Chapter 9

Balanced Three-Phase Circuits

A basic three-phase circuit

Three-phase line

Three-phase Three-phase
Voltage source load
 Fig. 10.2 The generated voltages
Fig. 10.1 A three-phase generator are 120o apart from each other
 Chapter 9
Balanced Three-Phase Circuits
9.1 Basic concepts of three-phase circuit
9.2 Analysis of the Wye-Wye (Y-Y) Circuit
9.3 Analysis of the Wye-Delta (Y-△) Circuit
9.4 Balance Delta-delta Connection
9.5 Balance Delta-Wye Connection
9.6 Summary of Balance Connection
9.7 Power in Balance System
9.8 UnBalance three-phase System
Chapter Contents
1. Basic concepts of three-phase circuit
2. Analysis of the Wye-Wye (Y-Y) circuit
3. Analysis of the Wye-Delta (Y-△) circuit
Chapter Objective
Learning the distinction between single-phase and
polyphase systems
 Becoming familiar with working with both Y- and △-
connected three-phase sources
Becoming familiar with working with both Y- and △-
connected networks
Mastering the technique of per-phase analysis of three-
phase systems
9.1 Basic concepts of three-phase circuit
1. Balanced three-phase voltages u a  ub  uc  0 U a U b U c

U a  U b  U c  0

c-phase U c a-phase Have equal amplitudes and frequencies

voltage voltage
Each of the three voltages is 120° out
120°
of phase with each of the other two.
b-phase
U a
voltage 120°
U b
Choose a-phase as the reference
Phase sequence phase. U a  U a 0 o V
 abc (or positive) phase sequence( 正序 ): the b-phase voltage lags the
a-phase voltage by 120o, and the c-phase voltage lags the b-phase
voltage byU b120
 Uo.a   120 o V U c  U a   120o V

 acb (or negative) phase sequence ( 反序 ): the b-phase voltage leads

the a-phase voltage by 120o, and the c-phase voltage leads the b-phase
voltage by 120o. U b  U a 120 o V U c  U a   120 o V
2. Three-phase voltage sources

Two basic connection of an ideal three-phase source

Line terminal
( 端线 )

a a
+ +
U a
Neutral terminal - U a
( 中点 ) U c
U c
-- + -
- U b U b
+ + b
- + b

c c
Y-connected source △-connected source
3. Three-phase loads

Two basic connection of three-phase loads

Line terminal
( 端线 )

a a

Za Neutral terminal
( 中点 )
Za Zb
Zc o
Zb Zc
b b

c c
Y-connected source △-connected source
4. Three-phase circuit

Source Load

Y Y
Y △

△ Y

△ △

Balanced Three-Phase Circuits ： balanced three-phase voltages,

balanced three-phase loads
 I A I a
a a +
+ -
Za
U a
-- U AB
U c - U b U CA Zb Zc
+ + I B -
b b
+ I b I c
c I C +
U BC
c -

Y-Y connection
Line voltage （线电压） : the voltage across any pair of lines （端
线） . U AB U BC U CA
Phase voltage( 相电压 ): voltage across a single phase 每相元件两端电压。
U a U b U c
I
Line current （线电流） : the current in a single line ( 端线） . A I B I C
 I b I c
Phase current （相电流） : the current in a single phase 。 I a
Some terms
three-phase circuits 三相电路 U c
120°
balanced three-phase circuits 平衡三相电路
three-phase source 三相电源
three-phase load 三相负载 U a
120°
The phrase sequence is the time order
in which the voltages pass through U b
their respective maximum values

abc (or positive) phase sequence 正序

U b
the b-phase voltage lags the a-phase
voltage by 120o, and the c-phase voltage 120°
lags the b-phase voltage by 120o
U a
acb (or negative) phase sequence 反序 120°
the b-phase voltage leads the a-phase
voltage by 120o, and the c-phase voltage U c
leads the b-phase voltage by 120o
 I A
+ - a + a I a
U a
+ -
U AB U a U c
Zc

U c
-- U CA Za
- U b  -  + I c
+ + b - IB b Ib Zb

+ + U b -
U BC
+ c - c I C

Y-△ connection

Phase current I a I b I c
Line current I A I B I C

Phase voltage U a U b U c
Line voltage U AB U BC U CA
 a a

- + Za
U c U a

+ - Zb Zc
U b
- + b b

c c

△ -Y connection
a
a
- +
U c U a Zc

+ - Za
U b Zb
- + b b

c c

△ - △ connection
9.2 Analysis of the Wye-Wye (Y-Y) Circuit
A balanced Y-Y system is a three-phase system with a balanced Y-
connected source and a balanced Y-connected load.

