BALANCED THREE-PHASE

CIRCUITS

Osman Parlaktuna
Osmangazi University
Eskisehir, TURKEY
 BALANCED THREE-PHASE
VOLTAGES
A set of balanced three-phase voltages consists of three sinusoida
voltages that have identical amplitudes and frequencies but are ou
phase with each other by exactly 1200. The phases are referred to
a, b, and c, and usually the a-phase is taken as the reference.
abc (positive) phase sequence: b-phase lags a-phase
by 1200,
andVc-phase leads a-phase by 1200.
c

Va Vm 00
Va Vb Vm -1200
Vc Vm + 1200

Vb

Circuit Analysis II Spring 2005

acb (negative) phase sequence: b-phase leads a-phase
by 1200,
and V
c-phase
b
lags a-phase by 1200.
Va Vm 00
Va Vb Vm + 1200
Vc Vm -1200

Vc

Another important characteristic of a set of balanced three-pha

voltages is that the sum of the voltages is zero.
Va Vb Vc 0

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 THREE-PHASE VOLTAGE
SOURCES
A three-phase voltage source is a generator with three separate
windings distributed around the periphery of the stator.

The rotor of the generator is an electro

magnet driven at synchronous speed b
a prime mover. Rotation of the electro-
magnet induces a sinusoidal voltage
in each winding.
The phase windings are designed so th
the sinusoidal voltages induced in them
are equal in amplitude and out of phas
with each other by 1200. The phase
windings are stationary with respect to
the rotating electromagnet.
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There are two ways of interconnecting the separate phase windi
to form a 3-phase source: in either a wye (Y) or a delta ().

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 ANALYSIS OF THE Y-Y CIRCUIT

VN VN Va n VN Vbn VN Vcn
0
Z0 Z A Z1a Z ga ZB Z1b Z gb ZC Z1c Z gc
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 BALANCED THREE-PHASE
CIRCUIT
The voltage sources form a set of balanced three-
phase voltages, this means Va,n, Vb,n, Vc,n are a set
of balanced three-phase voltages.
The impedance of each phase of the voltage source
is the same: Zga=Zgb=Zgc.
The impedance of each line conductor is the same:
Z1a=Z1b=Z1c.
The impedance of each phase of the load is the
same: ZA=ZB=ZC
There is no restriction on the impedance of the
neutral line, its value has no effect on the system.

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 If the circuit is balanced, the equation can be written as

1 3 V Vbn Vcn
VN ( ) an
Z 0 Z Z
Z Z A Z1a Z ga Z B Z1b Z gb Z C Z1c Z gc

Since the system is Va n Vbn Vcn 0 and VN 0

balanced,
This is a very important result. If VN=0, there is no potential diff
between n and N, consequently the current in the neutral line is
Hence we may either remove the neutral line from a balanced Y
circuit (I0=0) or replace it with a perfect short circuit between n
(VN=0). Both are convenient to use when modeling balanced 3-
circuits.
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 When the system is balanced, the three line currents are
Va n Vbn Vcn
IaA , IbB , IcC
Z Z Z

The three line currents from a balanced set of three-phase curren

that is, the current in each line is equal in amplitude and frequenc
and is 1200 out of phase with the other two line currents. Thus, if
we calculate IaA and know the phase sequence, we can easily writ
IbB and IcC.

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 SINGLE-PHASE EQUIVALENT CIRCUIT
We can use line current equations to construct an equivalent cir
for the a-phase of the balanced Y-Y circuit. Once we solve this cir
we can easily write the voltages and currents of the other two p
Caution: The current in the neutral conductor in this figure is Ia
which is not the same as the current in the neutral conductor of
balanced three-phase circuit, which is I0=IaA+IbB+IcC

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 LINE-TO-LINE AND LINE-TO-
NEUTRAL VOLTAGES
The line-to-line voltages are VAB, VBC, and
VCA. The line-to-neutral voltages are VAN,
VBN, and VCN. Using KVL
VAB VAN VBN
VBC VBN VCN
VCA VCN VAN
For a positive (abc) phase sequence whe
a-phase taken as reference

