AEP611S ADVANCED

ELECTRICAL PRINCIPLES 215

SYMMETRICAL
COMPONENTS
APPLICATIONS OF
SYMMETRICAL COMPONENTS

LECTURE 2
SEQUENCE NETWORKS OF
SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS
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 3. APPLICATIONS OF
SYMMETRICAL COMPONENTS

• The method of symmetrical components may be applied to

the solution of all kinds of unbalanced 3-phase network
problems such as the unbalanced four-wire star-connected
load, the unbalanced delta-connected load and the
unbalanced three-wire star-connected load.
• However, when the source impedance is assumed to be
negligible, the methods of solution adopted then (see
Lectures on Three-phase Systems) are easier than the
application of the method of symmetrical components.
• Where the source impedance is taken into account, the
method of symmetrical components must be applied if the
source is a synchronous generator, or a transformer supplied
by a synchronous generator. This is because the impedance
of a synchronous generator to positive-sequence currents
is different from its impedance to negative phase-sequence
currents and to zero phase-sequence currents.
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 APPLICATIONS OF
SYMMETRICAL COMPONENTS (CONT.)

• The source impedance is likely to be of significance under

fault conditions in 3-phase networks. Indeed, for a fault at
the generator terminals the generator impedance is the
only impedance present.
• The main field of application of symmetrical components,
therefore, is the analysis of 3-phase networks under
asymmetrical (unsymmetrical) fault conditions.
• It also follows that most of the faults that occur on power
systems are unsymmetrical in nature.
• These faults may consist of
(i) Solid unsymmetrical short-circuits.
(ii) Unsymmetrical faults through impedances and
(iii) Open conductors.

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 APPLICATIONS OF
SYMMETRICAL COMPONENTS (CONT.)

• Unsymmetrical short-circuits occur as:

(i) Single line-to-ground (S-L-G) faults,
(ii) Line-to-line (L-L)/Double-line (D-L) faults and
(iii) Line-to-line-to-ground (L-L-G)/Double line-to-ground
(D-L-G) faults.
• The path of the fault from line-to-line or line-to-ground may
or may not contain impedance.
Open-conductor Faults:
• One or two open conductors result in unsymmetrical faults,
either through the breaking of one or two conductors or
through the action of fuses and other devices that may not
open the three phases simultaneously.

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 APPLICATIONS OF
SYMMETRICAL COMPONENTS (CONT.)

• Some Fault Statistics:

Fault Type Percentage of

Total Faults
(i) Three-phase Balanced Faults < 5%
(ii) Unbalanced Faults
- Single-line-to-ground 60 – 75 %
- Double-line-to-ground 15 – 25 %
- Line-to-line 5 – 15 %

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 APPLICATIONS OF
SYMMETRICAL COMPONENTS (CONT.)

3.1. SEQUENCE NETWORKS

• In any part of a circuit, the voltage drop caused by current of a
certain sequence depends on the impedance of that part of
the circuit to current of that sequence.
• The impedance of any section of a balanced network to
current of one sequence may be different from the impedance
to current of another sequence.
• The impedance of a circuit when positive-sequence currents
alone are flowing is called the impedance to positive-
sequence current or simply positive-sequence impedance.
• Similarly, when only negative-sequence or zero-sequence
currents are present the impedances are called impedance to
negative-sequence current or negative-sequence
impedance) and impedance to zero-sequence current (or
zero-sequence impedance), respectively.

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 SEQUENCE NETWORKS (CONT.)

• The single-phase equivalent circuit composed of the

impedances to the current of any one sequence only is
called the sequence network for that particular sequence,
i.e.
– positive-sequence network,
– negative-sequence network
and
– zero-sequence network.
• In order to calculate the effect of an asymmetrical
condition by the method of symmetrical components, it is
essential to
(i) to determine the sequence impedances
and
(i) to combine them to form the sequence networks.
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 APPLICATIONS OF
SYMMETRICAL COMPONENTS (CONT.)

3.2. A SYNCHRONOUS GENERATOR SUPPLYING AN

UNBALANCED LOAD
3.2.1. THE SEQUENCE NETWORKS OF UNLOADED
SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS
• Three-phase generators are specifically designed so that
the phase e.m.f.s form a balanced 3-phase system.
• It is assumed, therefore, that the e.m.f. of the synchronous
generator shown in Figure 3.1 is of positive phase-
sequence only.
• Then, the generator e.m.f.s are
– Ean
– Ebn (= a2Ean)
– Ecn (= aEan)

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 THE SEQUENCE NETWORKS OF UNLOADED
SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS (CONT.)

Figure 3.1. A synchronous generator

supplying an unbalanced load.
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 THE SEQUENCE NETWORKS OF UNLOADED
SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS (CONT.)

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 THE SEQUENCE NETWORKS OF UNLOADED
SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS (CONT.)

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SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS (CONT.)

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 THE SEQUENCE NETWORKS OF UNLOADED
SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS (CONT.)

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 THE SEQUENCE NETWORKS OF UNLOADED
SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS (CONT.)

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 THE SEQUENCE NETWORKS OF UNLOADED
SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS (CONT.)

