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Chapter 12- Polyphase Circuits

Key Concepts

 Single Phase Power Systems

 Three Phase Power Systems
 Three Phase Sources
 Line Versus Phase Voltage
 Line Versus Phase Current
 Y-Connected Load
 Δ-Connected Load
 Balanced Load
 Per Phase Analysis
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Chapter 12- Polyphase Circuits
Introduction
• Residential and industrial customers receive
electric power in form of sinusoidal voltages and
currents.
• Typically 120 V 60 Hz or 240 V 50 Hz
• For power calculations the transient response or
instantaneous power is useful only for peak power
determination.
• Normally, we shall deal with steady state response
in power calculations.
• We shall also talk about 3-phase voltage sources,
three or four wire Y-connection or 3-wire delta
connection.

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12.1 POLYPHASE SYSTEMS
We used the term “sinusoidal source’’. we pictured a single
sinusoidal voltage or current having a particular amplitude,
frequency, and phase.
• In this chapter, the concept of polyphase sources is
introduced focusing on three-phase systems in particular.
There are advantages in using rotating machinery to
generate three-phase power rather than single phase power,
and there are economical advantages in favor of the
transmission of power in a three-phase system.
• The most common polyphase system is a balanced three-
phase system. The source has three terminals (not counting
a neutral or ground connection), and voltmeter
measurements will show that sinusoidal voltages of equal
amplitude are present between any two terminals. However,
these voltages are not in phase; each of the three voltages is
120° out of phase with each of the other two.
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• One possible set of voltages is shown in Fig. 12.1.
• A balanced load draws power equally from all three phases.
• A major advantage of three phase power transmission (using
three conductors), is that, the power transmitted by a
balanced three phase system is three times that of a
single phase transmission but only one extra conductor
is used.

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Double-Subscript Notation 6

• It is convenient to describe polyphase voltages and currents using

double subscript notation. With this notation, a voltage or current,
such as Vab or IaA, has more meaning than if it were indicated simply
as V3 or IX .
• By definition, the voltage of point a with respect to point b is Vab .
Thus, the plus sign is located at a, as indicated in Fig. 12.2a. We
consider the double subscripts to be equivalent to a plus-minus sign
pair. With reference to Fig. 12.2b, for example, we see that Vad = Vab
+ Vcd. The advantage of the double-subscript notation is that
Kirchhoff’s voltage law requires the voltage between two points to
be the same, regardless of the path chosen between the points;
thus
• Vad = Vab + Vbd
Vad = Vac + Vcd
Vad = Vab + Vbc + Vcd .

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Double-Subscript Notation
• For example, we might have written Vad = Vax + Vxd , where
x identifies the location of any interesting point of our choice.
• One possible representation of a three-phase system of
voltages is shown in Fig. 12.3. Let us assume that the
voltages Van, Vbn, and Vcn are known:

• The voltage Vab may be found, with an eye on the subscripts, as

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Double-Subscript Notation
• The three given voltages and the construction of the phasor
Vab are shown on the phasor diagram of Fig. 12.4.
• A double-subscript notation may also be applied to currents.
We define the current Iab as the current flowing from a to b
by the most direct path.

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12.2 SINGLE-PHASE THREE-WIRE SYSTEMS
• Before studying polyphase systems in detail, it can be
helpful first to look at a simple single-phase three-wire
system.
• So far, we have dealt with single-phase circuits. A single-
phase ac power system consists of a generator connected
through a pair of wires (a transmission line) to a load. Figure
12.1(a) depicts a single-phase two wire system, where Vp is
the rms magnitude of the source voltage and ɸ is the
phase.

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12.2 SINGLE-PHASE THREE-WIRE SYSTEMS
• Before studying polyphase systems in detail, it can be helpful
first to look at a simple single-phase three-wire system. A
single-phase three-wire source is defined as a source having
three output terminals, such as a, n, and b in Fig. 12.7a, at
which the phasor voltages Van and Vnb are equal. The
source may therefore be represented by the combination of
two identical voltage sources; in Fig. 12.7b, Van = Vnb = V1.
It is apparent that Vab = 2Van = 2Vnb , and we therefore
have a source to which loads operating at either of two
voltages may be connected.