VAN V 00 VBN V -1200

VCN V + 1200

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 V AB V 0 0 V - 120 0 3V 30 0
VBC V - 120 0 V 120 0 3V - 90 0
VCA V 120 0 V 0 0 3V 150 0

The magnitude of the line-to-line voltage

3 times the magnitude of the line-to-neutr
voltage.
The line-to-line voltages form a balanced
three-phase set of voltages.
The set of line-to-line voltages leads the s
of line-to-neutral voltages by 300
For a negative sequence, the set of line-to
voltages lags the set of line-to-neutral volta
by 300
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 EXAMPLE
A balanced three-phase Y-connected generator with positive sequ
has an impedance of 0.2+j0.5 / and an internal voltage of 120
The generator feeds a balanced three-phase Y-connected load ha
an impedance of 39+j28 /. The line connecting the generator t
load is 0.8+j1.5 /. The a-phase internal voltage of the generato
specified as the reference phasor.

Calculate the line currents IaA, IbB, IcC

120 00
IaA 2.4 36.870 A
40 + j30
IbB 2.4 156.870 A
IcC 2.4 83.130 A

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 Calculate the three phase voltages at the load VAN, VBN, VCN

VAN (39 j 28)(2.4 36.87 0 ) 115 .22 1.190 V

VBN 115 .22 121.190 V
VCN 115 .22 118 .810 V
Calculate the line voltages VAB, VBC, VCA

VAB ( 3 300 )VAN 199.58 28.810V

VBC 199.58 - 91.190V
VCA 199.58 148.810V

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 Calculate the phase voltages at the terminals of the generato
Van, Vbn, Vcn
Van 120 (0.2 j 0.5)(2.4 36.87 0 ) 118 .9 0.320 V
Vbn 118 .9 120.320 V
Vcn 118 .9 119 .680 V

Calculate the line voltages at the terminals of the generator

Vab, Vbc, Vca
Vab ( 3 300 )Van 205.94 29.680V
Vbc 205.94 90.320V
Vca 205.94 149.680V

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 ANALYSIS OF THE Y- CIRCUIT
If the load in a three-phase circuit is connected in a delta, it can
be
transformed into a Y by using the to Y transformation. When
the load
is balanced, the impedance of each leg of the Y is Z Y=Z/3. After
this
transformation, the a-phase can be modeled by the previous
method.
When a load is connected in a delta, the current in each leg of
the delta
is the phase current, and the voltage across each leg is the
phase voltage.

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To demonstrate the relationship between the phase currents and li
currents, assume a positive phase sequence and
I AB I 00 , IBC I -1200 , ICA I 1200

IaA I AB ICA I 00 I 1200 3 I - 300

IbB IBC I AB I -1200 I 00 3 I -1500
IcC ICA IBC I 1200 I -1200 3I 900
The magnitude of the line currents3 is times the magnitude of t
phase currents and the set of line currents lags the set of phase
currents by 300. For the negative sequence, line currents lead the
phase currents by 300.

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 Positive sequence Negative
sequence

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 EXAMPLE
The Y-connected source of the previous example feeds a -connected
through a distribution line having an impedance of 0.3+j0.9/. The
impedance is 118.5+j85.8 /.

Transforming load into Y and drawing a-phase of the circuit gives

118.5 j85.8
39.5 j 28.6 /
3

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Calculate the line currents IaA, IbB, and IcC

120 00
IaA 2.4 36.870 A
40 j 30
IbB 2.4 156.870 A IcC 2.4 8313
. 0A

Calculate the phase voltages at the load terminals:

Because the load is connected, the phase voltages are the sa
the line voltages.
VAN (39.5 j 28.6)( 2.4 36.870 ) 117.04 0.960V
VAB 3 300 VAN 202.72 29.040V
VBC 202.72 90.960V VCA 202.72 149.040V