a a
+
Z
U a
 - N’
Uc - N - U b Z Z
+ +
b b

c c

Y-Y connection (three-phasor three-wire circuit)

 a a
+
Z
U a
-
U c - N - U b Z
N’
Z
+ +
b b

c c

Apply the nodal analysis and select the node N’ as reference node, we
have

（ ）
＋ ＝ 0 ）
  
 U a/ Z U b/ Z U c/ Z 1   
－ U NN    (U a  U b  U c )  0
1/ Z 1/ Z 1/ Z 3
 a a
+
Z
U a
-
U c - N - U b Z
N’
Z
+ +
b b

c c

Apply the nodal analysis and select the node N’ as reference node, we
have
  
 U a/ Z U b/ Z U c/ Z 1   
－ U NN    (U a  U b  U c )  0
1/ Z 1/ Z 1/ Z 3

Thus we can also get the following equivalent circuit

Thus we can get the following equivalent circuit

a a
+
Z
U a
-
U c - N - U b Z
N’
Z
+ +
b b

c c
 I A I a
a a +
+ - +
Z
U a U A
U AB
- N-’
Z0
U c - N U CA -
U C Z
+ -  + -
b I B b
- Z UB
Ub + +
I b
+
+ c I C c U BC I c
-
Y-Y connection (three-phasor four-wire circuit)

Suppose U a U b U c are known and in the abc sequences, try to

calculate

(1) Phasor currents I a I b I c (2) Line currents I A I B I C

(3) Phasor voltageU A U B U C (4) Line voltage U AB U BC U CA

 I A I a
a a +
+ - +
Z
U a U A
U AB
- N-’
Z0
U c - N U CA -
U B - Z
+ -  b I B - + Z UC
Ub + b
I b +
+
+ c I C c U BC I c
-

Apply the nodal analysis, we have

     
 U a/ Z U b/ Z U c/ Z U a U b U c
－ U NN   
1/ Z  1/ Z  1/ Z  1/ Z0 1  1  1  Z / Z0
Since
   
U a U b U c  0 U NN   0
Thus we can get the following equivalent circuit
Thus we can get the following equivalent circuit
I A I a
a a +
+ - +
Z
U a U A
U AB
- N-’
Z0
U c - N U CA -
U B - Z
+ -  b I B - + Z UC
Ub + b
I b +
+
+ c I C c U BC I c
-

A three-phase circuit changes into three single phase circuits

now. →

( 一个三相电路——三个单相电路 )
It is easy to find phase currents and phase voltage.
 I A a I a

+ +
Z
U a U A
- -
N N’
N N’
U B -
-  b I B + Z
Ub +
I b

U c - N N’
Z
+ -
UC
+
c I C c I c
 I A I a
a a +
+ - +
Z
U a U A
U AB
- U CA N-’
U c - N -
U C Z
+ -  + -
b I B b
- Z UB
Ub + +
I b
+
+ c I C c U BC I c
-
phase voltages ：
U A  U a
To get phasor voltage and phasor
U B  U b  U a   120 0  U A   120 0
currents: just calculate one phase
U C  U c  U a   120 0  U A   120 0
voltage and phase current, then
phase currents ： we can write other phasor

I  U A voltages and phasor currents
a
Z
  0
I  U B  U A   120  I   120 0
directly.
b a
Z Z
  0
I  U C  U A   120  I   120 0
c a
Z Z
 I A I a
a a +
+ - +
Z U A
U a
U AB
- U CA N-’
U c - N -
U C Z
+ -  + -
b I B b
- Z UB
Ub + +
I b
+
+ c I C c U BC I c
-

line currents ： I A  I a I B  Ib  I A  1200 I C  I c  I A   120

0

To get line currents: just calculate one phase current,

then we can write all of the line currents directly.
line voltages ：
a a +
+ - +
Z
U a U A
U AB
- U CA N-’
U c - N -
U C Z
+ -  - + -
Ub + b b Z UB
+
+
+ c c U BC
-

