Unit 2

Three-Phase Circuits


Balanced Y-Y Connections

3-phase ac Voltage Generators

Importance of 3-phase Systems

Single, 2- and 3-phase Circuits

Lecture Outline

3-wire system. A more

common configuration.
Two voltages are
generated at the same
magnitude and phase.

2-wire system

Single-phase Circuits

Very uncommon. Voltages have same magnitudes but

different phase. The neutral line is shared.

Two-phase Circuits (Polyphase)

Three-phase Circuits
The most
common
configuration in
power
generation and
transmission.
Note the
difference in the
phases of the
voltages.

Nearly all electric power is generated and

distributed in 3-phase.
More economical. 3-phase systems use less
wires.
The power in 3-phase systems is more stable.
Less vibration and less failure of machines.

ac voltage sources (commonly called ac

generators)

Advantages:

3-phase circuits are circuits driven by 3-phase

Importance of Three-phase
Systems

3 separate windings marked: a-a, b-b, and c-c installed

120o apart on the stator. As magnetic rotor rotates, it
induces voltage in the coils. The induced voltages are
similar in magnitude but out of phase by 120o.

3-phase Voltage Generation

This applies whether the field itself changes in strength or the

conductor is moved through it.
This phenomenon underlies the operation of generators, induction
motors, transformers, and most other electrical machines.

An electrical current
will be induced in
any closed circuit
when the magnetic
flux through a
surface bounded by
the conductor
changes.

3-phase Voltage Generation

3 separate windings marked: a-a, bb, and c-c installed 120o apart on the
stator. As magnetic rotor rotates, it
induces voltage in the coils. The
induced voltages are similar in
magnitude but out of phase by 120o.

3-phase Voltage Generation

-(delta)
connected
sources

Y-(wye)
connected
sources

3-phase Voltage Sources

Connections

have similar in amplitude (Vm) and frequency ()

only differed in phase by constant amount (by 120o for
3-phase systems)
e.g. Va=70-100, Vb=7020, Vc=70140

the magnitudes or frequency are different or

the phase differences between them are unequal.
e.g. Va=70-90, Vb=7020, Vc=70140
e.g. Va=70-100, Vb=6520, Vc=75140

The voltages are said to be unbalanced if

The voltages are balanced if they

Balanced Phase Voltages

 connected

Y connected

The configuration of the

loads can be converted
between Y and (while
maintaining line voltages
and currents) by using the
following relationship:

The loads are said to be balanced if all

Z are equal in magnitude and phase

Loads can also be connected in Y or

configurations.

3-phase Load Configurations



Y-Y
Y-
-
Y

There are four possible combinations of the

two types (delta and wye) of connecting the
sources and loads.

Balanced 3-Phase Connections

 Balanced Y- Y : balanced Y-connected

source and balance Y -connected load.

Balanced Y-Y Connection

balanced -connected load. The most common

configuration.

No neutral line.

Balanced Y- : balanced Y-connected source and

Balanced Y- Connection

balanced -connected load.

No neutral line.

Balanced - : balanced -connected source and

Balanced - Connection

balanced Y -connected load.

No neutral line.

Balanced - Y : balanced -connected source and

Balanced - Y Connection

Three-phase system with

a balanced y-connected
source and a balanced yconnected load

Balanced

* Unbalanced y-connected
load

Unbalanced

Y-Y Connections

The net flow of current is zero at all times during the cycle. The neutral
circuit, which would connect between the centre wye points of generator
and load, has been omitted. In a balanced system, it would carry no current.

Current flows
from a threephase generator
on the left,
represented as
three wyeconnected
single-phase
sources, via a
transmission line
into a symmetric
wye-connected
load on the right.

Balanced Y-Y Connections

ZS Impedance in the coil winding of the generator

Zl Impedance in the transmission lines

ZL Impedance in the load

ZY = Z S + Z l + Z L

Impedance in a 3-Phase System

Normally

Z l << Z L

Z S << Z L

ZY = Z S + Z l + Z L

thus:

ZY Z L

Approximating Impedance in a 3Phase System