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 THE SEQUENCE NETWORKS OF UNLOADED
SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS (CONT.)

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 THE SEQUENCE NETWORKS OF UNLOADED
SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS (CONT.)

• An examination of equations 3.4, 3.6 and 3.9 reveals that,

when an unbalanced load is imposed on a system, the
positive, negative and zero phase-sequence components
may be considered separately if the impedance of each
phase of the network is balanced (symmetric).
• Under these conditions the positive, negative and zero
phase-sequence networks, which are interpretations of
equations 3.4, 3.6 and 3.9, may be drawn, as in Figures
3.2, 3.3, 3.4 and 3.5.

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 THE SEQUENCE NETWORKS OF UNLOADED
SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS (CONT.)

In Summary:
• The generated voltages are of positive-sequence only,
since the generator is designed to supply balanced three-
phase voltages.
• Therefore, the positive-sequence network is composed
of an e.m.f. in series with the positive-sequence
impedance of the generator.
• The negative- and zero-sequence networks contain no
e.m.f.s but include the impedances of the generator to
negative-sequence currents and zero-sequence
currents, respectively.
• Figures 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5 and 3.6 show the sequence
networks of the generator.

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 THE SEQUENCE NETWORKS OF UNLOADED
SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS (CONT.)

(a) Positive-sequence current paths. (b) Positive-sequence

network.
Figure 3.2. Paths for positive-sequence currents in a generator and in
the positive-sequence network.
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 THE SEQUENCE NETWORKS OF UNLOADED
SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS (CONT.)

(a) Negative-sequence (b) Negative-sequence

current paths. Network.
Figure 3.3. Negative-sequence current paths in a generator and in
the negative-sequence network.

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 THE SEQUENCE NETWORKS OF UNLOADED
SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS (CONT.)

(a) Zero-sequence (b) Zero-sequence

current paths. network.
Figure 3.4. Zero-sequence current paths in a solidly-grounded
generator and in the zero-sequence network.

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 THE SEQUENCE NETWORKS OF UNLOADED
SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS (CONT.)

Figure 3.5. A synchronous generator supplying an unbalanced

load with the star-point grounded through an impedance, Zn.
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 THE SEQUENCE NETWORKS OF UNLOADED
SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS (CONT.)

(a) Zero-sequence (b) Zero-sequence

current paths network
Figure 3.6. Zero-sequence current paths in a generator grounded
through an impedance (Zn) and in the zero-sequence network.

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 THE SEQUENCE NETWORKS OF UNLOADED
SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS (CONT.)
NB:
• The current flowing in the impedance Zn between the neutral
and the ground, in Figure 3.6(a), is 3Ia0.
• The voltage drop is therefore, 3ZnIa0 or (3Zn)Ia0. For the sake
of convenience, the current is assumed to be Ia0, but flowing
through and equivalent impedance given by, 3Zn.
• By referring to Figure 3.6(b), it can be seen that the voltage
drop of zero-sequence from point ‘a’ to ground is -3Ia0Zn –
Ia0Zg0, where Zg0 is the zero-sequence impedance per phase
of the generator.
• The zero-sequence network which is a single-phase circuit
assumed to carry only the zero-sequence current of one
phase, must therefore have an impedance of 3Zn + Zg0, as
shown.
• The total zero-sequence impedance through which Ia0 flows is
Z0 = 3Zn + Zg0. … eqn. 3.10.
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 THE SEQUENCE NETWORKS OF UNLOADED
SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS (CONT.)

Figure 3.7. The positive phase-sequence network, the negative phase-

sequence network and the zero phase-sequence network of a
synchronous generator supplying an unbalanced load.
• The sequence networks shown in Figure 3.7 are single-
phase equivalent circuits of the balanced three-phase
circuits (of Figures 3.2(a), 3.3(a) and 3.4(a)) through which
the symmetrical components of the unbalanced currents are
considered to flow. to flow.
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 THE SEQUENCE NETWORKS OF UNLOADED
SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS (CONT.)

• The generated e.m.f. in the positive-sequence network is the

no-load terminal voltage to neutral, which is also equal to
the transient and sub-transient internal voltages since the
generator is not loaded.
• The reactance is the sub-transient, transient, or
synchronous reactance, depending on the condition of
interest.
• The reference bus for the positive-sequence network and the
negative-sequence network is the neutral of the generator.
• As far as the positive-sequence and the negative-sequence
components are concerned, the neutral of the generator is at
ground potential even if there is a connection between
neutral and ground having a finite or zero impedance since
the connection will carry no positive-sequence or negative-
sequence current.
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 THE SEQUENCE NETWORKS OF UNLOADED
SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS (CONT.)

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SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS (CONT.)

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SYNCHRONOUS GENERATORS (CONT.)

Typical Values of Sequence Impedances for Common

Generators:
(i) Positive-sequence values are the same as Xd, Xd’ and Xd”.
(ii) Negative-sequence values are affected by the rotation of
the rotor, however, X2 ≈ Xd”.
(iii) The zero-sequence reactance is approximated to the
leakage reactance, i.e., X0 ≈ XL.

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