School of Electrical Information

Chapter 13
Three-Phase Circuits
 13.1 Introduction
Ø What we have learned…

Single phase circuits

Ø What we will learn…

Three-phase circuits

A three-phase system is produced by a generator consisting of three

sources having the same amplitude and frequency but out of phase
with each other by !"#∘ .

The three-phase source voltages are balanced

The three-phase loads depend….

Ø Why to learn three-phase circuits ?

The three-phase system is by far the most prevalent and economical

system. Nearly all electric power is generated and distributed in three-phase.

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 13.2 Balanced Three-Phase Voltages

Important concepts:

Ø lines: a, b and c

Ø neutral line: n

Ø line-to-neutral voltages (phase voltages): "̇ #$ , "̇ &$ , "̇ '$

Ø line voltages: "̇ #& , "̇ &' , "̇ '#

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 13.2 Balanced Three-Phase Voltages

Ø phase voltages:

"̇ #$ = "& ∠(°

"̇ #$ + "̇ *$ + "̇ .$ = (
"̇ *$ = "& ∠ −,-(°
"̇ #$ = "̇ *$ = "̇ .$ = "&
"̇ .$ = "& ∠,-(°

The three phase voltages are having the same amplitude and frequency
but out of phase with each other by ,-(∘ .

Ø phase sequence

the time order in which the voltages pass

through their respective maximum values.

0→2→3

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 13.2 Balanced Three-Phase Voltages

Ø line voltages: "̇ #$ , "̇ $& , "̇ &#

"̇ #$ = "̇ #( − "̇ $( = *"̇ #( ∠*,°

"̇ $& = "̇ $( − "̇ &( = *"̇ $( ∠*,°

"̇ &# = "̇ &( − "̇ #( = *"̇ &( ∠*,°

"̇ #$ + "̇ $& + "̇ &# = ,

"̇ #$ = "̇ $& = "̇ &# = "/

"/ = * "0

The three line voltages are having the same amplitude and frequency
but out of phase with each other by 12,∘ .
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 13.3 Balanced And Unbalanced Load

a balanced wye-connected load:

!" = !$ = !% = !&

a balanced delta-connected load:

!' = !( = !) = !*

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 13.3 Balanced And Unbalanced Load

Both the three-phase source and three-phase load can be either wye-
or delta- connected, we have four possible connections:

• ! − ! #$%%&#'($% (! − #$%%&#'&* +$,-#& .('/ 0 ! − #$%%&#'&* 1$0*)

• ! − 3 #$%%&#'($%

• 3 − 3 #$%%&#'($%

• 3 − ! #$%%&#'($%

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 13.4 Wye-Wye connection

+
"- '# %- %̇ #& %̇ (& %̇ (&
- "̇ # = "̇ ( = "̇ * =
'# '( '*
+ +
%
'* - %- '( %̇ ./ = %̇ 0/ = %̇ 1/ = %-
- -
"- "-
2
%- = %+
3
"- = "+
"̇ & = "̇ # + "̇ ( + "̇ *
Important concepts:

ü neutral-line current: "̇ & ü line current: "̇ # , "̇ ( #&) "̇ * ( "+ )

ü phase current: the current through each phase load denoted by "-

ü phase voltage: the voltage across each phase load denoted by %-

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 13.4 Wye-Wye connection

If the loads are balanced:

'# = ') = '0 = '(

%̇ #&
"̇ # =
'(
%̇ )& ,
"̇ ) = = "̇ # ∠ −,-.° %4 = %3
'( 5
%̇ )&
"̇ 0 = = "̇ # ∠ −-1.°
'(

"̇ # = "̇ ) = "̇ 0 = "3 = "4

"̇ & = "̇ # + "̇ ) + "̇ 0 = .

The neutral-line can be eliminated when loads

are balanced.

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 13.4 Wye-Wye connection

Ø The power for balanced Wye-Wye connection :

-. = -/ = -& = -0 = -0 ∠)

!" = $" %" &'()

,
$" = $+
*

%+ = %"

! = *!" = *$" %" &'()

! = *$+ %+ &'()

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 ! = #$% &% '()* = #×,,- #×.. 0,'()1,. 0°

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 13.5 Wye-Delta connection

%& = %(

%̇ *+ = %̇ "# = %( ∠-°
!"#
%̇ +/ = %̇ #$ = %( ∠ −12-°
!$"
!#$
%̇ /* = %̇ $" = %( ∠12-°

phase current 3& : %̇ *+ line current 3( :

3̇ *+ =
!"# 3̇ " = 3̇ *+ − 3̇ /*
%̇ +/
3̇ +/ = 3̇ # = 3̇ +/ − 3̇ *+
!#$

%̇ /* 3̇ $ = 3̇ /* − 3̇ +/
3̇ /* =
!$"
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 13.5 Wye-Delta connection

If the loads are balanced:

!"# = !#% = !%" = !&

32 = 31

(̇ " = (̇ )* − (̇ ,) = -(̇ )* ∠ −-/°

(̇ # = (̇ *, − (̇ )* = -(̇ *, ∠ −-/°

(̇ % = (̇ ,) − (̇ *, = -(̇ ,) ∠ −-/°

(1 = - (2

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 13.5 Wye-Delta connection
Ø The power for balanced Wye-Delta connection :

!"# = !#% = !%" = !& = !& ∠(

-, = -*

)* = + ),

. = +., = +-, ), %/0(

. = +-* )* %/0(

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 ! = #$% &% '()*
= #×,-- #×,.. #0'()10. 23°

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