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 Calculate the phase currents of the load.
1
I AB 300 IaA 139
. 6.870 A
3
IBC = 139
. 126.870 A ICA 139 . 0A
. 11313

Calculate the line voltages at the source terminals

Van (39.8 j 29.5)(2.4 36.870 ) 118.9 - 0.320V

Vab 3 300 Van 205.94 29.680V
Vbc 205.94 90.320V Vca 205.94 149.680V

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 AVERAGE POWER IN
A BALANCED Y LOAD
PA VAN IaA cos(vA iA )
PB VBN IbB cos(vB iB )
PC VCN IcC cos(vC iC )
In a balanced three-phase system, the
magnitude of each line-to-neutral voltage
is the same as is the magnitude of each pha
current. The argument of the cosine functio
is also the same for all three phases.
V VAN VBN VCN
I IaA IbB IcC
vA iA vB iB vC iC
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For a balanced system, the power delivered to each phase of the
load is the same
PA PB PC P V I cos
PT 3P 3V I cos
VL
PT 3( ) I L cos 3VL I L cos
3

Where PT is the total power delivered to the load.

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 COMPLEX POWER IN
A BALANCED Y LOAD
Reactive power in a balanced system

Q V I sin
QT 3Q 3VL I L sin

Complex power in a balanced system

S VAN I*aA VBN I*bB VCN I*cC V I*

S P jQ V I*
ST 3S 3VL I L

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 POWER CALCULATIONS IN A
BALANCED DELTA LOAD
PAB VAB I AB cos(vAB ivAB )
PBC VBC IBC cos(vBC ivBC )
PCA VCA ICA cos(vCA ivCA )

For a balanced system

VAB VBC VCA V

I AB IBC ICA I
vAB iAB vBC iBC vCA iCA

PAB PBC PCA P V I cos

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 PT 3P 3V I cos
IL
PT 3( )VL cos 3VL I L cos
3
Q V I sin
QT 3Q 3V I sin

S P jQ V I*
ST 3S 3VL I L

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 INSTANTANEOUS POWER IN
THREE-PHASE CIRCUITS
In a balanced three-phase circuit, the total instantaneous power
invariant with time. Thus the torque developed at the shaft of
three-phase motor is constant, which means less vibration in mac
powered by three-phase motors.

Considering a-phase as the reference, for a positive phase

sequence, the instantaneous power in each phase becomes
p A v AN iaA Vm I m cos t cos(t )
pB v BN ibB Vm I m cos(t 1200 )cos(t 1200 )
pC vCN icC Vm I m cos(t 1200 )cos(t 1200 )
. Vm Im cos
pT p A pB pC 15

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 EXAMPLE
A balanced three-phase load requires 480 kW at a lagging power
of 0.8. The line has an impedance of 0.005+j0.025/. The line v
at the terminals of the load is 600V
Calculate the magnitude of the
line current.

600 *
IaA (160 j120 )103
3
I*aA 577.35 36.870 A
IaA 577.35 - 36.870 A
Single phase equivalent
I L 577.35 A

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Calculate the magnitude of the line voltage at the sending end of the

600
Van VAN ZLIaA ( 0.005 j 0.025)(577.35 - 36.870 )
3
357.51 157
. 0V
VL 3 Van 619.23V

Calculate the power factor at the sending end of the line

pf cos[157
. 0 ( 36.870 )]
= cos 38.440 0.783 Lagging

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EXAMPLE
Determine all the load
currents:
Transforming to Y as
60/3=20, and drawing a-
phase of the circuit gives:

120 00
IaA 7.5 00 Arms
4 20 // 30
VAN (7.5 00 )(12) 90 00 Vrms

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In the original Y connected load

90 00
I AN 3 00 Arms
30
IBN 3 - 1200 Arms ICN 3 1200 Arms

For the original delta-connected load

VAB 90 3 00 300 155.88 30 0 Vrms

155.88 300
I AB 2.6 300 Arms
60
IBC 2.6 900 Arms ICA 2.6 1500 Arms

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