CHAPTER # 5

THREE- PHASE CIRCUITS

Analysis of Balanced Three Phase Circuits – Phase Sequence- Star and Delta Connection - Relation
between Line and Phase Voltages and Currents in Balanced Systems - Measurement of Active and
Reactive Power in Balanced and Unbalanced Three Phase Systems

INTRODUCTION:

 Almost all electric power generation and most of the power transmission in the world is in the
form of three-phase AC circuits. A three-phase AC system consists of three-phase generators,
transmission lines, and loads.
 Power delivered to a three-phase load is constant at all time, instead of pulsing as it does in a
single-phase system.
 Three phase voltage is obtained by connecting three single phase voltages which are equal in
magnitude and displaced by 120 degrees.
 The negative (ground) ends of the three single-phase generators and loads together, so they share
the common return line (neutral).

Generator (Source) side Load side

Fig. 1, Three-phase, 4-wire circuit

3-phase alternator 3-phase voltages

Fig. 2, Generating 3-phase voltages

BALANCED THREE-PHASE CIRCUITS

 The three-phase sources, can be connected either wye (Y) or delta (  ) as shown in Fig. 3.
 (a). Wye (Y) Connection (b). Delta (  ) Connection
Fig. 3, Three-phase connection (Generator side)
 Consider the wye-connected voltages in Fig. 3(a). The voltages Van, Vbn, and Vcn are respectively
between lines a, b, and c, and the neutral line n. These voltages are called phase voltages. If the
voltage sources have the same amplitude and frequency  and are out of phase with each other by
1200, the voltages are said to be balanced. This gives
Van  Vbn  Vcn  0
Van  Vbn  Vcn
 There are two possible combinations. One possibility is called positive (abc) sequence This sequence
is produced when the phasor diagram rotates counter clockwise. The phase sequence is determined
by the order in which the phasor pass through a fixed point in the phase diagram. This can be
expressed mathematically as:

Van  Vp 00
Vbn  Vp   1200
Vcn  Vp   2400  Vp  1200

 The other possibility is called negative (acb) sequence and expressed mathematically as:

Van  Vp 00
Vcn  Vp   1200
Vbn  Vp   2400  Vp   1200

 Like the generator connections, a three-phase load can be either wye-connected or delta-connected,
depending on the end application as shown in Fig. 7.
 (a) Wye (Y) Connection (b) Delta (  ) Connection
Fig. 4, Three-phase connection (Load side)

 For a balanced wye-connected load,

Z1  Z2  Z3  ZY
Where ZY is the load impedance per phase
 For a balanced delta-connected load,
Za  Zb  Zc  Z
Where Z is the load impedance per phase.
 Y-connected load can be transformed into a  -connected load, or vice versa as:
Z
Z  3ZY or ZY  
3
 Since both the three-phase source and the three-phase load can be either Y or  , we have four
possible connections:

 Y-Y connection (i.e., Y-connected source with a Y-connected load)

 Y-  connection (i.e., Y-connected source with a  -connected load)
  -  connection (i.e.,  -connected source with a  -connected load)
  -Y connection (i.e.,  -connected source with a Y-connected load)

Balanced Y-Y three-phase circuits

 Any balanced three-phase system can be reduced to an equivalent Y-Y system. Therefore,
analysis of this system should be regarded as the key to solving all balanced three-phase systems.
 Consider the 3-phase, Y-Y circuit shown in Fig. 5. Assuming the positive sequence, the phase
voltages (or line-to-neutral voltages) are:
Van  Vp 00 , Vbn  Vp   1200 , Vcn  Vp   2400  Vp  1200
 Fig. 6, Y-Y three-phase circuit

 The line-to-line voltages or simply line voltages Vab, Vbc, and Vca are related to the phase
voltages. mathematically as:
Vab  Van  Vnb  Van  Vbn  Vp 00  Vp   1200  3Vp 300

Similarly, we can obtain

Vbc  Vbn  Vcn  3Vp   900
Vca  Vcn  Van  3Vp  2100

 The relation between phase and line voltages can be proved Vectorially as in Fig. 7.

