College of Engineering

Electrical Engineering Department

ELEC201: Delta Star Connection with Superpositon

Group Number in the Blackboard: ____

SEMESTER
(Fall 2021/ Spring 2021)

Lab#: 4

Section : B51
Students : Noora alkuwari 201508667
Fatma Alsaei 201702953
Asmaa Aslam 201705096

Instructor : Hasan Mehrjerdi , Najla Al thani

Date Performed: 4/10/2021

Date Submitted: 17/10/2021
Lab 4: Delta Star connection with Superposition [QU-EED V.28-4-20]

1. INTRODUCTION
The aim of this experiment is to develop the understanding of star delta circuits and
superposition principle. The equivalent resistances between all the pair of the nodes will be
measured for both types of networks. The currents in these networks will be measured using
original circuit and using superposition.
Star delta networks are used to reduce the complexity of the circuits. When there is a star
or delta network present in the circuit such that circuit can't be reduced further. Then the star or
delta network can be converted into equivalent delta or star network respectively. In this way
circuit can be solved easily. The formulas for star to delta network and delta to star network are
given below:
In order to convert the delta network into star network, let, 𝑅1 , 𝑅2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅3 resistances of
the star network. Then the transformed delta resistances 𝑅12 , 𝑅13 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅23 will be calculated as:

𝑅1 𝑅2
𝑅12 = 𝑅1 + 𝑅2 +
𝑅3

𝑅3 𝑅1
𝑅13 = 𝑅1 + 𝑅3 +
𝑅2

𝑅3 𝑅2
𝑅23 = 𝑅2 + 𝑅3 +
𝑅1

In order to convert the star network into delta network, let, 𝑅12 , 𝑅13 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅23 be delta
resistances connected between nodes 1-2, 1-3 and 2-3 respectively. Then, the resistances
𝑅1 , 𝑅2 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑅3 of star network will be calculated as:

𝑅12 𝑅13
𝑅1 =
𝑅12 + 𝑅23 + 𝑅13

𝑅12 𝑅23
𝑅2 =
𝑅12 + 𝑅23 + 𝑅13

𝑅23 𝑅13
𝑅3 =
𝑅12 + 𝑅23 + 𝑅13

Some circuits contain too many voltages or current sources which increase the complexity of the
circuit. These circuits can be solved easily using superposition principle. Superposition principle
uses only one voltage or current source at a time by turning off all other sources. The voltage
across or current through each circuit element will be calculated by keeping only one source at
a time. The effects of all the sources will be added to give total current and voltages.

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Lab 4: Delta Star connection with Superposition [QU-EED V.28-4-20]

2. EQUIPMENT, INSTRUMENTS AND MATERIALS

❖ Breadboard, Digital Multimeter, Variable and fixed DC Power Supply.
❖ Resistors (1k (3NO.), 3k (3NO.))

3. PROCEDURES
Part 1: Star-Delta Circuits
I. Equivalent resistances between notes 1 to 2, 2 to 3 and 3 to 1 were measured for the star
network of Fig. 2(a) as mentioned in the laboratory manual. Voltage sources were turned
off before measuring resistances.
II. Power supplies in the star network of (I) were turned on in this step. There values were
set to 5V for E1 and 10V for E2 respectively.
III. Currents flowing through each resistance were measured and tabulated in Table 4.1.
IV. All the procedures from (I) to (IV) were repeated for the delta star of Fig. 2(b) as mentioned
in the manual.
Part 2: Superposition
V. The currents in each resistance of star network were measured by keeping only the 5V
source while 10V source was simply replaced with a wire.
VI. The currents in each resistance of star network were measured by keeping only the 10V
source while 5V source was simply replaced with a wire.
VII. The currents measured in steps V and VII were added to get the total values of the
currents using superposition.