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12.2 SINGLE-PHASE THREE-WIRE SYSTEMS
• The normal North American household system is single-
phase three-wire, permitting the operation of both 110 V and
220 V appliances. The higher-voltage appliances are
normally those drawing larger amounts of power; operation
at higher voltage results in a smaller current draw for the
same power.
• Smaller-diameter wire may be used safely in the appliance,
and the household distribution system. As larger-diameter
wire must be used with higher currents to reduce the heat
produced due to the resistance of the wire.
• The name single-phase arises because the voltages Van
and Vnb, being equal, must have the same phase angle.
From another viewpoint, however, the voltages between the
outer wires and the central wire, which is usually referred to
as the neutral, are exactly 180◦ out of phase. That is, Van =
−Vbn, and Van + Vbn = 0.
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12.2 SINGLE-PHASE THREE-WIRE SYSTEMS 12

• Let us now consider a single-phase three-wire system that

contains identical loads Zp between each outer wire and the
neutral (Fig. 12.8). We first assume that the wires connecting
the source to the load are perfect conductors. Since

• Thus there is no current in the neutral wire, and it could be

removed without changing any current or voltage in the
system. This result is achieved through the equality of the
two loads and of the two sources.
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12.2 SINGLE-PHASE THREE-WIRE SYSTEMS 13

Effect of Finite Wire Impedance

• EXAMPLE Analyze the system shown in Fig. and determine the
power delivered to each of the three loads as well as the power
lost in the neutral wire and each of the two lines.

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12.2 SINGLE-PHASE THREE-WIRE SYSTEMS 14

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12.2 SINGLE-PHASE THREE-WIRE SYSTEMS 15

giving a total line loss of 237 W. The wires are evidently

quite long; otherwise, the relatively high power loss in the
two outer lines would cause a dangerous temperature rise. 
12.3 THREE-PHASE Y-Y CONNECTION 18

Let us consider the wye-connected voltages in Fig. The

voltages Van, Vbn, and Vcn are respectively between lines a,
b, and c, and the neutral line n. These voltages are called
phase voltages. If the voltage sources have the same
amplitude and frequency and are out of phase with each other
by 1200 the voltages are said to be balanced. This implies that

Balanced phase voltages

are equal in magnitude and
are out of phase with each
other by 1200.
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Since the three-phase voltages are 1200 out of phase with
each other, there are two possible combinations. One
possibility is shown in Fig.(a) and expressed mathematically as

Where Vp is the effective or rms value of the phase

voltages. This is known as the abc sequence or positive
sequence. In this phase sequence, Van leads Vbn which in
turn leads Vcn This sequence is produced when the rotor in
rotates counterclockwise. 
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The other possibility is shown in Fig.(b) and is given by

This is called acb sequence or negative sequence. In this

phase sequence, Van leads Vcn which in turn leads Vbn This
sequence is produced when the rotor in rotates clockwise.

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Example

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12.3 THREE-PHASE Y-Y CONNECTION 22

Line-to-Line Voltages
• Let us find the line-to-line voltages (often simply called the
line voltages) which are present when the phase voltages
are those of Fig a. It is easiest to do this with the help of a
phasor diagram, since the angles are all multiples of 30◦.The
necessary construction is shown in Fig b.

