Single-Phase Power Generation

Single-Phase alternating
current can be produced
by rotating a magnetic
field across the windings
of a coil of wire. The
polarity of the voltage
induced in the coil is
determined by the polarity
of the magnetic field.
Since the magnetic
contains both North and
South polarities, the
induced voltage will
change polarities as the
magnetic rotates. The
speed at which the
magnetic rotates
determines the frequency
Three-Phase Power Generation
Three-phase power is
produced by placing
three separate windings
spaced 120° from each
other. The rotating
magnetic field induces
three separate AC
voltages that are 120°
electrical degrees apart
or 120° out-of-phase
with each other.
 Three-Phase Connections
Three-Phase connections
can be divided into two
main types; Wye or Star
and Delta. The wye or
star connection is so
named because it
resembles the letter Y or
a three point star. The
delta connection
resembles the Greek
letter delta (∆).
Each of these
connections exhibits
different electrical
characteristics
 The Wye or Star Connection
When three-phase
connections are made
in the field, they often
appear much different
than the schematic
diagram. The wye
connection can be
easily identified by the
fact that it is made by
connecting one end of
each phase together
at a common point.
 The Delta Connection
The delta
connection is
made by
connecting the
finish end of one
phase to the start
end of another.
The delta
connection does
not have a
common
connection point
Line and Phase Values
The electrical
values of a three-
phase connection
can be divided
between Phase
Values and Line-
to-Line or Line
Values.
Phase Voltage is the
amount of voltage as
measured across an
individual phase winding.
Phase Current is the
amount of current that
flows through an
individual phase winding.
Line Voltage is the
voltage measured
between any two of the
three-phase lines. Line
Current is the amount of
current flowing on the
lines between the three-
phase source and the
load.
Line and Phase Values in a Wye
Connection
In a Wye connected
three-phase system,
the phase current and
line current are the
same. In this
example, the load has
a current draw of 10
ampere. Ammeters
placed in the line and
in the phase winding
would indicate the
same value.
ILine = IPhase
 The line voltage and phase voltage in a Wye connected system
are different, however. The line value of voltage is greater than the
phase value by a factor of the square root of 3 ( 3 ) or 1.732. In
this example, it is assumed that the system voltage is 208 volts as
measured between two of the lines. The voltage measure across
he phase winding will less than he line voltage by a factor of 1.732.
(208 Volts / 1.732 = 120 Volts) Another very common Wye
connection is the 480/277 volt connection.
Assume that an alternator has an induced voltage of
120 volts in each its phase windings. In a single-phase
system, the voltages would be in-phase with each
other. The algebraic sum of the voltages would be 240
volts (120 + 120). In a three-phase system, however,
the voltages are 120° out-of-phase with each other.
Vector addition must be used to determine the sum of
the two voltages. The tangent of 120° is the square
root of 3 (120 x 1.732).
 Phase and Line Values in a Delta
Connection
In a delta
connection, a single
phase is connected
directly to the lines.
Therefore, the phase
value of voltage and
the line value of
voltage in a delta
connection are
equal.
ELine = EPhase
 In a delta connection
the line current will be
greater than the phase
current by a factor of
the square root of 3 (
3 ) or 1.732. In this
example, if 17.32
amperes of current is
flowing on the lines,
only 10 amperes will be
flowing in each phase
winding.
(17.32 / 1.732 = 10)
In a three-phase power
system, the current will
flow between one phase
and two others, or
between two phases only.
In the example shown,
the current in phase A is
at maximum and in the
positive direction. The
currents in phases B and
C are less than maximum
and in the negative
direction.
The current enters the
load via phases B and C
and divides in the
windings of the delta
connection . It then
recombines to return to
the power source on
 In this example, the
current in phase C is
zero. The current in
phase A is in the
positive direction and
less than maximum.
The current in phase B
is in the negative
direction and also less
than maximum.
Current will flow to the
load via phase B,
divide among the three
phase windings and
return to the power
source on phase A.
• In each of the two examples, current was
divided among the phase windings of the delta
load. This is very similar to a parallel circuit in
which the current entering the circuit divides
among the separate paths. This is the basic
reason that the phase current of a delta
connection will always be less than the line
current supplying it.
 Three-Phase Calculations
Example 1

In this example, an alternator supplies power to a wye connected

resistive load. The alternator windings are connected in wye also.
The alternator is supplying a line voltage of 208 volts and the load is
comprised of three resistors with an impedance of 4 ohms each.
Find: (EL) Line voltage supplied to the load.
(EP) Phase voltage of the load.
(IP) Phase current of the load.
(IL) Line current supplying the load.
(IL) Line current supplied by the alternator.
(IP) Phase current of the alternator.
(EP) Phase voltage of the alternator.
Since the load is connected to the alternator, the line
voltage supplied by the alternator is the line voltage
supplied to the load.
(EL) (Load) = 208 Volts
 In a wye connected three-phase system, the phase
voltage is less than the line voltage by a factor of
1.732. The phase voltage of the load is 120 volts (208
/ 1.732 = 120)

(EP) (Load) = 120 Volts

The phase voltage is the voltage
across each of the resistors that
form the wye connected load. The
phase current can be determined
using Ohm’s Law. The phase
voltage divided by the phase
impedance will equal the phase
current.
 In a wye connection, the line current necessary
to supply the load is the same as the phase
current of the load. In this example, the line
current is the same as the phase current.

