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CHAPTER 1
THREE PHASE CIRCUITS
1.0

Introduction
A 3- cct power system consists of 3- generators, transmission lines and
loads.
AC power systems have a great advantage over DC system in that their
voltage levels can be changed with transformers.
3- power systems have 2 major advantages over single phase AC power
system:
It is possible to get more power per kilogram of metal from 3-
machine.
The power delivered to a 3- load is constant at all times, instead of
pulsing as it does in single- system.

1.1

Generation of 3- Voltages and Currents

A 3- generator consists of 3 1- generators, with the voltages are equal in

magnitude but differing in phase angle from the others by 120 as in Figure 1.1.

Figure 1.1: 3- connected together with a common neutral

Figure 1.2 : Phasor diagram showing the voltages in each phase

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Figure 1.3: The 3-phases of the generator connected to three identical loads

Figure 1.4: The voltages in each phases of the generator

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Since the current flowing to each load can be found from the equation;

Therefore, the currents flowing in the 3- phases are:

Current flowing in the neutral wire;

I N I A I B IC
I I 120 I 240
I cos jI sin

I cos 120 jI sin 120

I cos 240 jI sin 240

I cos cos 120 cos 240

jI sin sin 120 sin 240

Recall the elementary trigonometric identities:

cos cos cos sin sin
sin sin cos cos sin

Applying these trigonometric identities yields;

I N I cos cos cos 120 sin sin 120 cos cos 240 sin sin 240
jI sin sin cos 120 cos sin 120 sin cos 240 cos sin 240

1
3
1
3
I N I cos cos
sin cos
sin
2
2
2
2

1
3
1
3
jI sin sin
cos sin
cos
2
2
2
2

IN 0

As long as the three loads are equal, the return current in the neutral is zero. A 3-
power system which have equal in magnitude and 120 different in phase, called as a
balanced 3- system.

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1.2

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Voltages and Currents in a 3- Circuit

1.2 (a) Y- connection

Thus;

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1.2 ( b) -connection

Thus;

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1.3

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Power Relationships in 3- Circuits

a. The 3- Power Equations Involving Phase Quantities.

The real, reactive and apparent powers supplied to a balanced 3- load for Y and
connection are given by:

b. The 3- Power Equations Involving Line Quantities.

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IMPORTANT to realize that the cos and sin term are the cosine and sine of
the angle between phase voltage and the phase current. NOT the angle between
the line-to-line voltage and the line current.
1.4

Analysis of Balanced 3- Systems

1. Determine the voltages, currents and powers at various points in the circuit with a
per-phase equivalent circuit.
2. Draw the per-phase equivalent circuit.
3. Solve it as common circuit in circuit theory.

Figure 1.5 : Y- transformation. A Y-connected impedance of Z/3 is totally

equivalent to a -connected impedance of Z to any circuit connected to the load
terminal.

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Example 1:
A 208-V, 3- power system is shown in figure below. It is consists
Ideal 208-V Y-connected 3- generator
3- Transmission line has an impedance 0.06 + j.012 per phase.
Load has an impedance of 12 + j9 per phase.

For the simple power system, find

a. The

magnitude of the line current IL

b. The magnitude of the load's line and phase voltages VLL and VL
c. The real, reactive and apparent powers consumed by the load
d. The power factor of the load
e. The real, reactive and apparent powers consumed by the transmission line
f. The real, reactive and apparent powers supplied by the generator
g. The power factor of generator
Example 2:

From the figure above, answer all question same as example 1.

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Example 3:

Figure above shows a one-line diagram of a small 480V industrial distribution

system.
The impedance of the distribution line is negligible.
a. Find the overall power factor of the distribution system
b. Find the total line current supplied to the distribution system.

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