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12.3 THREE-PHASE Y-Y CONNECTION 23

Line-to-Line Voltages
• the results are

• Kirchhoff’s voltage law requires the sum of these three

voltages to be zero. If the rms amplitude of any of the line
voltages is denoted by VL, then one of the important
characteristics of the Y- connected three-phase source may
be expressed as

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Line-to-Line Voltages 24

• Note that with positive phase sequence, Van leads Vbn and Vbn
leads Vcn, in each case by 120◦, and also that Vab leads Vbc and
Vbc leads Vca , again by 120◦. The statement is true for negative
phase sequence if “lags’’ is substituted for “leads.’’
• Now let us connect a balanced Y-connected three-phase load
to a balanced Y-connected source, using three lines and a
neutral, as drawn in Fig.. The load is represented by an
impedance Zp between each line and the neutral. The three line
currents are found very easily, since we really have three single
phase circuits that possess one common lead

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12.3 THREE-PHASE Y-Y CONNECTION 25

Line-to-Line Voltages
• Note that with positive phase sequence, Van leads Vbn and Vbn
leads Vcn, in each case by 120◦, and also that Vab leads Vbc and
Vbc leads Vca , again by 120◦. The statement is true for negative
phase sequence if “lags’’ is substituted for “leads.’’
• Now let us connect a balanced Y-connected three-phase load
to a balanced Y-connected source, using three lines and a
neutral, as drawn in Fig.. The load is represented by an
impedance Zp between each line and the neutral. The three line
currents are found very easily, since we really have three single
phase circuits that possess one common lead

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• Thus, the neutral carries no current if the source and

load are both balanced and if the four wires have zero
impedance.
• Thus, if no change is produced in the system with a short
circuit or an open circuit between n and N, any impedance
may be inserted in the neutral and the neutral current will
remain zero.
• It follows that,
if we have balanced sources, balanced loads, and
balanced line impedances, a neutral wire of any
impedance may be replaced by any other impedance,
including a short circuit or an open circuit; the
replacement will not affect the system’s voltages or
currents.
• EXAMPLE 1 For the circuit of Fig, find both the phase and line27

currents, and the phase and line voltages throughout the circuit;
then calculate the total power dissipated in the load.

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EXAMPLE 2 30

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EXAMPLE 3 31

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EXAMPLE 3 32

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Practice Problems 33

PRACTICE
12.5 A balanced three-phase three-wire system has a line voltage of
500 V. Two balanced Y-connected loads are present. One is a
capacitive load with 7 − j2 Ω per phase, and the other is an inductive
load with 4 + j2 Ω per phase. Find (a) the phase voltage; (b) the line
current; (c) the total power drawn by the load; (d) the power factor at
which the source is operating.
Ans: 289 V; 97.5 A; 83.0 kW; 0.983 lagging.
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12.4 THE DELTA (∆) CONNECTION
• An alternative to the Y-connected load is the ∆-connected
configuration, as shown in Fig. 12.18. This type of
configuration is very common, and does not possess a neutral
connection.

• Let us consider a balanced ∆-connected load which consists

of an impedance Zp inserted between each pair of lines.
With reference to Fig. 12.18, let us assume known line
voltages
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12.4 THE DELTA (∆) CONNECTION

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12.4 THE DELTA (∆) CONNECTION

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12.4 THE DELTA (∆) CONNECTION
• Let us disregard the source for the moment and consider only the
balanced load. If the load is ∆ -connected, then the phase voltage
and the line voltage are indistinguishable, but the line current is
larger than the phase current by a factor of √3; with a Y-connected
load, however, the phase current and the line current refer to the
same current, and the line voltage is greater than the phase voltage
by a factor of √3.

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Example 12.5: Determine the amplitude of the line current in a three-
phase system with a line voltage of 300 V that supplies 1200 W to a
∆–connected load at a lagging PF of 0.8; then find the phase
impedance.

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Example 12.6: Determine the amplitude of the line current in a three-
phase system with a 300 V line voltage that supplies 1200 W to a Y-
connected load at a lagging PF of 0.8. (This is the same circuit as in
Example 12.5, but with a Y-connected load instead.)

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Example 40


Example 41


Example 42

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Practice Problem: 43

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12.4 THE DELTA (∆) CONNECTION 44

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12.4 THE DELTA (∆) CONNECTION 45

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Thanks