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Module 4 :
THREE PHASE CIRCUITS
Weightage:20%
 GENERATION OF
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THREE PHASE SUPPLY
Elementary single-phase alternator

• It has one winding or coil.

• A rotating in anticlockwise direction with an angular velocity w in the 2-pole field. The equation of the e.m.f.
induced in the coil is given by
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Elementary two-phase alternator
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Elementary three-phase alternator
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• The order in which the voltages in the three phases (or coils) of an alternator reach their maximum positive
values is called phase sequence or phase order.
• The phase sequence is determined by the direction of rotation of the alternator.

• In the above figure, the three coils A, B and C are producing voltages that are displaced 120 electrical degrees
from one another.
 NUMBERING ASET - EEE

• The three phases or windings may be numbered (1, 2, 3) or lettered (A, B, C).

• However, it is a usual practice to name the three phases or windings after the three natural colours viz. Red (R),

yellow (Y) and blue (B).

• In that case, the phase sequence is RYB i.e. voltage in phase R attains maximum positive value first, next phase

Y and then phase B.

• It may be noted that there are only two possible phase sequences viz RYB and RBY.

• By convention, sequence RYB is taken as positive and RBY as negative.

 INTERCONNECTION ASET - EEE

• In practice, the three windings are interconnected to give rise to two

methods of connections viz.
(i) Star or Wye (Y) connection
(ii) Mesh or Delta () connection
INTERCONNECTION ASET - EEE
STAR CONNECTED ASET - EEE

SYSTEMS
 STAR CONNECTED ASET - EEE

SYSTEMS
The following points may be noted :
(i) The three phase voltages (i.e. 𝑬𝑹𝑵 , 𝑬𝒀𝑵 , and 𝑬𝑩𝑵 ) are equal
in magnitude but displaced 120° from each other. The same
is true for line voltages (i.e. 𝑽𝑹𝒀 , 𝑽𝒀𝑩 and 𝑽𝑩𝑹 ). Such a
supply system is called balanced supply system.
(ii) In case of balanced star-connected supply system, the
magnitude of line voltage is 3 times the magnitude of phase
voltage
i.e. Line voltage = 𝟑 × Phase voltage.. in magnitude
Thus Y-connected balanced supply system enables us to use
two voltages viz. phase voltage and line voltage.
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STAR CONNECTED SYSTEMS(Balanced)

Power
• Total power, P = 3 × Power per phase = 3 × 𝐕𝐩𝐡 𝐈𝐩𝐡 cos 
• For a star connection, 𝑰𝐩𝐡 = 𝑰𝑳 ; 𝐕𝐩𝐡 = 𝑽𝐋 / 𝟑
P = 3 × Power per phase = 3 × 𝑽𝑳 / 𝟑 × 𝐈𝐋 × cos 
P = 𝟑 𝑽𝑳 × 𝐈𝐋 × cos 
• Reactive Power Q = 𝟑 𝑽𝑳 × 𝐈𝐋 × sin 
• Apparent Power S = 𝟑 𝑽𝑳 𝐈𝐋
 Problems on STAR Connected three phase systems
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1. Three similar coils are star connected to a 3-phase, 400 V, 50 Hz supply. If the
inductance and resistance of each coil are 38.2 mH and 16 ohms respectively,
determine (i) line current (ii) power factor (iii) power consumed.
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2. Three 50 ohm resistors are connected in star across 400 V, 3-phase supply.
(i) Find phase current, line current and power taken from the mains.
(ii) What would be the above values if one of the resistors were disconnected ?
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Q. Three similar coils, connected in star, take a total power of 3 kW at a p.f. of 0.8
lagging from a 3-phase, 400 V, 50 Hz supply. Calculate the resistance and reactance of
each coil.

