1/24/2008

Lecture 3: Three-phase power circuits

Instructor:
Dr. Gleb V. Tcheslavski
Contact:
gleb@ee.lamar.edu
Office Hours:
TBD; Room 2030
Class web site: MyLamar

ELEN 3441 Fundamentals of Power Engineering

Spring 2008

Introduction
Almost all electric power generation and most of the power
transmission in the world is in the form of three-phase AC
circuits.
i it A th
three-phase
h
AC system
t
consists
i t off three-phase
th
h
generators, transmission lines, and loads.
There are two major advantages of three-phase systems over
a single-phase system:
1) More power per kilogram of metal form a three-phase
machine;
2) Power delivered to a three-phase load is constant at all
time, instead of pulsing as it does in a single-phase system.
The first three-phase electrical system was patented in 1882
by John Hopkinson - British physicist, electrical engineer,
Fellow of the Royal Society.
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1. Generation of three-phase
voltages and currents

A three-phase
generator
t consists
i t off
three single-phase
generators with
voltages of equal
amplitudes and
phase differences of
1200.

ELEN 3441 Fundamentals of Power Engineering

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1. Generation of three-phase
voltages and currents

Each of three-phase
generators can be
connected to one of three
identical loads.
This way the system would
consist of three single-phase
circuits differing in phase
angle by 1200.
The current flowing to each
load can be found as

I=

V
Z

ELEN 3441 Fundamentals of Power Engineering

(3.4.1)

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1. Generation of three-phase
voltages and currents
Therefore, the currents flowing in each phase are

V 00
= I
Z
V 1200
IB =
= I 120
Z
V 2400
IA =
= I 240
Z
IA =

ELEN 3441 Fundamentals of Power Engineering

(3.5.1)

(3.5.2)

(3.5.3)

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1. Generation of three-phase
voltages and currents

We can connect the negative (ground) ends of the three singlephase generators and loads together
together, so they share the common
return line (neutral).

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1. Generation of three-phase
voltages and currents
The current flowing through a neutral can be found as

IN = I A + IB + IC = I + I 1200 + I 2400

(3.7.1)

= I cos( ) + jI sin( ) + I cos( 120 ) + jI sin( 120 ) + I cos( 240 ) + jI sin( 2400 )
0

= I cos( ) + cos( 1200 ) + cos( 2400 ) + jI sin( ) + sin( 1200 ) + sin( 2400 )
= I cos( ) + cos( )cos(1200 ) + sin( )sin(1200 ) + cos( )cos(2400 ) + sin( )sin(2400 )
+ jI sin( ) + sin( )cos(1200 ) cos( )sin(1200 ) + sin( )cos(2400 ) cos( )sin(2400 )
Which is:

1
I N = I cos( ) cos( ) +
2

1
+ jI sin( ) sin( ) +
2

3
1
3
sin( ) cos( )
sin( )
2
2
2

3
1
3
cos( ) sin( )
cos( )
2
2
2

=0

(3.7.2)

ELEN 3441 Fundamentals of Power Engineering

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1. Generation of three-phase
voltages and currents

As long as the three loads are equal, the return current in

the neutral is zero!
Such three-phase power systems (equal magnitude, phase differences
of 1200, identical loads) are called balanced.
In a balanced system, the neutral is unnecessary!
Phase Sequence is the order in which the voltages in the individual
phases peak.

abc
ELEN 3441 Fundamentals of Power Engineering

acb
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Voltages and currents

There are two types of connections in three-phase circuits: Y and .

