AEEL1100 – FUNDAMENTALS OF ELECTRICITY
LECTURE - 4.3
Three Phase AC Circuits
Raqib Hussain Anwarruddin
Three Phase AC Circuits
• Basics of Three phase circuits
• Three phase circuit configuration – Wye and Delta Connections
• Relationship between Phase and Line quantities in Three phase circuits
• Power in Three phase circuit – Real, Reactive and Apparent Power.
Single Phase Supply
• The voltage induced by a single coil when
rotated in a uniform magnetic field is shown in
figure and is known as a single-phase voltage.
• Most consumers are fed by means of a single-
phase a.c. supply.
• Two wires are used, one called the live
conductor (usually coloured red) and the other
is called the neutral conductor (usually
coloured black).
• The neutral is usually connected via protective
gear to earth, the earth wire being coloured
green.
• The standard voltage for a singlephase a.c.
supply is 240 V.
• The majority of single-phase supplies are
obtained by connection to a three-phase supply
Three Phase Supply
• A three-phase supply is generated when
three coils are placed 120◦ apart and the
whole rotated in a uniform magnetic field
as shown in Figure (a).
• The result is three independent supplies
of equal voltages, each displaced by 120◦
from each other, as shown in Figure (b).
• Figure (c) shows the phasors of the three
phase [Link]-phase
Three Phase Supply- Equation
• 𝑒𝐴 = 𝐸𝑚 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝜔𝑡
• 𝑒𝐵 = 𝐸𝑚 sin 𝜔𝑡 − 1200
• 𝑒𝐶 = 𝐸𝑚 sin 𝜔𝑡 − 2400 = 𝐸𝑚 sin 𝜔𝑡 + 1200
The rms valuesof these voltagesare
𝐸𝑚
• 𝐸𝐴 = 00
2
𝐸𝑚
• 𝐸𝐵 = 1200
2
𝐸𝑚
• 𝐸𝐶 = 2400
2
An interesting observation is that :
E A + E B + EC = 0
Three Phase Supply- Connection
The three phase system can be connected in either Y (Star) or
(Delta) modes as shown below.
Three Phase Supply- Voltage and current
• Line voltage (VL) is the voltage measured between any two lines in a
three-phase circuit.
• Phase voltage (VP) is the voltage measured across a single component
in a three-phase source or load.
• Line current (IL) is the current through any one line between a three-
phase source and load.
• Phase current (IP) is the current through any one component
comprising a three-phase source or load.
Three Phase Supply- Wye Connection
In Wye connected system as shown below, the phase voltages;
E A, E B , and EC - Phase Voltage
Vab , Vbc , and Vca - Line Voltages
I a ,I b , and I c - Line currents
I'a ,I'b , and I'c - Phase currents
Line currents = Phase currents
I a = I'a , I b = I'b , and I c = I'c
Line voltage Phase voltage
Vab − E A + E B = 0
In Wye Connection:
Vab = E A − E B I L = Ip
Similarly, Vbc = E B − E C and Vca = E C − E A VL = 𝟑 𝑽𝑷
Three Phase Supply- Delta Connection
In a Delta connected system, the phase and Line voltage are the
same but the phase and Line currents are not the same.
V =V I a = Iab − Ica
LL
I L I Ib = Ibc − Iab
I c = Ica − Ibc
Delta Connected System
Phase and Line voltages relationship
VL = VP
Phase and Line current relationship
IL = 𝟑𝑰𝑷
Power in Three Phase Circuits
Power in AC Circuits are categorized in to :
1. Real Power (P) in Watts:
The actual amount of power being used, or dissipated, in a circuit is called true power, and it is measured in watts (symbolized by
the capital letter P, as always).
P = V I Cosθ
2. Reactive Power (Q) in Volt-Ampere Rating
Power merely absorbed and returned in load due to its reactive properties is referred to as reactive power. Reactive
Power represent that the energy is first stored and then released in the form of magnetic field or electrostatic field in case
of inductor and capacitor respectively.
Q = V I Sinθ
3. Apparent Power (S) in Volt-Ampere
The combination of reactive power and true power is called apparent power, and it is the product of a circuit’s voltage and
current, without reference to phase angle. Apparent power is measured in the unit of Volt-Amps (VA) and is symbolized by the
capital letter S.
S=VI
Power in Three Phase Circuits
The power dissipated in a three-phase load is given by the sum of the power dissipated in each phase. If a load is balanced then
the total power P is given by: P =3×power consumed by one phase.
The power consumed in one phase= Ip2 RP = VP IP cos φ
Advantages of Three phase Systems
(i) For a given amount of power transmitted through a system, the three-phase system
requires conductors with a smaller cross-sectional area. This means a saving of
copper (or aluminium) and thus the original installation costs are less.
(ii) Two voltages are available - 415/240 V, 50 Hz
(iii) Three-phase motors are very robust, relatively cheap, generally smaller, have self-
starting properties, provide a steadier output and require little maintenance
compared with single-phase motors.
Three phase AC Circuits - Numericals
1. Three loads, each of resistance 30Ω, are connected in star to a 415 V, three-phase supply. Determine (a)
the system phase voltage, (b) the phase current and (c) the line current.
Three phase AC Circuits - Numericals
1. Three loads, each of resistance 30Ω, are connected in delta to a 415 V, three-phase supply. Determine (a)
the system phase voltage, (b) the phase current and (c) the line current.
Three phase AC Circuits - Numericals
2. A star-connected load consists of three identical coils each of resistance 30Ω and inductance 127.3 mH. If the
line current is 5.08 A, calculate the line voltage if the supply frequency is 50 Hz.
Three phase AC Circuits - Numericals
3. Three identical coils each of resistance 30Ω and inductance 127.3 mH are connected in delta to a 440 V,
50 Hz, three-phase supply. Determine (a) the phase current, and (b) the line current.
Thus when the load is connected in delta, three times the line current is
taken from the supply than is taken if connected in star
Three phase AC Circuits - Numericals
4. Three 12Ω resistors are connected in star to a 415 V, three-phase supply. Determine the total power dissipated
by the resistors.
Three phase AC Circuits - Numericals
5. Three identical coils, each of resistance 10 and inductance 42 mH are connected (a) in star and (b) in delta to a
415 V, 50 Hz, three-phase supply. Determine the total power dissipated in each case.
Three phase AC Circuits - Numericals
5. Three identical coils, each of resistance 10Ω and inductance 42 mH are connected (a) in star and (b) in delta to
a 415 V, 50 Hz, three-phase supply. Determine the total power dissipated in each case.
