power triangle as in figure (4).

Figure 4: Power triangle which shows the relationship between apparent, real, reactive power, and Power
Factor PF.
IV. Prelab
Simulate the 3-phase circuits using the Y connection in the first part and the  connection in the second part.
Draw the circuit in both cases and complete the following table.
Use the following values and circuit schematics:
• 3-Ф load (Resistive=1000, Inductive=2.4 H and Capacitive=2uF).
• Vphase = 220 V, abc sequence
• Frequency 60 Hz.
Y connection

 Connection

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 Table 1: Theoretical Values for the currents, voltages, power and power factors for the various load
configurations
Power Factor Lagging or
VL (V) Vp(V) IL(A) Ip(A) VL/Vp IL/Ip P (W) Q (VAR) leading
Load cos(∅)
Part-I: Pure Resistive Load (PF): Ohmic Load
R= 100% (1k)
R= 75%
R= 50%
Part-I: R-L load (lagging PF): Ohmic-Inductive Load
L= 2.4 H
R= 100%
L= 2.4 H
R= 75%
L= 2.4 H
R= 50%
Part-I: R-C load (leading PF): Ohmic-Capacitive Load
C= 2 µF
R= 100%

Table 2: Simulation Values for the currents, voltages, power and power factors for the various load
configurations

Power Factor Lagging or

VL (V) Vp(V) IL(A) Ip(A) VL/Vp IL/Ip P (W) Q (VAR)
Load cos(∅) leading
Part-I: Pure Resistive Load (PF): Ohmic Load
R= 100% (1k)
R= 75%
R= 50%
Part-I: R-L load (lagging PF): Ohmic-Inductive Load
L= 2.4 H
R= 100%
L= 2.4 H
R= 75%
L= 2.4 H
R= 50%
Part-I: R-C load (leading PF): Ohmic-Capacitive Load
C= 2 µF
R= 100%

V. Hardware Experimentation
VI. Apparatus:
• Multi-functional measuring meter (LD 727 230)
• AC voltmeters.
• AC Ammeters.
• 3-Ф load (Resistive-1000, Inductive-2.4 H and Capacitive-2uF).
• 3-Ф variable AC power supply.
VII. Procedure:
Part A: -
Pure Resistive Load (unity power factor)
• Step 1: Make sure all power supplies are OFF.
• Step 2: Connect the 3-phase load resistance (1000) in Y-connection as demonstrated in figure (5).

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 Figure 5: Y-connected resistances.
• Step 3: Connect the loads to the source along with measurement devices. Make sure
connection is a Y-connection as shown in figure 6.

Figure 6: Y connection of the three-phase source to the three-phase load.

• Step 4: Turn on the variable power supply and set the line to neural voltage VP to 220V or VL
to 380V.
• Step 5: Set the balanced Resistive load to 100% and Switch ON the load switch.
• Step 6: Measure the line and phase voltage using the multi-functional Multimeter. The
measurements are recorded in table (2) in the results section.
• Step 7: Repeat steps 3 & 4 with 75% and 50% of the load resistance.
• Step 8: Turn off the load and the variable supply.
R-L Loads.
• Step 1: Make sure all supplies are OFF
• Step 2: Connect a 2.4 H inductor in series to each of the resistor as shown in figure 7. Check
that R is set at 100% and the entire circuit connection is Y-connection as shown in figure
(6).

Figure 7: Y-connected RL Circuit.

• Step 3: Measure the line voltage, phase voltage, currents, and power factor. Record the
measurements are in table (2).
• Step 4: Repeat Steps 1-5 with 75% of the resistor R and 50% of the resistor R.

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 R-C Loads.
• Step 1: Make sure all supplies are OFF
• Step 2: Connect a 2uF capacitor in series to each of the resistor (Remove the pervious
inductors). The entire circuit should be connected in Y-connection as shown previously.

Figure 8: Y-connected RC circuit.

• Step 3: Measure the line voltage, phase voltage, currents, and power factor. The
measurements are recorded in table (2). Step 4: Steps 1-5 are repeated with 80% of the
resistor R and 50% of the resistor R.

Part B: - Delta Connection

1. Pure Resistive Load (unity power factor)
• Step 1: Make sure all supplies are OFF
• Step 2: Connect 3 phase load in Δ-connection as demonstrated in figure (8).

Figure 9: Δ-connected Resistance.

• Step 3: Connect the circuit to the three-phase source as demonstrated in figure (10). Do the
required measurement and record them in table (3).

Figure 10: connection of the three-phase source to the three-phase load in delta-connection.
2. R-L loads.
• Step 1: Make sure all supplies are OFF
• Step 2: Connect the 3-phase RL loads in Δ-connection as demonstrated in Figure 11.
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 Figure 11: Δ-connected RL circuit.

• Step 3: Connect the loads to the three-phase source in a delta connection as demonstrated
previously in figure 10. Do the required measurement and record them in the table (3).
3. R-C loads.
• Step 1: Make sure all supplies are OFF
VIII. Experimental Results:
Build the circuit and measure the data and complete the following Table 32.
Compare the results in Tables 1, 2, and 3. Include the relative errors in Table 4.
Use the theoretical values as a reference. Use the following two formulae to compute the relative
error.
𝑋𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑦 − 𝑋𝑠𝑖𝑚
𝐸𝑠𝑖𝑚 (%) = ∗ 100
𝑋𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑦
𝑋𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑦 − 𝑋𝑒𝑥𝑝
𝐸𝑒𝑥𝑝 (%) = ∗ 100
𝑋𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜𝑟𝑦

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 Table 3: Experimental Results for various load configurations
Power Factor Lagging or
Load VL (V) Vp(V) IL(A) Ip(A) VL/Vp IL/Ip P (W) Q (VAR)
cos(∅) leading
Part-I: Pure Resistive Load (PF): Ohmic Load
R= 100% (1k)
R= 75%
R= 50%
Part-I: R-L load (lagging PF): Ohmic-Inductive Load
L= 2.4 H R= 100%
L= 2.4 H R= 75%
L= 2.4 H R= 50%
Part-I: R-C load (leading PF): Ohmic-Capacitive Load
C= 2 µF R= 100%

Table 3: Simulation and Experimental Relative Errors for various load configurations
Load IL Ip P Q PF
𝑬𝒔𝒊𝒎 (%) 𝑬𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅 (%) 𝑬𝒔𝒊𝒎 (%) 𝑬𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅 (%) 𝑬𝒔𝒊𝒎 (%) 𝑬𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅 (%) 𝑬𝒔𝒊𝒎 (%) 𝑬𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅 (%) 𝑬𝒔𝒊𝒎 (%) 𝑬𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅 (%)
Part-I: Pure Resistive Load (PF): Ohmic Load
R=100% (1k)
R= 75%
R= 50%
Part-I: R-L load (lagging PF): Ohmic-Inductive Load
L= 2.4 H R= 100%
L= 2.4 H R= 75%
L= 2.4 H R= 50%
Part-I: R-C load (leading PF): Ohmic-Capacitive Load
C= 2 µF R= 100%
Reference: https://www.electrical4u.com/three-phase-circuit-star-and-delta-system/