Each generator and each load can be either Y- or -connected. Any

number of Y- and -connected elements may be mixed in a power system.
Phase quantities - voltages and currents in a given phase.
Line quantities voltages between the lines and currents in the lines
connected to the generators.
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Voltages and currents

1. Y-connection

Assuming
a resistive
load

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Voltages and currents

1. Y-connection (cont)
Van = V 00
Vbn = V 1200

(3.11.1)

Vcn = V 2400
Since we assume a resistive load:

I a = I 00
I b = I 1200

(3.11.2)

I c = I 2400

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Voltages and currents

1. Y-connection (cont 2)
The current in any line is the same as the current in the corresponding phase.

I L = I

(3.12.1)

Voltages are:

1
3 3
3
Vab = Va Vb = V 00 V 1200 = V V j
V = V + j
V
2
2
2
2
3
1
(3.12.2)
= 3V
+ j = 3V 300
2
2

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Voltages and currents

1. Y-connection (cont 3)
M
it d off th
t li voltages
lt
d th
t
t l voltages
lt
l t d as:
Magnitudes
the liline-to-line
and
the liline-to-neutral
are related

VLL = 3V

(3.13.1)

In addition, the line voltages are

shifted by 300 with respect to the
p
g
phase voltages.

In a connection with abc

sequence, the voltage of a
line leads the phase voltage.
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Voltages and currents

1. -connection

assuming a
resistive load:

I ab = I 00

Vab = V 00
Vbc = V 1200

I bc = I 1200

(3.14.1)

I ca = I 2400

Vca = V 2400
ELEN 3441 Fundamentals of Power Engineering

(3.14.2)

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Voltages and currents

1. -connection (cont)

VLL = V

(3.15.1)

The currents are:

1
3
I a = I ab I ca = I 00 I 2400 = I I + j
I
2
2
=

3
3
3
1
I j
I = 3I
j = 3I 300
2
2
2
2

The magnitudes:

ELEN 3441 Fundamentals of Power Engineering

I L = 3I

(3.15.2)

(3.15.3)

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Voltages and currents

For the connections with the abc phase sequences, the current of a
li lags
l
th corresponding
di line
li currentt by
b 300.
line
the

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Power relationships
For a balanced Y-connected load with the impedance Z = Z0:
and voltages:

van (t ) = 2V sin t
vbn (t ) = 2V sin(t 1200 )
vcn (t ) = 2V sin(t 2400 )

(3.17.1)

Th currents
The
t can be
b found:
f
d

ia (t ) = 2 I sin(t )
ib (t ) = 2 I sin(t 1200 )
ic (t ) = 2 I sin(t 2400 )

(3.17.2)

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Power relationships
The instantaneous power is:

p (t ) = v(t )i (t )

(3.18.1)

Therefore, the instantaneous power supplied to each phase is:

pa (t ) = van (t )ia (t ) = 2VI sin(t ) sin(t )

pb (t ) = vbn (t )ib (t ) = 2VI sin(t 1200 ) sin(t 1200 )

(3.18.2)

pc (t ) = vcn (t )ic (t ) = 2VI sin(

i (t 240 ) sin(
i (t 240 )
0

Since

sin sin =

ELEN 3441 Fundamentals of Power Engineering

1
[cos( ) cos( + )]
2

(3.18.3)

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Power relationships
Therefore

pa (t ) = VI [ cos cos(2t ) ]
pb (t ) = VI cos cos(2t 2400 )

(3.19.1)

pc (t ) = VI cos cos(2t 4800 )

The total power on the load

ptot (t ) = pa (t ) + pb (t ) + pc (t ) = 3VI cos

(3.19.2)

The pulsing components cancel each other because of

1200 phase shifts.
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Power relationships
The instantaneous
power in phases.
The total power
supplied to the load is
constant.

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Power relationships
Phase quantities in each phase of a Y- or -connection.
Real

P = 3V I cos = 3I 2 Z cos

(3.21.1)

Reactive

Q = 3V I sin = 3I 2 Z sin

(3.21.1)

Apparent

S = 3V I = 3I 2 Z

(3.21.1)

Note: these equations are only valid for a balanced load.