Fig. 7, Relation between phase and line voltages in Y connected circuits

 From phasor diagram shown above, it is clear that the magnitude of the line voltages VL is 3 times
the magnitude of the phase voltages Vp, or VL  3Vp

Where Vp  Van  Vbn  Vcn and VL  Vab  Vbc  Vca

 Also the line voltages lead their corresponding phase voltages by 300. Applying KVL to
 each phase in Fig. 6, we obtain the line currents as:
V Vbn Van   1200
Ia  an , Ib    Ia   1200
ZY ZY ZY
V V   2400
Ic  cn  an  Ia   2400
ZY ZY

 We can readily infer that the line currents add up to zero,

I a  I b  Ic  0

So that In  (Ia  Ib  Ic )  0

 So that the voltage VnN is zero. Therefore, neutral line can thus be removed without affecting the
system.
 The line current is the current in each line, and the phase current is the current in each phase of
the source or load. In Y-Y, the line current is the same as the phase current.
I L  I Ph
 An alternative way of analysing a balanced Y-Y system is to consider the “per phase” equivalent
circuit given in Fig. 10. We look at one phase, say phase a, and analyze the single-phase equivalent
circuit. Then applying KVL for this circuit to get the same values for the line currents.

Fig. 8, Equivalent single phase circuit

 Once the current Ia is obtained, we use the phase sequence to obtain other line currents.

Balanced Y-  three-phase circuits

 The balanced Y-delta system is shown in Fig. 9, where the source is Y-connected and the load is
 -connected. There is no neutral connection from source to load for this case. Assuming the
positive sequence, the phase voltages are again:
Van  Vp 00 , Vbn  Vp   1200 , Vcn  Vp   2400  Vp  1200
 Fig. 9. Y-  three-phase circuit
 The line voltages are given as:
Vab  3Vp 300 , Vbc  3Vp   900 , Vca  3Vp   2100
 The line voltages are equal to the voltages across the load impedances for this system configuration.
From these voltages, we can obtain the phase currents as:
V V V
Iab  ab , Ibc  bc , Ica  ca
Z Z Z

 These currents have the same magnitude but are out of phase with each other by 1200.
 The line currents are obtained from the phase currents by applying KCL at nodes A, B, and C. Thus,
Ia  Iab  Ica , I b  I bc  Iab, Ic Ica Ibc

 This gives that

Ia  3Iab   300

 The relation between phase and line currents for -connected circuits is shown in Fig.10.

Fig. 10, Relation between phase and line currents in  -connected circuits

 From phasor diagram above, the magnitude IL of the line current is 3 times the magnitude Iph of the
phase current, or I L  3I Ph
 I ph  Ia  Ib  Ic and I Ph  Iab  I bc  Ica

 Also, the line currents lag the corresponding phase currents by 300.

Balanced - three-phase circuits

 The source as well as the load is delta-connected as shown in Fig. 11. Our goal is to obtain the phase and
line currents as usual. Assuming a positive sequence, the phase voltages for a delta-connected source are:

Fig. 11, Delta-Delta 3-phase system

 The line voltages are the same as the phase voltages. From Fig. 16, assuming there is no line
impedances, the phase voltages of the delta connected source are equal to the voltages across the
impedances; that is,
Vab  VAB , Vbc  VBC , Vca  VCA
 Hence, the phase currents are
V V V V V V
IAB  AB  ab , ICB  BC  bc , ICA  CA  ca
Z Z Z Z Z Z
 The line currents Ia, Ib and Ic are greater than the phase current by 3 and lag the corresponding phase
current by 300.

