A single- phase ac power system consists of a generator connected through a pair of wires (a transmission line) to a load.
It contains two identical sources (equal magnitude and the same phase) which are connected to two loads by two outer wires and the neutral. For example, the normal household system is a single-phase three-wire system because the terminal voltages have the same magnitude and the same phase. Such a system allows the connection of both 120-V and 240-V appliances.
BALANCED THREE-PHASE VOLTAGES
Three-phase voltages are often produced with a three-phase ac generator (or alternator)whose cross-sectional view
The generator basically consists of a rotating magnet(called the rotor)surrounded by a stationary winding (called the stator). Three separate windings or coils with terminals a-a, b-b, and c-c are physically placed 120◦ apart around the stator. Terminals a and a, for example, stand for one of the ends of coils going into and the other end coming out of the page. As the rotor rotates, its magnetic field “cuts” the flux from the three coils and induces voltages in the coils. Because the coils are placed 120◦ apart, the induced voltages in the coils are equal in magnitude but out of phase by 120◦ . Since each coil can be regarded as a single-phase generator by itself, the three-phase generator can supply power to both single-phase and three-phase loads.
A typical three-phase system consists of three voltage sources con- nected to loads by three or four wires (or transmission lines). (Three- phase current sources are very scarce.) A three-phase system is equiv- alent to three single-phase circuits. The voltage sources can be either wye-connected
Balanced phase voltages are equal in magnitude and are out of phase with each other by 120◦.
Since the three-phase voltages are 120◦ out of phase with each other, there are two possible combinations. One possibility is and expressed mathematically as
The phase sequence is the time order in which the voltages pass through their respective maximum values.
The phase sequence is determined by the order in which the phasors pass through a fixed point in the phase diagram.
A balanced load is one in which the phase impedances are equal in magnitude and in phase.
For a balanced wye-connected load,
Z1 = Z2 = Z3 = ZY
where ZY is the load impedance per phase. For a balanced delta-connected load,
Za = Zb = Zc = Zdelta
where Zdelta is the load impedance per phase in this case.
LEARNING:
In this lesson I learned to determine the phase sequence of the set of voltages. It is appropriate to mention here that a balanced delta-connected load is more common than a balanced wye-connected load. I learned also that there are four possible connections in three phase source and three phase load.
Y-Y connection (i.e., Y-connected source with a Y-connected load).
Y-delta connection.
delta-delta connection.
delta-Y connection.
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, Van leads Vbn by 120◦, which in turn leads Vcn by 120◦. In anacb sequence of balanced voltages, Van leads Vcn by 120◦, which in turn leads Vbn by 120◦.
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 a Y-Y system and then analyze the single-phase equivalent circuit. Table 12.1 presents a summary of the formulas for phase currents and voltages and line currents and voltages for the four possible configurations.