U a U AB  U a  U b  U a  U b  U AB
U AB
U c
120° U b So U AB  3U a 300  3U A300
U CA
U a We can also obtain the following result in
120° the similar way
U b U BC U BC  3U b 300  3U A  1200  300
U c
U CA  3U c 300  3U A1200  300
 Conclusion:
I A I a
In the Y-Y circuit, İl= İp. a
- + +
Z U A
In the balanced Y-Y circuit, U l  3U p U AB N-’
 AB   A  30 U CA -
U C Z
-
 BC   B  30 b- I B + Z UB
I b +
 CA   C  30 +
+ c U BC I C I c
-

Steps for analysis the balanced Y-Y circuit

 Draw the single-phase equivalent circuit (usually a-phase circuit)
 Calculate its phase voltage and phase current.
 Write other phase voltages and phase currents.
 Write line current and line voltage.
Example 1. In one balanced three-phase circuits, Z=6+j8,
u AB (t )  380 2 cos(t  30)V Calculate the currents.
Solution:
Since 
U AB  38030V
 38030
UA    30  2200V
3

Draw the a-phase circuit

 2200
 IA   22  53.1 A
6  j8
 
I B  22  173.1 A I C  2266.9 A

How to get the voltage?

EXAMPLE 9.2

A balanced three-phase three-wire Y-Y connected system.

The phasor diagram for this circuit is shown in following Fig.

The phasor diagram for Example 2

Once we knew any of the line voltage magnitudes and any of the line
current magnitudes, the angles for all three voltages and all three
currents could have been easily obtained by reading the diagram.
 9.3 Analysis of the Wye-Delta (Y-△) Circuit
The balanced Y-Δ system consists of a balanced Y-connected
source feeding a balanced Δ-connected load. The balanced Y-
Δsystem is shown following the figure.
I A A
+ - a + a I a
U a + -
U AB U AB U CA
Zc

U c
-- U CA Za
- U b  - I + I c
+ b - bIB Zb
+ b
C
+ B + U BC -
U BC
+ c - c I C

Assuming the positive phase sequence , the phase voltages are again

U a  U p 0o U b  U a   1200 U c  U a   1200

The line voltages are
U ab  3U a 30o  U AB U bc  3U b 30o  U BC U ca  3U c 30o  U CA
showing that the line voltages are equal to the voltages
across the load impedances for this system configuration.
From these voltages, we can obtain th phase currents as
    O   O
I  U AB  U AB I  U BC  U AB   120 I  U CA  U AB 120
a b c
Za Z Zc Z Zb Z

These currents have the same magnitude but are out of

phase with each other by 120o.
The line currents are obtained from the phase currents
by applying KCL at nodes A,B, and C. Thus

I A  Ia  Ic IB  Ib  Ia IC  Ic  Ib

 3Ia   30o  3Ib   30o  Ic   30O

Showing that the magnitude of IL of the line current is 3

Times the magnitude Ip of the phase current, or

I L  3I p
where
I L  I A  IB  IC I P  Ia  Ib  Ic

Also, the line currents lag the corresponding phase

currents by 30o.
Phasor diagram illustrating the relationship between phase and line currents.
EXAMPLE 9.3
A balanced abc-sequence Y-connected source U a  10010o
with
(8  j 4) per
is connected
Calculate the to Δ-connected
phase balanced load
and line currents. phase.
 9.4 Balance Delta-delta Connection
A balanced Δ- Δsystem is one in which both the balanced
source and balanced load are Δ-connected

A balanced Δ- Δ connection
 9.5 Balance Delta-Wye Connection
A balanced Δ- Y system consists of a balanced Δ-
connected source feeding a balanced Y-connected load.

A balanced Δ- Y connection
  U ab U
U an    30o  ab   30o (choose U ab as a reference
3 3 phasor) 

U bc U ab   abU / 3  30

U bn  o
  30    150 o I A
3 3 U  Z U
U AN  ab   30o  ab   30o
U  U 3 3
U cn  ca
  30 o ab
90 o
U BN  U AN   120o
3 3
U CN  U AN 120o
9.6 Summary of Balance Connection
Summary of phase and line voltages/ currents for
balanced three-phase systems
Connection Phase voltages/ Line voltages /
Currents Currents
Δ-Δ U ab  U p 0 Line voltages are the
U bc  U p   120 same as phase
voltages
U ca  U p 120

