Three Phase Current - Simple Calculation

By Steven McFadyen (/users/steven) on March 1st, 2009
ThreePhaseCurrent-Sim pleCalculation
The calculation of current in a three phase system has been brought up on our site feedback and is a discussion I seem to
get involved in every now and again. While some colleagues prefer to remember formulas or factors, I prefer to resolve the
problem step by step using basic principles. I thought it would be good to write how I do these calculations and hopefully it
may prove useful to someone else.
(http://myelectrical.com/Portals/0/SunBlogNuke/2/Windows-Live-Writer/Three-Phase-
Current---Simple-Calculation_B865/BlackboardCalculation_2.jpg) The calculation of
current in a three phase system has been brought up on our site feedback and is a
discussion I seem to get involved in every now and again. While some colleagues
prefer to remember formulas or factors, I prefer to resolve the problem step by step
using basic principles. I thought it would be good to write how I do these calculations.
Hopefully it may prove useful to someone else.
Contents [hide]
Three Phase Power and Current
Using Formulas 1.
Unbalanced Three Phase Systems 2.
Efficiency & Reactive Power 3.
Summary 4.
1.
ThreePhasePow erandCurrent
The power taken by a circuit (single or three phase) is measured in watts W (or kW). The product of the voltage and
current is the apparent power and measured in VA (or kVA) . The relationship between kVA and kW is the power factor
(pf):
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Three Phase Current - Simple Calculation http://myelectrical.com/notes/entryid/8/three-phase-power-simple-calcula...
1 of 7 4/1/2014 3:51 PM
(http://myelectrical.com/Portals/0/SunBlogNuke/2/Windows-Live-Writer/Three-Phase-Current---Simple-
Calculation_B865/image02_2.png)
which can also be expressed as:
Si ngl e phase system - this is the easiest to deal with. Given the kW and power factor the kVA can be easily worked out.
The current is simply the kVA divided by the voltage. As an example, consider a load consuming 23 kW of power at 230 V
and a power factor of 0.86:
(http://myelectrical.com/Portals/0/SunBlogNuke/2/WindowsLiveWriter
/ThreePhaseCurrentSimpleCalculation_BF42/Image_2.png)
Note: you can do these equations in either VA, V and A or kVA, kV and kA depending on the magnitude of the
parameters you are dealing with. To convert from VA to kVA just divide by 1000.
Three phase system - The main difference between a three phase system and a single phase system is the voltage. In a
three phase system we have the line to line voltage (V ) and the phase voltage (V ), related by:
or alternatively as:
to better understand this or gain more insight, you can read the Introduction to Three Phase Electric Power
(http://myelectrical.com/notes/entryid/172/three-phase-power-simplified) post
To me the easiest way to solve three phase problems is to convert them to a single phase problem. Take a three phase
motor (with three windings, each identical) consuming a given kW. The kW per winding (single phase) has to be the total
divided by 3. Similarly a transformer (with three windings, each identical) supplying a given kVA will have each winding
supplying a third of the total power. To convert a three phase problem to a single phase problem take the total kW (or
kVA) and divide by three.
As an example, consider a balanced three phase load consuming 36 kW at a power factor of 0.86 and line to line voltage
of 400 V (V ) :
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2 of 7 4/1/2014 3:51 PM
the line to neutral (phase) voltage V = 400/3 = 230 V
three phase power is 36 kW, single phase power = 36/3 = 12 kW
now simply follow the above single phase method
Easy enough. To find the power given current, multiply by the voltage and then the power factor to convert to W. For a
three phase system multiply by three to get the total power.
Per sonal note on the method
As a rule I remember the method (not formulae) and rework it every time I do the calculation. When I try to
remember formulae I always forget them soon or become unsure if I am remembering them correctly. My
advice would be to always try remember the method and not simply memorize formula. Of course if you do
have some super ability at remembering formula, you can always keep to this approach.
UsingForm ulas
The above method relies on remembering a few simple principals and manipulating the problem to give the answer.
More traditionally formulas may be used to give the same result. These can be easily derived from the above, giving for
example:
LN
Derivation of Formula - Example
Balanced three phase system with total power P (kW), power factor pf and line to line voltage V