Balanced -Y three-phase circuits

 Consider the -Y circuit in Fig. 12. Again, assuming the abc sequence, the phase voltages of a delta-
connected source are:
 Fig. 12, -Y 3-phase system

 At source side, the line voltages, given above, are also same as the phase voltages.
 At load side the phase voltage VAN is less than the line voltage VAB by 3 and lags it by 300,
therefore, the line current (which equals the phase current) Ia can be obtained as:
VAB
  300
Ia  3
ZY

 Obtain the other line currents Ib and Ic using the positive phase sequence,
I b  Ia   1200 , Ic  Ia   1200

2. Power in Balanced 3-phase systems

 For a Y-connected load, let the phase voltages are:

VAn  2Vp cos t, VBn  2Vp cos(t  1200 ), VCn  2Vp cos( t  120 0 )
Where Vp is the rms value of the phase voltage.
 If the load impedance is ZY  Z, then the phase currents lag behind their corresponding phase
voltages by  . Thus,
ia  2I p cos(t  ), i b  2I p cos(t    1200 ), i c  2I p cos(t    120 0 )
Where Ip is the rms value of the phase current.
 The total instantaneous power in the load is the sum of the instantaneous powers in the three phases; that
is,
p  pa  pb  pc  VAnia  VBnib  VCnic
 2Vp I p [cos  tcos( t  )  cos( t  1200 ) cos( t    1200 )  cos( t  1200 ) cos( t    1200 )]
 Assuming that  = cos(2t - )
p  pa  p b  pc  3Vp I p cos 

 Thus the total instantaneous power in a balanced three-phase system is constant. It does not change
with time as the instantaneous power of each phase does. This result is true whether the load is Y- or
 -connected.

 The active power (P) can be calculated as:

P  3Vp I p cos   3VL I L cos 
 Also, The reactive power (Q) can be calculated as:
Q  3Vp I p sin   3VL I L sin 
 The complex power (S) can be calculated as:
S  3Vp I*p  3VL I*L

Unbalanced Three-phase systems

 An unbalanced system is due to unbalanced voltage sources or an unbalanced load. To simplify analysis,
we will assume balanced source voltages, but an unbalanced load.
 There are two types of unbalanced systems. Those are
1. Three phase four wire system (star connection with neutral)
2. Three phase three wire systems (Delta or Star connection with Neutral)

Y-Y four-wire and three-wire Unbalanced 3-phase systems

 Figure 13 shows an example of an unbalanced 3-phase system.

Fig. 13, Unbalanced, 4-wire, Y-connected load

 Since the load is unbalanced, ZA, ZB, and ZC are not equal. The line currents are determined directly by
Ohm‟s law as
 VAN VBN VCN
Ia  , Ib  , Ic 
ZA ZB ZC
 This set of unbalanced line currents produces current in the neutral line, which is not zero as in a
balanced system, and can be calculated as:
In  (Ia  Ib  Ic )  0
 In a three-wire system where the neutral line is absent, we can still find the line currents Ia, Ib, and
Ic using mesh analysis.

Three Phase Three Wire System:

The three phase three wire unbalanced system can be solved by any one of the following methods.
i) Star to Delta conversion method
ii) Loop or Mesh analysis method.

STAR TO DELTA CONNECTION:

Star to Delta conversion method is used to solve 3Φ, 3 wire unbalanced system. Let us
consider the 3 Φ star connection without neutral as shown below. Let the phase sequence be R, Y
& B.

Let ZR, ZY, ZB are the impedances of R, Y, B phases. IR, IY, IB are currents through R, Y,
B phases respectively.
VRN, VBN, VYN be the phase voltages (VPH) and VRY, VYB, VBR be the line voltages (VL).
VRN ≠ VBN ≠VYN ≠ VPH

Fig. 14, Unbalanced, 3-wire, Y-connected load Fig. 15, Unbalanced, 3-wire,  -connected load

ZRY, ZRB and ZYB are the branch impedances and are determined as
ZRY = ZR+ZY + (ZR ZY)/ ZB
ZRB = ZR+ZB + (ZR ZB)/ ZY
ZYB = ZY+ZB + (ZY ZB)/ ZR
Brach Currents:

IRY, IYB, IBR are the Brach currents and are determined as IRY =VRY  0° / ZRY
IYB =VYB∠-120° / ZRY

IRB =VRB  -240° / ZR

Line currents:

IR, IY, IB are the line currents and are determined as

At point „a‟ IRB +IR= IRY

IR= IRY- IRB

At point „b‟ IYB +IY= IRB

IY= IRB- IYB

At point „c‟ IRY + IY= IYB

IY= IYB- IRY

The Voltage across ZR is VZR = IRZR

Voltage across ZY is VZY=IYZY
Voltage across ZB is VZB= IBZB

LOOP OR MESH ANALYSIS:

The loop or mesh analysis method is used to

solve the 3Φ, star without neutral system. Let us
consider a star without neutral as shown below. Let the
phase sequence as RYB
Let ZR, ZY, ZB are the impedances of R, Y, B phases.