I AB  U ab / Z  I A  3I AB   30
IB  I A  120
IBC  U bc / Z 

ICA  U ca / Z  IC  I A120

Summary of phase and line voltages/ currents for
balanced three-phase systems
Connection Phase voltages/ Line voltages /
Currents Currents
Y-Δ U an  U p 0 U ab  U AB  3U p 30
U bn  U p   120 U bc  U BC  U ab   120
U cn  U p 120 U ca  U CA  U ab   120
I AB  U AB / Z  I A  3I AB   30
IBC  U BC / Z  IB  I A  120
ICA  U CA / Z  IC  I A120
 Summary of phase and line voltages/ currents for
balanced three-phase systems
Connection Phase voltages/ Line voltages /
Currents Currents
Δ-Δ Line voltages are the
same as phase
U ab  U p 0 voltages

U bc  U p   120
I A  3I AB   30
U ca  U p 120
IB  I A  120
I AB  U ab / Z 
IBC  U bc / Z  IC  I A120
ICA  U ca / Z 
Summary of phase and line voltages/ currents for
balanced three-phase systems
Connection Phase voltages/ Line voltages /
Currents Currents
Δ-Y Line voltages are the
U ab  U p 0 same as phase

U bc  U p   120 voltages

U ca  U p 120 I A  3I AB 30

Phase currents are IB  I A  120
the same as line
currents IC  I A120
 9.7 Power in Balance System
Let us now consider the power in a balanced three-phase
system. Examine the instantaneous power absorbed by the
load.
For a Y-connected load, the phase voltages are

u AN (t )  2U P cos t uBN (t )  2U P cos(t  120 )

uCN (t )  2U P cos(t  120 )

If ZY  Z  , the phase currents lag behind their corresponding
phase voltages by θ. Thus

iA (t )  2 I P cos(t  ) iB (t )  2 I P cos(t    120 )


iB (t )  2 I P cos(t    120 )
Where I p is the effective value of the phase current.
The total instantaneous power in the load is the sum of the
instantaneous powers in the three phases; that is,
p  pa  pb  pc  u AN i A  u BN iB  uCN iC

p  2U p I p [cos t cos(t  )  cos(t  120 ) cos(t    120 )

 cos(t  120 ) cos(t    120 )]
Applying the trigonometric identity
1
cos A cos B  [cos( A  B)  cos( A  B)]
2
gives
p  U p I p [3cos   cos(2t  )  cos(2t    240 )  cos(2t  240 )]
 U p I p [3cos   cos(2t  )  cos(2t  ) cos 240  sin(2t  ) sin 240
 cos(2t  ) cos 240  sin(2t  ) sin 240 ]
p  U p I p [3cos   cos(2t  )  2 cos(2t  ) cos 240 ]
1
 U p I p [3cos   cos(2t  )  2( ) cos(2t  )]
2
 3U p I p cos   3U L I L cos 
1 、 average power

P  PA  PB  PC  U A I A cos  A  U B I B cos B  U C IC cos C

Balanced three phase system ：
P  3U p I p cos   3U l I l cos 
2 、 reactive power
Q  Q A  QB  QC  U A I A sin  A  U B I B sin  B  U C I C sin  C
Balanced three phase system ：
Q  3U p I p sin   3U l I l sin 
3 、 apparent power S  P 2  Q 2
Balanced three phase system ：
S  3U p I p  3U l I l
4 、 complex power

S  3U p I *p  P  jQ  3U L I L 

5 、 Measurement of a power

A. Use of the Wattmeter

(*) A wattmeter connection that will ensure

an upscale reading for the power absorbed
by the passive network.
Use of the Wattmeter

The wattmeter is used by connecting it into a network in

such a way that the current flowing in the current coil is the
current flowing into the network and the voltage across the
potential coil is the voltage across the two terminals of the
network.
The current in the potential coil is thus the input voltage
divided by the resistance of the potential coil.
It is apparent that the wattmeter has four available
terminals, and correct connections must be made to these
terminals in order to obtain an upscale reading on the meter.
To be specific, let us assume that we are measuring the power
absorbed by a passive network.
The current coil is inserted in series with one of the two
conductors connected to the load, and the potential coil is installed
between the two conductors, usually on the “load side” of the
current coil.
 The potential coil terminals are often indicated by arrows. Each
coil has two terminals, and the proper relationship between the

sense of the current and voltage must be observed.