4. RESULTS
Part 1: Star Delta circuits
Equivalent Star and delta resistances and currents are tabulated in the Table 4.1:

Table 4.1: Part 1 delta star experimental data

R1-2 kΩ R2-3 kΩ R1-3 kΩ I1 mA I2 mA I3 mA

Star Fig 2a 1.995 1.996 1.995 0.70 5.79 6.51

Delta Fig 2b 1.975 1.975 1.975 0.70 5.87 6.58

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Lab 4: Delta Star connection with Superposition [QU-EED V.28-4-20]

Comparison between measured values of currents and resistances and those of calculated
values is given with the help of %age errors in Table 4.2:

Table 4.2: Comparison between star and delta Measurements for Part 1

R1-2 kΩ R2-3 kΩ R1-3 kΩ I1 mA I2 mA I3 mA

Star Fig 2a 1.995 1.996 1.995 0.7 5.79 6.51

Delta Fig 2b 1.975 1.975 1.975 0.7 5.87 6.58

%age Errors 1.0 1.1 1.0 0.0 1.4 1.1

Part 2: Superposition
Measurement and calculations for part 2 superposition are tabulated in Table 4.3.

Table 4.3. Measured and calculated currents for superposition

E1 source only I11 I21 I31

-3.40 1.70 -1.70

E2 source only I12 I22 I32

4.10 4.10 8.21

Total current I1 mA I2 mA I3 mA

Measured 0.70 5.80 6.51

Calculated 0 5 5

The calculated results presented in the last row of the Table 4.3 are given in details in Appendix
(2).
Comparison between measured values of currents using superposition and calculated currents
using superposition is given with the help of %age errors in Table 4.4:

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Lab 4: Delta Star connection with Superposition [QU-EED V.28-4-20]

Table 4.4: Comparison between Measured and Calculated Values Part 2

Measured 0.7 5.79 6.51

Calculated 0 5 5

%age Errors 100 15.8 30.2

The comparison between the currents measured in the actual circuit (Star Circuit) and those of
obtained from experimental superposition theorem (Applied on star circuit) can be shown in
terms of %age errors as given below in Table 4.5:

Table 4.5: Comparison between total currents obtained from Part 1 and Part 2

Measured Currents (Part 1) 0.70 5.79 6.51

Measured Currents (Part 2) 0.7 5.80 6.51

%age Errors 0 0.2% 0

5. POST LAB TASKS.

1.

1 1 −1
(10 + 5) 𝑖𝑠 𝑖𝑛 𝑝𝑎𝑟𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑙 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 5 𝑂ℎ𝑚 = ( + ) = 3.75 𝑂ℎ𝑚
15 5

𝑅 𝑇 = 1.5𝑂ℎ𝑚 + 3.75 𝑂ℎ𝑚 = 𝟓. 𝟐𝟓 𝑶𝒉𝒎

Multisim proof of this circuit is:

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Lab 4: Delta Star connection with Superposition [QU-EED V.28-4-20]

Total current is given by using Ohm’s law:

8𝑉
𝐼𝑇 = = 1.524 𝐴
5.25 𝑂ℎ𝑚

2.

𝑅23

𝑅12 𝑅23

3∗3
𝑅12 = 3 + 3 + = 10.5 𝑂ℎ𝑚
2

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Lab 4: Delta Star connection with Superposition [QU-EED V.28-4-20]

3∗2
𝑅23 = 3 + 2 + = 7 𝑂ℎ𝑚
3
2∗3
𝑅13 =2+3+ = 7 𝑂ℎ𝑚
3
Solving the Circuit Using
1 1 −1
3 || 7 = (3 + 7) = 2.1 𝑂ℎ𝑚
2∗7
2 || 7 =2+7 = 1.55 𝑂ℎ𝑚

𝑅 𝑇 = (2.1 + 1.55) || 10.5= 𝟐. 𝟕𝟎𝟖 𝑶𝒉𝒎

6. DISCUSSION
Star delta conversions are used to simplify the circuit. However, they don't affect the actual
parameters of the circuit. The currents through or voltages across the circuit elements would
remain same if a star network is replaced by a delta network and vice versa. By observing the
resistances between the respective nodes in both star and delta networks given in Table 4.1, It
is clear that the equivalent resistances between these nodes remain same. The comparison
between the star and delta measured resistances was provided in Table 4.2 which showed that
results were in close approximation having %errors smaller than 2%. Similarly, the currents
flowing through the R1 to R3 were also almost same.
Superposition theorem was applied to get the currents in the different branches of the star circuit
due to each voltage source individually by turning off the other source. The currents for each
source were presented in Table 4.3. The sum of these currents provided the total currents in the
respective resistors. Total measured current was also noted in Table 4.3. The calculations for
the currents in each resistance of the star network were also done (Given in Appendix) and their

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Lab 4: Delta Star connection with Superposition [QU-EED V.28-4-20]

final results were tabulated in Table 4.3. The comparison between the measured and calculated
currents was provided in terms of percentage errors and given in Table 4.4. It was clear from
Table 4.4 that there were large deviations in the measured and calculated currents for
superposition part of the experiment.
Comparison between total currents obtained from the original star with both sources present
was made with currents obtained from superposition theorem was presented in Table 4.5. This
comparison showed that the currents measured from both parts were exactly same with
negligible deviations.