(IL) (Load) = 30 A
The power source, in this example and alternator, must
supply the current for all the connected loads. Since this
alternator supplies power to only one load, the line current
supplied will be the same as the line current of the load.

(IL) (Alternator) = 30 A
 Since the phase current in a wye connection is
the same as the line current, the phase current of
the alternator will be the same as the line current.

(IP) (Alternator) = 30 A
The phase voltage of a wye connections is less
than the line voltage by a factor 1.732. The phase
voltage of the alternator windings will be 120 volts
(208 / 1.732 = 120 V)

(EP) (Alternator) = 120 V

 Example 2

In the next example, a wye connected alternator

supplies power to a delta connected load. The delta
load consists of three resistors with a value of 6
ohms each. The line voltage produced by the
alternator is 480 volts.

(EL) (Alternator) = 480 V

 The line voltage supplying the load is the same as the
line voltage of the alternator.

(EL) (Load) = 480 V

In a delta connection, the phase voltage and line
voltage are the same. Therefore, the phase voltage
of the load is 480 volts.

(EP) (Load) = 480 V

The phase voltage of the load is the amount of
voltage applied across each resistor. The phase
current can now be determined using Ohm’s Law.
 In a delta connection, the line current is greater
than the phase current by a factor of 1.732. The
amount of line current necessary to supply the load
is 138.56 amperes.
(IL) (Load) = 138.56
 The alternator must provide the line current for each
load. Since there is only one load connected in this
example, the line current of the alternator will be the
same as the line current of the load.

(IL) (Alternator) = 138.56 A

In a wye connection, the phase current and line
current are equal. The phase current of the
alternator is 138.56 amperes.

(IP) (Alternator) = 138.56 A

 In a wye connection, the phase voltage is less than
the line voltage by a factor of 1.732. The phase
voltage of the alternator is 277 volts.

(EP) (Alternator) = 277 V

 Example 3

In this example, a delta wound alternator supplies

power to two three-phase resistive loads. One load
forms a wye connection with 3 ohm resistors. The
second load forms a delta connections with 4 ohm
resistors. The alternator is supplying a line voltage
of 240 volts.
 Both of the three-phase loads are connected directly
to the power supplied by the alternator. Therefore,
both loads have a line voltage of 240 volts.
 The Wye Load

In a wye connection, the phase voltage is less than

the line voltage by a factor of 1.732. The phase
voltage of the wye load is 138.6 volts.
1.732 1.732
EP  L EP  EP 138.6 V
E 240
Ohm’s Law can now be used to determine the
phase current for the wye load.

EP 138.6
IP  IP  I P  46.2 A
Z 3
 The line current supplying a wye connected load will
be the same as the phase current. Therefore, the
line current supplying the wye load is 46.2 amperes
 The Delta Load

The phase voltage and line voltage are the same in

a delta connection. The phase voltage for the delta
load is 240 volts.
Ohm’s law can be used to determine the phase
current of the delta load.

EP 240
IP  IP  I P  60 A
Z 4
The line current supplying a delta load will be
greater than the phase current by a factor of 1.732.
The line current supplying the delta load is 103.9
amperes.

I L  I P 1.732 I L  601.732 I L 103.9 A

 The Alternator

The alternator must supply the line current for all

connected loads. In this example, the alternator
supplies a line current of 150.1 amperes.
I L( Alternator)  I L(Wye Load)  I L( Delta Load)
I L( Alternator)  46.2  103.9
I L( Alternator) 150.1 A
The windings of the alternator are connected in
delta. The phase current will less than the line
current by a factor of 1.732. The phase current of
the alternator is 86.7 amperes.

IL 150.1
IP  IP  I P  86.7 A
1.732 1.732
The phase voltage and line voltage are the same in
a delta connection. The phase voltage of the
alternator is the same as the line voltage or 240
volts.
 Three-Phase Power
Calculations
Determining the power of a three-phase
circuit can sometimes be confusing. One
reason for the confusion is that there are two
different formulas that can be employed.
One formula uses phase values of voltage
and current and the other uses line values of
voltage and current.
 If the phase values of voltage and current
are used, the apparent power or Volt Ampere
value can be determined by multiplying the
phase voltage and phase current by 3.
VA  E( Phase)  I ( Phase)  3
To determine the true power or watts, the
product of the above equation must be
multiplied by the power factor.

P  E( Phase)  I ( Phase)  3 PF
 If the line values of voltage and current are
used, the apparent power can be determined by
multiplying the line voltage and line current by
the square root of 3 or 1.732.

VA  E( Line)  I ( Line)  3
The true power or watts can be determined by
multiplying the above formula by the power
factor.
P  E( Line)  I ( Line)  3  PF

The formula that uses the line values of voltage

and current is the most used because these
values can be determined with a voltmeter and