Convert to single phase problem:
Calculation_83CC/image005_2.gif)
Single phase apparent power Q (kVA):
Phase current I (kA) is the single phase apparent power divided by the phase to neutral voltage (and given V =V /
3):
Simplifying (and with 3 = 3 x 3):
LL
1ph
LN LL
3 of 7 4/1/2014 3:51 PM
(http://myelectrical.com/Portals/0/SunBlogNuke/2/Windows-Live-Writer/Three-Phase-Current---Simple-Calculation_B865
/image14_2.png)
UnbalancedThreePhaseSystem s
The above deals with balanced three phase systems. That is the current in each phase is the same and each phase
delivers or consumes the same amount of power. This is typical of power transmission systems, electrical motors and
similar types of equipment.
Often where single phase loads are involved, residential and commercial premises for example, the system can be
unbalanced with each phase have a different current and delivering or consuming a differing amount of power.
Balanced Voltages
Luckily in practice voltages tend to be fixed or very by only small amounts. In this situation and with a little thought it is
possible to extend the above type of calculation to unbalanced current three phase systems. The key to doing this is that
the sum of power in each phase is equal to the total power of the system.
For example, take a 400 V (V ) three phase system with the following loads: phase 1 = 80 A, phase 2 = 70 A, phase 3 =
82 A
the line to neutral (phase) voltage V = 400/3 = 230 V
phase 1 apparent power = 80 x 230 = 18,400 VA = 18.4 kVA
Total three phase power = 18.4 + 16.1 + 18.86 = 53.36 kVA
Similarly given the power in each phase you could easily find the phase currents. If you also know the power factor you
can convert between kVA and kW as shown earlier.
Unbalanced Voltages
If the voltages become unbalanced or there are other considerations (i.e. unbalanced phase shift), then it is necessary to
revert to more traditional network analysis. System voltages and currents can be found by drawing out the circuit in full
detail and using Kirchhoff's laws and other network theorems.
Network analysis is not the intent of this note. If you interested in an introduction you can view our post:
Network Theory Introduction and Review (http://myelectrical.com/notes/entryid/179/network-theory-
introduction-and-review)
Efficiency&ReactivePower
Other things to consider while carrying out calculations may include the efficiency of equipment. Knowing that efficiency of
power consuming equipment is the output power divided by the input power, again this can easily accounted.for Reactive
power is not discussed in the article and more details can be found in other notes (just use the site search).
Sum m ary
By remembering that a three phase power (kW or kVA) is simply three times the single phase power, any three phase
problem can be simplified. Divide kW by the power factor to get the kVA. VA is simply the current times the voltage, so
knowing this and the voltage can give the current. When calculating the current use the phase voltage which is related to
the line voltage by the square root of three. Using these rules it is possible to work out any three phase problem without
the need to remember and/or resort to formulas.
LL
LN
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Theory (http://myelectrical.com/notes/tag/theory)
4 of 7 4/1/2014 3:51 PM

Steven has over twenty five years experience working on some of the largest construction projects. He has a deep
technical understanding of electrical engineering and is keen to share this knowledge.
About the author
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Steven McFadyen (/users/steven)
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Generator Operation Li mi ts
In this situation I would do

a software model of the system. That way I could
verify exactly what is happening. Your
Understanding Motor Duty Rati ng
Thank you for sharing your knowledge

Faul t Calcul ati ons - Introduction
If you using the line-to-

neutral voltage (VLN), you don't need to 3. If
you are using the line-to-line voltage you do
How to refer faul t level s across a transformer
This is the level of short

circuit fault (in MVA) the transformer has been
designed to withstand. 2 seconds is the
2 Comments

shihabkvk
thank you

ibsen valath
simple explanation, thanks :)
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By Steven McFadyen (/users/steven) on March 1st, 2009

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In this situation I would do

Thank you for sharing your knowledge

If you using the line-to-

This is the level of short

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