7. CONCLUSION
It was expected that the measurements for the star and delta circuits would match with each
other. The similarities and deviations between the measured and calculated equivalent
resistances in the star and delta networks were presented with the help of percentage error
analysis. This comparison proved that the currents in the circuit and resistances between two
adjacent nodes in both star and delta circuits don’t change.
Second objective of the lab was to analyze and prove superposition theorem in simple DC
circuits. Results and Discussions proved that the currents measured in the original star circuit
are same as the currents measured using superposition theorem. In this way the validity of the
superposition theorem was proved. However, the %errors between calculated and measured
currents for superposition theorem were quite large i.e., approaching up-to 70%. This was due
to the fact that experimental resistances are not exactly the same as theoretical resistances.
Moreover, the internal resistances of the practical voltage sources are also ignored in the
theoretical analysis.

8. REFERENCES

[1] E. E. Department, "ELEC201 Lab Manual," Qatar University, 2021.

APPENDICES

1. Pre-Lab Simulations:

i. Star and Delta Circuits

• Star Circuit:

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Lab 4: Delta Star connection with Superposition [QU-EED V.28-4-20]

𝑅12 = 𝑅13 = 𝑅23 = 2𝑘 𝑂ℎ𝑚

𝐼1 = 6.67𝑝𝐴; 𝐼2 = 5𝑚𝐴; 𝐼3 = 5𝑚𝐴

• Delta Circuit

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Lab 4: Delta Star connection with Superposition [QU-EED V.28-4-20]

𝑅12 = 𝑅13 = 𝑅23 = 2𝑘 𝑂ℎ𝑚

𝐼1 = 5𝑝𝐴; 𝐼2 = 5𝑚𝐴; 𝐼3 = 5𝑚𝐴

2. Calculations for Superposition part

i. Circuit Calculations for only 5V source present

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Lab 4: Delta Star connection with Superposition [QU-EED V.28-4-20]

1
1𝑘 || 1k = 1+1 = 0.5 𝑘 𝑂ℎ𝑚

Current flowing through R1 is:

5V
𝐼11 = = 3.333 𝑚𝐴
1 + 0.5

Applying current divider rule, the current through R2 is:

1k
𝐼21 = ∗ 3.333 = 1.667 𝑚𝐴
1k + 1k

Applying current divider rule, the current through R3 is:

1k
𝐼31 = − ∗ 3.333 = −1.667 𝑚𝐴
1k + 1k

ii. Circuit Calculations for only 10V source present

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Lab 4: Delta Star connection with Superposition [QU-EED V.28-4-20]

1
1𝑘 || 1k = 1+1 = 0.5 𝑘 𝑂ℎ𝑚

Current flowing through R3 is:

10V
𝐼31 = = 6.667 𝑚𝐴
1 + 0.5

Applying current divider rule, the current through R2 is:

1k
𝐼22 = ∗ 6.667 = 3.333 𝑚𝐴
1k + 1k

Applying current divider rule, the current through R1 is:

1k
𝐼32 = ∗ 6.667 = −3.333 𝑚𝐴
1k + 1k

iii. Applying Superposition for total currents

𝐼1 = 𝐼11 + 𝐼12

𝐼1 = 3.333 − 3.333 = 0

𝐼2 = 𝐼21 + 𝐼22

𝐼2 = 1.667 + 3.333 = 5 𝑚𝐴

𝐼3 = 𝐼31 + 𝐼32

𝐼3 = −1.667 + 6.667 = 5 𝑚𝐴

3.

Formula of %age error is:

𝑋𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜 − 𝑋𝑒𝑥𝑝𝑒𝑟
𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝐸𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 = | | ∗ 100
𝑋𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑜

For example, from 3rd column of Table 4.4:

5 − 5.79
%𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 = | | ∗ 100
5
%𝑎𝑔𝑒 𝑒𝑟𝑟𝑜𝑟 = 15.8%

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