Voltage across R & Y is VRY∠0° Voltage

across Y & B is VYB∠-120 Voltage across
R& B is VRB∠-240° IR, IY, IB are the line or
phase currents
Applying KVL to loop 1
VRY∠0 = I1ZR + (I1-I2) ZY
VRY∠0 = I1 (ZR + ZY)- I2 ZY
Find I1 from above equation
VRY 0  ZY I2
I1 
ZY  ZR

Applying KVL to loop 2

 VYB∠-120 = (I2- I1)ZY+ ZB I2
VYB∠-120 = - I1 ZY + (ZB + ZY) I2
Now by substituting I1 in above equation we get I2 From circuit branch currents are
IR  I1, IY  I1  I2 , IB  I2
Measurement of power in 3 –Φ system (Balanced or unbalanced system):

The power in 3-Φ system can be measured by using following methods

1. Three wattmeter method

2. Two wattmeter method
3. Single wattmeter method
THREE WATTMETER METHOD:
In this method, three wattmeters are connected in each of three phases of load whether
star or delta connected. The current coil of each wattmeter carries the current of one coil only
and pressure coil measure the phase voltage of the phase as shown below in fig.16

Fig. 16 Three wattmeter method – Star Fig. 17 Three wattmeter method- Delta
The total power in load is given by algebraic sum of the readings .Let W1,W2, W3 are the
readings of wattmeters then the total power supplied to 3 –Φ load is P= W1+W2+ W3 .

The Three wattmeter method is suitable for

measurement of 3-Φ unbalanced power. Let us
consider IR, IY, IB are the currents of R, Y, B
phases respectively which are nothing but
phase and line currents. From circuit VRN, VBN,
VYN be the phase voltages (VPH) and VRY, VYB,
VBR be the line voltages (VL).

Phasor diagram
 Current through wattmeter 1 is IR and voltage across pressure coil of wattmeter 1 is VRN now
reading in wattmeter 1 is
W1= VRN IR cosΦ1 , W1= VPH IPH cosΦ1
Current through wattmeter 2 is IY and voltage across pressure coil of wattmeter 1 is VYN now
reading in wattmeter 2 is
W2= VYN Iy cosΦ2, W2= VPH IPH cosΦ2
Current through wattmeter 3 is IB and voltage across pressure coil of wattmeter 3 is VBN now
reading in wattmeter 3 is
W3= VYN Iy cosΦ3, W3= VPH IPH cosΦ3
Total power measured by three wattmeters is P= W1+W2+ W3
P= VPH IPH cosΦ1+ VPH IPH cosΦ2+ VPH IPH cosΦ3

Two Wattmeter Method:

The two wattmeter method is suitable for both balanced and
unbalanced load. In this method, the current coils of two wattmeters are inserted in
any two Phases and pressure coils of each joined to third phase.

Two wattmeter method- Star Two wattmeter method- Delta

The total power absorbed by the 3Φ balanced load is the sum of powers obtained by
wattmeters W1 and W2. When load is assumed as inductive load, the vector diagram
for such a balanced star connected load is shown below
 Vector Diagram

Let VRN, VBN, VYN are the phase voltages and IR, IY, IB are currents (phase or line).
Since load is inductive, the current lags their respective phase voltages by phase angle
(Φ).
Let the current through wattmeter w1 = IR

Potential difference across pressure coil of wattmeter w1= VRB =VRN-VBN From
vector diagram phase angle between VRB and IR is 30-Φ.
∴ Reading of wattmeter W1= VRB IR cos(30-Φ)

=VL IL cos(30-Φ) (1)

