Three-phase Systems - tutorial

Presented by
Prof. M. L. Chen
Dept. of Building services Engineering
The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

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Example 1
Q.You are required to design a three-phase 18 kW
instantaneous water heater. Find the resistance of
the three resistors if they are connected in (i)
star, (ii) delta without star/delta transformation,
and (iii) delta with delta/star transformation.
Ans. Given P =18kW, three-phase.
Assume the line voltage is V=380V, line current
is I, and 3 pure resistors R are used. Then,
P =3 VI.
 I =18000W/(3*380V) = 27.3A.

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Example 1 – Answer (i)
(i) For star connected resistors:
Red I
Vp, Ip R
Ep s
n V n’
Yellow
Blue

Rs = Vphase/Iphase =(V/3)/I
=(380/3)/27.3 =8.07

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Example 1 – Answer (ii)
(ii) For delta connected resistors without using
star/delta transformation:
Red I
Ep Rd Vp Rd
n
V Rd Ip
Yellow
Blue

Rd = Vphase/Iphase =V/(I/3)
=380/(27.3/3) =24.2 =3Rs

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Example 1 – Answer (iii)
(iii) For delta connected resistors, using star/delta
transformation:
I I
Ibr
Rr Ir V R Iry V
Iy Rbr ry
Rb Ryb
Ry
Ib Iyb

Rry = Rr+Ry+Rr*Ry/Rb
Since Rr=Ry=Rb=Rs
Rd = Rry = Rs + Rs + Rs * Rs /Rs
=3Rs =24.21
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 Example 2
Q.A star connected three-phase supply with voltage 346 V is
supplying three single-phase loads each rated at 200V. A
820W toaster is connected to red phase, an hair dryer of
1200W is connected to the yellow phase and lastly a 100W
tungsten filament lamp connected to blue phase. The neutral
conductor at the source-end is disconnected accidentally.
Find the line currents. State all the assumptions clearly.
(Hint: Try to use Mesh Equations to calculate and then change the
loads to delta-connected equivalent by star/delta transformation
and calculate again. Compare the two methods, you will find
the usefulness of star/delta or delta/star transformation.)

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 Example 2-Answer
Red Ir

Eb
n Er=200V Vry=346V n’ Rr
Ry
Yellow Iy Rb
Ey
Blue Ib

At beginning it is a 4-wire Y- By accident, it becomes a 3-wire

Y system. Assume all loads
are pure resistors:
Rr =200V2/820W =48.78
Ry =200V2/1200W =33.33
Rb =200V2/100W =400
Y system. Transfer into a
equivalent Y- connection,
Rry =Rr+Ry+RrRy /Rb=86.18
Rbr =Rr+Rb+RrRb /Ry=1034.14
Ryb =Ry+Rb+RyRb /Rr=706.67
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 Example 2-Answer (continue)
R I
r Ibr
Eb n Er Rbr Iry Rry
Iyb
Ey Y Iy Ryb
B Ib
Iry= Vry/Rry= 34630/86.18 =4.0130 =3.473 +j2.005
Ibr= Vbr/Rbr= 346150/1034.14 =0.335150 = -0.29+ j0.168
Iyb= Vyb/Ryb= 346-90/706.67 =0.4896-90 = -j0.4896

Ir= Iry-Ibr= 3.763+j1.837 =4.18726

Iy= Iyb-Iry= -3.473-j2.495 =4.276-144.3
Ib= Ibr-Iyb= -0.29+j0.658 =0.7191113.8
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 Example 3
Q. A 346V delta-connected source is supplying a
balanced load of 300 kVA and 200kW and a capacitor
bank of 60 kVAr through a cable of impedance 0.0170
. Find the line currents and their phase angle.

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 Example 3 - Answer
A. Since the source is 346V delta-connected, and the loads
are in balance, this circuit can be analyzed by using
single-phase equivalent circuit.
Assume both the load and capacitor are star-connected.
 load per phase ZL = 346V2/300kVA = 0.4
pf = 200kW/300kVA = 0.667= cos
ZL = 0.448.16 =0.27+j0.3
Capacitor, ZC = 346V2/60kVAr=2-90= -j2
For each phase, ZL and ZC are in parallel, the single-phase
equivalent circuit is as following:
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 Example 3 – Answer (continue)
Iphase 0.01 70
IC IL
200V ZC ZL

Since cable impedance of 0.01 is far smaller than ZL

and ZC , it can be ignored. Thus,
Iphase = IC +IL = Vline/ZC +Vline/ZL
=(200V/0.448.16 ) +(200V/ 2-90 )
=500-48.16 +10090
=333-j372+j100 =43039.2
Iline =Iphase =43039.2
(respect to line voltage)
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Three-phase Systems - tutorial

The end

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