Electrical Machines II (EE440)
Alternating Current
Fundamentals
Introduction
• Electrical energy is generated, transmitted and distributed as
three-phase.
• Synchronous machines are widely used for generation.
• Induction machines are widely used in industry as motors.
• Transformers are widely used in transmission and
distribution to change the voltage levels.
• The ability to easily change voltage levels is the main
advantage of AC over DC.
Review of Single-Phase AC Circuits
i
+
v Z
Single-phase AC circuit
• Voltage
v 2V cos t
• Frequency
2f
• Current
i 2 I cos t
• Instantaneous Power
p VI cos cos 2t
• Active power
pd t VI cos
1
0
P
• Reactive power
Q VI sin
p P1 cos 2t Q sin 2t
• Apparent power
S P jQ VI cos j sin
Fig 1.2 Voltage, current and power in a single-phase circuit
Review of Three-Phase AC Circuits
• Phase voltages
v a 2V cos t
vb 2V cos t 2 3
vc 2V cos t 2 3
• Phase currents
i a 2 I cos t
ib 2 I cos t 2 3
ic 2 I cost 2 3
Vc Ic
2
3 Va
Ib Ia
Vb
Three-phase voltage and current waveforms Three-phase voltage and current phasor
diagram
Connection of Three-Phase Circuits
a Ia
+
Ia a
Va +
Van In
a’ -
-
b + n - n’
Vbn Vab
Ib - Vca
Vb
c + +b Ib
Vcn
b’ - +
Ic
c +
Vbc
Ic
Vc Generator Load
c’ -
Generator Load Four-wire wye (star) circuit
Six-wire circuit
Phase and Line Voltage
-Vb Vab
Vc • Phase voltage is measured between a
phase and the star-point.
• Line voltage is measured between
30° two phases.
120° Va • The line voltage and phase voltage
120° are related by:
V L 3V ph
Vb
• Line current and phase current are
Phasor diagram for star-connected circuit
equal in wye circuit.
Ia
a
+
• When the load is
Van
-
balanced, the neutral
n -
Vab
n’ current is zero.
Vbn Vca
c
-
+ +b Ib • Therefore, the neutral
Vcn
+
Ic
conductor is redundant.
Vbc
• Three-wire circuits are
Generator Load
used in transmission.
• Four-wire circuits are used
Three-wire wye (star) circuit
in domestic distribution
where there are single-
phase loads.
Ia
a a
Iab • Phase voltage is equal
to line voltage.
Vab Ica
Vca
c b c b
Ib Ibc
Vbc
Ic
Generator Load
Delta (mesh) circuit
Phase current and Line Current
Ica • Phase current flows in a phase
conductor (winding).
• Line current flows in a line conductor.
120°
• Line current and phase current are
120° Iab
30° related by:
I L 3 I ph
Ibc -Ica Ia • Main advantage of a delta-connection
is that it filters triple-n harmonics.
Phasor diagram for currents in a • Main disadvantage is that the
delta-connected circuit insulation of the phase conductors has
to withstand the line voltage.
Power in Three-Phase Circuits
• Instantaneous power
p v a i a v b ib v c i c
• Active power
P 3V ph I ph cos 3VL I L cos
• Reactive power
Q 3V ph I ph sin 3VL I L sin
• Apparent power
S P jQ 3V ph I ph 3V L I L
Advantages of Three-Phase over Single-Phase
• Three-phase machines have a higher energy density than single-
phase machines .
• The power developed in three-phase system is constant while the
power developed in a single-phase system is pulsating.
• Three-phase rotating machine develop a constant torque while
single-phase machines develop a pulsating torque.
• Three-phase induction motors are inherently self-starting, while
single-phase induction motors require auxiliary starting circuits.