33.92 ohms,25.68 ohms

DELTA CONNECTED SYSTEMS
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 DELTA CONNECTED SYSTEMS
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The following points may be noted :

i. Magnitude of voltage between any two lines (i.e. line voltage)
is equal to the magnitude of phase voltage i.e.
Line voltage magnitude, 𝑽𝑳 = Phase voltage magnitude, 𝑬𝒑𝒉
The three phase voltages (= line voltages) are equal in
magnitude but displaced 120° from one another.
ii. When 3-phase load (star or delta connected) is connected to
the 3-phase -supply, currents flow through the phases
(called phase currents) as well as through the lines (called
line currents)
 DELTA CONNECTED SYSTEMS
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iii. For balanced load, the three phase currents (𝑰𝑹 , 𝑰𝑩 and 𝑰𝒀 ) are
equal in magnitude but displaced 120° from one another.
Line current = 𝟑 × Phase current ....................……in magnitude
The three-line currents will be equal in magnitude but displaced
120° from one another.
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VOLTAGES & CURRENTS IN DELTA CONNECTED

SYSTEMS(Balanced)
Line voltage and phase voltage
• Since the system is balanced, the three phase voltages are equal in
magnitude (say each equal to 𝑽𝒑𝒉 , the phase voltage) but
displaced 120° from one another.
• Figure shows that only one phase winding is included between any
pair of lines.
• Hence, in  connection, the line voltage is equal to the phase
voltage i.e.
𝑽𝑳 = 𝑽𝒑𝒉 (in magnitude)
• Since the phase sequence is RYB, the line voltage 𝑽𝑹𝒀 is 120°
ahead of 𝑽𝒀𝑩 and 240° ahead of 𝑽𝑩𝑹 . Incidentally, these are also
the phase voltages.
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VOLTAGES & CURRENTS IN DELTA CONNECTED

SYSTEMS(Balanced)
Line current and phase current
• Since the system is balanced, the three phase currents 𝐈𝐑 , 𝐈𝐘 & 𝐈𝐁
are equal in magnitude (say each equal to 𝐈𝐩𝐡 , the phase current)
but displaced 120° from one another as shown in the phasor
diagram.
• Current in any line is equal to the phasor difference of the currents
in the two phases attached to that line. Thus,
Current in line 1, 𝑰𝟏 = 𝑰𝑹 - 𝑰𝑩
Current in line 2, 𝑰𝟐 = 𝑰𝒀 - 𝑰𝑹
Current in line 3, 𝑰𝟑 = 𝑰𝑩 - 𝑰𝒀
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VOLTAGES & CURRENTS IN DELTA CONNECTED
SYSTEMS(Balanced)
Line current and phase current
• The current 𝐈𝟏 in line 1 is the phasor difference of 𝐈𝐑 and 𝐈𝐁 . To
subtract 𝐈𝐁 form 𝐈𝐑 , reverse the phasor 𝐈𝐁 and find its phasor sum
with 𝐈𝐑 as shown in Fig.
• The two phasors 𝐈𝐑 and – 𝐈𝐁 are equal in magnitude (= 𝐈𝒑𝒉 ) and
are 60° apart.
Therefore,
𝐈𝟏 = 2 𝐈𝒑𝒉 cos (60°/2) = 2 𝐈𝒑𝒉 cos 30° = 3 𝐈𝒑𝒉
𝐈𝟐 = 𝑰𝒀 - 𝑰𝑹 = 3 𝐈𝒑𝒉

𝐈𝟑 = 𝑰𝑩 - 𝑰𝒀 = 3 𝐈𝒑𝒉

• Line current, I𝐿 = 3 I𝑝ℎ

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VOLTAGES & CURRENTS IN DELTA CONNECTED
SYSTEMS(Balanced)
Power
• Total power, P = 3 × Power per phase = 3 × 𝐕𝐩𝐡 𝐈𝐩𝐡 cos 
• For a delta connection, 𝐕𝐩𝐡 = 𝑽𝑳 ; 𝐈𝐩𝐡 = 𝐈𝐋 / 𝟑
P = 3 × Power per phase = 3 × 𝑽𝑳 × 𝐈𝐋 / 𝟑 × cos 
P = 𝟑 𝑽𝑳 × 𝐈𝐋 × cos 
• Reactive Power Q = 𝟑 𝑽𝑳 × 𝐈𝐋 × sin 
• Apparent Power S = 𝟑 𝑽𝑳 𝐈𝐋
 Problems on Delta Connected three phase systems
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Q. Three similar coils each having a resistance of 5ohms and an inductance of

0.02H are connected in delta to a 440V, 3-phase, 50Hz supply. Calculate the line
current and total power absorbed.

94.8A,45KW
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Q. Three 40 ohms non-inductive resistances are connected in delta across 400 V,

3-phase lines. Calculate the power taken from the mains. If one of the resistances is disconnected, what
would be the power taken from the mains ?