Similarly current through wattmeter w2=IY

Potential difference across pressure coil of wattmeter 2 W2 =VYB

=VY-VB

The phase difference / angle between VYB and IY is 30+Φ

∴ Reading of wattmeter W2 = VYB IY cos(30+Φ)

= VL IL cos(30+ Φ) (2)

Total power (P) = w1+w2

= VL IL cos(30-Φ)+ VL IL cos(30+Φ)

P =√3 VL ILcosΦ watts (3)

Hence the sum of two wattmeters gives the total power absorbed by the 3Φ load.
 Similarly to find Power factor

w1-w2 = VL IL cos(30-Φ)+ VL IL cos(30+Φ)

w1 -w2 = VL IL sin Φ
(4)

Dividing equation (3) by (4)

3(W1  W2 ) 3VL ILsin

W1  W2 3VL IL cos 
3(W1  W2 )
tan  
W1  W2

Reactive Power Measurement with Two Wattmeter Method:-

3(W1  W2 )
We know that tan  
W1  W2

Power triangle
In balanced condition, from above relations and power triangle the reactive power is
given by √3 times the difference of readings of wattmeters used.

Reactive power = 3 (W1-W2)

var
We know the value of (W1-W2) from eqn.(4)
Reactive power = 3 (VL IL sinΦ) var

Variations in wattmeter readings in 2 wattmeter method due to power factor:-

We know that, for balanced inductive load

Reading of wattmeter 1 is W1 = VL IL cos(30-Φ)
Reading of wattmeter 2 is W2 = VL IL cos(30+Φ)
From above equation, it is clear that readings of wattmeters not only depend
on load but also depends on its phase angle i.e.
 i. When Φ = 0° i.e. power factor =cos Φ = unity (resistive load)

Then W1= W2= VL IL Cos 30° The readings of both wattmeters are same.

ii. When Φ = 60° i.e power factor =cos Φ = 0.5 lag

Then W1 = VL IL Cos (30°-60°) = VL IL
Cos30°
W2 =VL ILCos(30°+60°)=0
Hence wattmeters 1 only read power

iii. When 90 > Φ> 60 i.e 0.5 > Cos Φ > 0

When phase angle is 60 to 90, the wattmeter W1 readings are positive but
readings of wattmeter W2 are reversed. For getting the total power, the
readings of W2 is to be subtracted from that of W1 .
iv. When Φ= 90° i.e power factor = 0
Then W1 = VL IL Cos (30°-90°) = VL IL
Cos60°
W2 =VL IL Cos (30°+90°) = -VL IL Sin 30°
These two readings are equal in magnitude but opposite in sign

∴ Total power = W1+W2=0

Single Wattmeter Method:

The single wattmeter method is used to measure the power of 3-Φ balanced
system. Let ZR, ZY, ZB are the impedances of R, Y, B phases. IR, IY, IB are currents
through R, Y, B phases respectively.

VRN, VBN, VYN be the phase voltages (VPH) and VRY, VYB, VBR be the line voltages
(VL).

Single wattmeter method

Vector diagram

From above diagram, the current through wattmeter is IR, voltage across pressure coil
is VRN. Now wattmeter reading is
 W = VRN IR cosΦ =VPH IPH cos Φ

Total power = 3* VPH IPH cosΦ

= 3 VL IL cos Φ ∵ VL= 3 VPH & IL=IPH

Measurement of Reactive Power in Single Wattmeter Method:

The reactive power of 3Φ circuit can be measured by using compensated

wattmeter. The circuit diagram of 3Φ star connection with compensated wattmeter is
shown below.

Measurement of reactive power Vector diagram

Let ZR, ZY, ZB are the impedances of R, Y, B phases. IR, IY, IB are currents through R, Y, B
phases respectively.
VRN, VBN, VYN be the phase voltages (VPH) and VRY, VYB, VBR be the line voltages (VL ) .

VRN=VBN=VYN=VPH

VRY=VYB=VBR=VLINE

Current through the current coil of wattmeter is IR

Voltage across pressure coil of wattmeter =VYB= VY-VB
Wattmeter reading = 3 VPH IPH Sin Φ= 3 ( 3 VPH IPH SinΦ )
Q = 3 VPH IPH SinΦ