One end of each coil is usually marked (+), and an upscale
reading is obtained if a positive current is flowing into the (+)
end of the current coil while the (+) terminal of the potential coil
is positive with respect to the unmarked end.
The wattmeter shown in the network of the Fig.(*), therefore
gives an upscale deflection when the network to the right is
absorbing power. A reversal of either coil, but not both, will
cause the meter to try to deflect downscale; a reversal of both
coils will never affect the reading.
B. The Three-Wattmeter Method in a Three-Phase
System
uAu ZA
P  PA  PB  PC A
uC uuB ZC A
Z
uC Z ZB
C.The Two-Wattmeter Method
C B
in a Three-Phase System B

三
相
电
路

P  P1  P2
 Example ： Known the Power of the motor M
P=2.5kW,cos=0.866,and the motor is connected to the balanced three-
phase source with 380V line voltage. Find the readings of the Wattmeter

solution ：
P
Il 
3U l cos 
 4.386 A

let U AB  3800

U AN  220  30

I A  4.386  60 A (cos 1 0.866  30)
  P1  833.3W
U CB   U BC  38060
 P2  1666.7W
I C  4.38660 A
P  P1  P2  2.5kW
9.8 UnBalance three-phase System
An unbalanced system is due to unbalanced voltage
sources or an unbalanced load. Generally, the source
voltage is balanced, but the load is unbalanced.

Unbalanced three-phase system are solved by direct

application of mesh and nodal analysis.
 Example 9.4
In the circuit shown in the figure . U L  380V . Find line currents.

Solution

Up=220V 3+j2
1 ） when ZN=0 ：

I A  61  33.7 4+j4
220  120 2+j

I B  38.9  165 220120

I C  98.493.4
Load currents are unbalanced, however,
they are independent , and do not
impact each other.
   
2 ） when ZN=4+j3 ：  U A/ Z A  U B / Z B  U C / ZC
U NN  
 1/ Z A  1/ Z B  1/ ZC  1/ Z N
U NN   54.16120V
  
U AN  U A  U NN   232  12
  
2200 3+j2
U BN  U B  U NN   257  109
  
U CN  U C  U NN   165120

220  120 4+j4
 U AN 2+j
IA   64.4  45.7
ZA 220120

 U BN  45.4  154
IB 
ZB

 U CN
IC   73.893.3 Load currents and voltages are unbalanced,
ZC and they are dependent and impact each
other.
   
3 ） when ZN= ：  U A/ Z A  U B / Z B  U C / ZC
U NN  
 1/ Z A  1/ Z B  1/ ZC
U NN   61.27115.76V
  
U AN  U A  U NN 
 253  13 2200 3+j2
  
U BN  U B  U NN 
 260  109
220  120 4+j4
  
U CN  U C  U NN 
220120
 159122 2+j
 
Phasor diagram U CN +j
 
U NN   61.27115.76V  
 U CN  U NN  U AN 
U AN  253  13 +1

N 
U BN  260  109 U AN
 
U CN  159122 U BN 
U BN 
From the phasor diagram, we know that the voltage between the
neutral point of the source and the neutral of the load does not equal
zero , because of the absence of neutral line, and results in unbalanced
phase voltages.
Therefore, in the three-phase four-wire system, the neutral line has
large diameter, and it does not connect to the switch and fuse-element
 Summary
The phase sequence is the order in which the phase voltages of a three-
phase generator occur with respect to time. In an abc sequence of balanced
source voltages, U an leads U bn by 120o,which in turn leads U cn by 120o. In an
acb sequence of balanced source voltages, U an leadsU cn by 120o,which in turn leads
 o.
byU120
bn

A balanced wye-or delta-connected load is one in which the three-phase

impedances are equal.
The easiest way to analyze a balanced three-phase circuit is to transform
both the source and the load to Y-Y system and then analyze the single-
phase equivalent circuit.
The line current ILis the current flowing from the generator to the load in
each transmission line in a three-phase system. The line voltage UL is the
voltage between each pair of lines, excluding the neutral line if it exists.
The phase voltage Up is the voltage of each phase. For a wye-connected
load,
 U L  3U P , I L  I P
For a delta-connected load
U L  U P , I L  3I P
The total instantaneous power in a balanced three-phase system
is constant and equal to the average power.
The total complex power absorbed by a balanced three-phase Y-
connected or Δ-connected load is S  P  jQ  3U L I L  where θ
is the angle of the load impedances.
An unbalanced three-phase system can be analyzed using nodal
or mesh analysis.
The total real powr is measured in three-phases using either the
three-wattmeter method or the two wattmeter method