Department of Electrical Engineering

EE-211 Electrical Network Analysis

Lab No. 07:

Balanced Three-Phase Circuit (Wye Connection)

Exercise Objective:

When you have complicated this exercise you will be able to distinguish between line and phase voltage in wye- and delta-
connected AC circuits. Measured parameters in balanced resistive loads will be used to verify the circuit calculations.

Discussion:

The windings of a three-phase AC power supply can be connected in either a wye configuration, or a delta configuration.
These names come from the appearance of the circuit drawings which resemble the letter Y and the Greek letter delta. The
connections for each configuration are shown in Figure 7-3, and each has definite electrical characteristics. The voltage
produced by a single winding is called the phase voltage, E PHASE (EAN, EBN, ECN), while the voltage between any two windings
is the line-to-line, or line-voltage, E LINE (EAB, EBC, ECA).In a wye-connected system the line voltage is √3 (approximately 1.73)
times greater than the phase voltage, as indicated in the following equation:

ELINE = √3 EPHASE

Note: In the EMS System the numbers 1, 2, 3 (fixed-voltage output) and 4, 5, 6 (variable-voltage output) are used instead
of the letters A, B, C for the corresponding line and phase voltages. The neutral line is designated by N.

Figure 7-3 (a) Three-Phase Wye Configuration (b) Three-Phase Delta Configuration
Usually, the three line wires (wires connected to points A, B, and C) and the neutral wire of a three-phase power system are
available for connection to the load, which can be set up as either a wye-connection or a delta-connection. The two types of
circuit connections are illustrated in Figure 7-4. Circuit analysis demonstrates that the voltage between any two line wires, or
lines, in a wye-connected load is 1.73 times greater than the voltage across each load resistor (phase voltage). Also, the line
current in a delta-connected load is 1.73 times greater than the current in each load resistor (phase current). The phase current
in a delta-connected load is therefore 1.73 times smaller than the line current.

Figure 7-4 (a) Wye-Connected Load (b) Delta-Connected Load

The relationships between line and phase voltages and line and phase currents simplify the analysis of balanced three-phase
circuits. A shorthand way of writing them is,

For WYE circuits: ELINE = √3 EPHASE and ILINE = IPHASE

For DELTA circuits: ELINE = EPHASE and ILINE = √3 IPHASE

The formula for calculating active, reactive, and apparent power in balanced three-phase circuits is the same as those used for
single-phase circuits. Based on the formulas for power in a single-phase circuit, we can state that the active power dissipated
in each phase of either a wye- or delta- connected load is:

PPHASE = EPHASE x IPHASE x cos (Φ)

Where Φ is the angle between the phase voltage and current.

The total active power PT supplied to the load is therefore:

PT = 3 x EPHASE = 3 EPHASE x IPHASE x cos (Φ)

For a resistive load, cos (Φ) equals 1, therefore

PT = 3 EPHASE x IPHASE
Equipment Required:

Refer to the equipment utilization chart in appendix C to obtain the list of equipment required for this exercise.

Procedure:

CAUTION

High voltages are present in this laboratory exercise! Do not make or modify
any banana jack connections with the power on unless otherwise specified!

1. Install the power supply, Data Acquisition Interface and resistive load modules in the EMS workstation.

2. Make sure that the main switch of the power supply is set to the O (OFF) position and the voltage control knob is
turned fully ccw. Ensure the power supply is connected to a three-phase wall receptacle.

3. Ensure that the DAI LOW POWER INPUT is connected to the main power supply and the USB port cable from
the computer is connected to the DAI.

4. Set the 24V – AC power switch to the I (ON) position.

5. Display the metering application. Select setup configuration file ES16-1.dai.

6. Connect E1, E2 and E3 to measure the line-to-neutral and then the line-to-line fixed voltages of the power supply
shown in Figure 7-5.

Note: In this manual EPHASE is used to designate the line-to-neutral voltage, and
ELINE the line-to-line voltage.
7. Turn on the main power supply
8. Record your measurements and then turn off the power. Determine the average value of the phase and line
voltages.

