EE 204 Lecture 29 Three Phase Circuits

Introduction of three phase circuit concept

The three phase circuit is the main circuit structure used in power system. The electrical power generation is accomplished through three-phase circuit. The three phase connection lines transmit power over long distance. The energy is distributed and consumed at the load level through three phase and single phase. The basic structure of a three phase system consists of voltage source, transformers, transmission line and connected loads.

Balance Three Phase Voltages

Three sinusoidal voltages form a set of balanced voltages when they have the same amplitudes and frequency. These voltages are shifted in phase by 120o with each other. The standard practice is to name those phases by a, b and c and use phase a as reference. These voltages represent phase a voltage, phase b voltage and phase c voltage.

Balanced Y-connected Load

Large blocks of power are generated, transmitted, distributed and used with three phase circuits. For economic reasons, three phase systems are usually designed to operate in the balanced state. Figure shows a balanced Y-connected load. A balanced Load is composed of three identical impedances ZL. For a Y-connected load the voltages across the loads are the phase voltages, regardless of whether neutral is attached.

Balanced -connected Load

Another common way of interconnecting the individual three phase loads is the delta connection. In -connected load there is no neutral connection. For a -connected load the voltages across the loads are the line to line voltages.

Example 1: Consider a balanced wye-connected load where each load impedance is power delivered to the load. Solution: The line currents are
o = 1200 = 1.7 45o A Ia 50 + j 50 o = 120 120 = 1.7 165o A Ib 50 + j 50 o = 120120 = 1.775o A Ic 50 + j 50

Z L = 50 + j 50 and the phase voltages are 120 V. Determine the total average

Hence, the average power delivered to each load is:

Pav = Re 1200o 1.745o

)(

Pav = 120 1.7 cos 45o = 144 W

The total average power delivered to the load is:

( )

PavTot = 3 144 = 432 W

Example 2: If the line voltage of a balanced, wye-connected load is 208 V and the total average power delivered to the load is 900 W, determine each load if their power factors are 0.8 leading. Solution: From equation:

PavTot = 3

VL I L cos = 3VL I L cos 3

then:

900 = 3VL I L cos

or

IL =
The phase voltage is:

900 = 3.12 A 3(208)(0.8)

Vp =

VL 3 = 120 V
Vp IL

Thus the magnitude of the individual load impedance is:

ZL =

= 38.43
Since the power factor is 0.8 leading (current leads voltage; voltage lags current),

= cos 1 0.8 = 36.87o

Thus the individual loads are:

Z L = 38.43 36.87o = 30.74 j 23.06

Example 3: A balanced -connected load is 208 V, and the total average power delivered to the load is 600 W. Determine the individual loads if they have a lagging power factor of 0.7. Solution: The average power delivered to each load is 200 W, so that

200 = 3

IL VL cos 3

or

IL =

200 3 = 2.38 A (208)(0.7)

Thus the magnitude of the individual load impedance is:

ZL =
Since the power factor is 0.7 lagging,

VL IL 3

= 151.42

= cos 1 0.7 = 45.57o Thus the individual loads are:

Z L = 151.42 45.57 o = 106.74 + j108.14

Example 4: Three-phase power is supplied to a balanced, -connected load. The line-to-line voltage is 208 V, and the load consumes a total power of 15 kW at a lagging power factor of 0.6. Determine the transmission-line currents and the individual loads. Solution: From equation:

PavTot = 3

IL VL cos = 3VL I L cos 3

then: 15000

= 3VL I L cos

Therefore the transmission-line current is:

IL =

15000 = 69.39 A 3(208)(0.6)

ZL = Vp IL

For delta connection, VP =VL, thus the magnitude of the individual load impedance is:

= 5.19
Since the power factor is 0.6 lagging,

= cos 1 0.6 = 53.13o

Thus the individual loads are:

Z L = 5.19 53.13o = 3.12 + j 4.15