12KW,8KW
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Q. Calculate the phase and line currents in a balanced delta connected load taking 75 kW at a power factor
0.8 from a 3-phase 440 V supply.

71.02A,123A
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Q.A balanced 3-phase load consists of three coils, each of resistance 4 ohms and inductance 0.02
H. Determine the total power when the coils are (i) star-connected (ii) delta-connected to a 400 V,
3-phase, 50 Hz supply.

11.56KW,34.68KW
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Q. Three 50 ohms non-inductive resistances are connected in star across 400 V,

3-phase lines. Calculate the phase current, line current and power taken from the mains. If one of the
resistances is disconnected, what would be the above values?

3200 W,1600W
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 THREE WATTMETER ASET - EEE

METHOD
• In this method, the three wattmeters are connected
in such a way that each has its current coil in one line
and its potential coil between that line and some
common point x.
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 TWO WATTMETER ASET - EEE

METHOD
• In two-wattmeter method for the measurement of
3-phase power, the current coils of the two
wattmeters are connected in any two lines and
the potential coil of each joined to the third line.
• We now prove from first principles that the
algebraic sum of the readings of the two
wattmeters gives the total power drawn by the 3-
phase load (Y or D, balanced or unbalanced).
• Fig. the Y-connected load.
TWO WATTMETER ASET - EEE

METHOD
 P.F. OF LOAD BY ASET - EEE

TWO WATTMETER METHOD

If the 3-phase load (Y or D) is balanced, we can also determine the power factor of the load
from the wattmeter readings. the p.f. angle of load impedance being Φ lag. Let VRN, VYN and VBN
be the r.m.s. values of the three load phase voltages (phase sequence being RYB) and IR, IY
and IB the r.m.s. values of line currents. These currents will lag behind their respective phase
voltages by Φ as shown in the phasor diagram in Fig.
Current through current coil of W1 = IR
P.D. across potential coil of W1, VRY = VRN – VYN ...phasor difference
To obtain VRY, find the phasor sum of VRN and – VYN as shown in Fig.
It is clear from the phasor diagram that phase angle between VRY and IR is (30° + ).
W1 = VRY IR cos (30° + )
Current through current coil of W2 = IB
P.D. across potential coil of W2 is
VBY = VBN – VYN ...phasor difference
To obtain VBY, find the phasor sum of VBN and – VYN as shown in Fig It is clear from the phasor
diagram that phase angle between VBY and IB is (30° – )
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TWO WATTMETER METHOD

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EFFECT OF P.F. OF LOAD ASET - EEE

ON WATTMETER READING
EFFECT OF P.F. OF LOAD ASET - EEE

ON WATTMETER READING
EFFECT OF P.F. OF LOAD ASET - EEE

ON WATTMETER READING
EFFECT OF P.F. OF LOAD ASET - EEE

ON WATTMETER READING
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Q. Two-wattmeter method is used to measure the power taken by a 3-phase

induction motor on no load. The wattmeter readings are 375 W and –50 W. Calculate (i) power
factor of the motor at no load (ii) phase difference of voltage and current in two wattmeters (iii)
reactive power taken by the load.
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Q. A 3-phase motor load has a p.f. of 0.397 lagging. Two wattmeters connected
to measure power show the input as 30 kW. Find the reading on each wattmeter.
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Q. The power input to a 2000 V, 50 Hz, 3-phase motor running on full-load at an

efficiency of 90% is measured by two wattmeters which indicate 300 kW and 100 kW respectively.
Find (i) the input (ii) the power factor (iii) the line current and output.

400KW,0.756lag,152.74A and 360KW

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Q. Three identical coils, each having a resistance of 10 ohm and a reactance of 10 ohm
are connected in (i) star (ii) delta, across 400 V, 3-phase supply. Find in each case the line current and the
readings on each of the two watt meters connected to measure the power.
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Q. The ratio of the readings of the two wattmeters connected to measure power
in a 3-phase balanced load is 3 : 1. The load is known to be inductive with a lagging power factor.
Calculate the power factor of the load.
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Q. Two wattmeters are used to measure power in a 3-phase balanced load. The wattmeter readings are
8.2kW and 7.5 kW. Calculate (i) total power (ii) power factor and (iii) total reactive power.

[(i) 15.7 kW (ii) 0.997 (iii) 1.21 kVAR]