E1-N = 220 V E2-N = 219 V E3-N = _217.5V

E1−N + E 2−N + E 3−N

Average EPHASE¿ = 218.67__________ V
3

E1-2 = 381.6 V E2-3 = _379.3_______ V E3-1 = ___376.71______ V

 E 1−2+ E 2−3+ E 3−1
Average ELINE= = ___379.103__________ V
3

Figure 7-5 Measurement of Line and Phase Voltages

9. Calculate the ratio of the average line to phase voltage.

1.732
10. Is the ratio approximately equal to 1.73 (√3)?

Yes No
11. Connect E1, E2 and E3 to measure the line-to-neutral and line-to-line variable voltages of the power supply E 4-N,
E5-N, E6-N and E4-5, E5-6, E6-4.

12. Turn on the power and adjust the voltage control to 100%. Record your measurements and then turn off the power.
Determine the average value of the phase and line voltages.

E4-N = V E5-N = 219.67 V E6-N = 217.7V

E 4−N + E 5−N + E 6−N

Average EPHASE¿ = _218.67____________________ V
3
E4-5 = ___393.5_____ V E5-6 = ___391.8_____ V E6-4 = ___392.54______ V
 E 4−5+ E 5−6+ E 6−4
Average ELINE = = ____392.6__________ V
3
13. Calculate the ratio of the average line to phase voltage.

1.732
14. Is the ratio approximately equal to 1.73 (√3)?

Yes No
15. Set up the three-phase, wye-connected, resistive circuit shown in Figure 7-6. Do not connect the neutral of the
resistive load to the neutral of the power supply. Connect l1, l2, l3, E1, E2 and E3 as shown to measure the
currents and voltages.

16. Set the voltmeter select switch to the 4-5 position. Turn on the power and adjust voltage control for the line-to-line
voltage ES (E4-5, E5-6 or E4-6) given in Figure 6-6. Select setup configuration file ES16-2.dai. Measure the circuit
voltages and currents and then turn off the power.

ER1 = ____220_________ V ER2 = ___219_________ V ER3 = ________217.7_____ V

IR1 = ______0.204_______ A IR2 = ___0.208__________ A IR3 = ____0.206_________ A

17. Compare the individual load voltages and load currents. Are they approximately equal, showing that the load is
balanced?
Yes No

SEE EXERCISE PROCEDURE

 ES R1 R2 R3
(V) (Ω) (Ω) (Ω)
380 1100 1100 1100

Figure 7-6 Three-Phase Wye-connected Resistive Load

18. Calculate the average phase voltage from the measurements in step 15.

ER1+ ER 2+ ER 3
EPHASE¿ = __218.67__________ V
3

19. Is the ratio of ELINE to EPHASE approximately equal to √3?

Yes No
20. Connect l1 as shown by the dashed line in Figure 7-6 to measure the neutral line current with the power supply
neutral connected to the neutral of the wye-connected load. Select setup configuration file ES16-3.dai. Turn on the
power and record the value of IN with ES adjusted to the same value of ES as in step 15.

IN = ______0_______ A

21. Is the neutral current equal to zero?

Yes No
22. Using the results of step 16, calculate the active power consumed in each phase of the circuit and the total power
consumed by the load.

PR1 = ER1 x IR1= __44.88______________ W

PR2 = ER2 x IR2= _____45.552___________ W
PR3 = ER3 x IR3= ___44.84_____________ W
PT = PR1 + PR2 + PR3 = __135.272__________ W

23. Determine the phase current using the values measured in step 16.

IPHASE = __0.206______________ A

Calculate PT using the phase voltage and current, and compare it with step 22. Are both values approximately the
same?

PT = 3 (EPHASE x IPHASE) = ____135.272_____________ W

Yes No
24. Ensure that the power supply is turned off, the voltage control is fully ccw and remove all leads and cables.