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Power relationships
Line quantities: Y-connection.
Power consumed by a load:

P = 3V I cos

(3.22.1)

Since for this load

I L = I and VLL = 3V

(3.22.2)

Therefore:

P=3

Finally:

P = 3VLL I L cos

VLL
I L cos
3

(3.22.3)

(3.22.4)

Note: these equations were derived for a balanced load.

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Power relationships
Line quantities: -connection.
Power consumed by a load:

P = 3V I cos

(3.23.1)

Since for this load

I L = 3I and VLL = V

(3.23.2)

IL
VLL cos
3

Therefore:

P=3

Finally:

P = 3VLL I L cos

(3.23.3)

(3.23.4)

Same as for a Y-connected load!

Note: these equations were derived for a balanced load.
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Power relationships
Line quantities: Y- and -connection.

Reactive power

Q = 3VLL I L sin

(3.24.1)

Apparent power

S = 3VLL I L

(3.24.2)

Note: is the angle between the phase voltage and the phase
current.

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Analysis of balanced systems

We can determine voltages, currents, and
powers at various points in a balanced circuit.
Consider a Y-connected generator and load via
three-phase transmission line.

For a balanced Y-connected system,

insertion of a neutral does not change the
system.
All three phases are identical except of 1200
shift. Therefore, we can analyze a single
phase (per-phase circuit).
Limitation: not valid for -connections

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Analysis of balanced systems

A -connected circuit can be analyzed via the transform of impedances by the
Y- transform. For a balanced load, it states that a -connected load consisting
of three equal impedances Z is equivalent to a Y-connected load with the
impedances Z/3. This equivalence implies that the voltages, currents, and
powers supplied to both loads would be the same.

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Analysis of balanced systems: Ex

Example 3-1:
for a 208-V
208 V three
threephase ideal balanced
system, find:
a) the magnitude of
the line current IL;
b) The magnitude of
the loads line and
phase voltages VLL
and VL;
c) The real, reactive,
and the apparent
powers consumed
by the load;
d) The power factor of
the load.
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Analysis of balanced systems

Both, the generator and the load are Yconnected, therefore, its easy to construct
a per-phase equivalent circuit
a) The line current:

IL =

V
12000
12000
12000
=
=
=
= 7.94 37.10 A
Z L + Z load (0.06 + j 0.12) + (12 + j 9) 12.06 + j 9.12 15.1237.10
b) The phase voltage on the load:

V L = I L Z L = (7.94 37.10 )(12 + j 9) = (7.94 37.10 )(1536.90 ) = 119.1 0.20 V

The magnitude of the line voltage on the load:

VLL = 3V L = 206.3 V
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Analysis of balanced systems

c) The real power consumed by the load:

Pload = 3V I cos = 3 119

119.1
1 7.94
94 cos 36
36.9
90 = 22
22700 W
The reactive power consumed by the load:

Qload = 3V I sin = 3 119.1 7.94sin 36.90 = 1702 var

The apparent power consumed by the load:

Sload
l d = 3V I = 3 119.1 7.94 = 2839 VA
d) The load power factor:

PFload = cos = cos 36.90 = 0.8 lagging

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One-line diagrams
Since, in a balanced system, three
phases
h
are similar
i il exceptt off th
the
1200 phase shift, power systems
are frequently represented by a
single line representing all three
phases of the real system.
This is a one-line diagram.
Such diagrams usually include all
the major components of a power
system: generators, transformers,
transmission lines, loads.

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Using the power triangle

If we can neglect the impedance of the transmission line, an important
simplification in the power calculation is possible
If the generator voltage in the system is known,
then we can find the current and power factor at
any point in the system as follows:
1. The line voltages at the generator and the loads
will be identical since the line is lossless.
2. Real and reactive powers on each load.
3. The total real and reactive powers supplied to
all loads from the point examined.
4. The system power factor at that point using the
power triangle relationship.
5. Line and phase currents at that point.
We can treat the line voltage as constant and use the power triangle method to
quickly calculate the effect of adding a load on the overall system and power factor.
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