VOLTECHNOTES

Three-Phase Measurements

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Three-Phase Measurements
Introduction

T HREE P HASE

Although single-phase electricity is used to supply common domestic and office electrical appliances, three-phase alternating current (ac) systems are almost universally used to distribute electrical power and to supply electricity directly to higher power equipment. This technical note describes the basic principles of three-phase systems and the difference between the different measurement connections that are possible.

Three-Phase Systems Three-phase electricity consists of three ac voltages of identical frequency and similar amplitude. Each ac voltage phase is separated by 120 from the other. This can be represented diagrammatically by both waveforms and a vector diagram.

v1

v2

v3

120

240

360

three-phase voltage waveform

v1

N v3 v2

Three-phase voltage vectors

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Three phase systems are used for two reasons: 1. The three vector-spaced voltages can be used to create a rotating field in a motor. Motors can thus be started without the need for additional windings. 2. A three-phase system can be connected to a load such that the amount of copper connections required (and thus the transmission losses) are one half of what they would otherwise be. Consider three single-phase systems each supplying 100W to a load. The total load is 3 x 100W = 300W. To supply the power, 1 amp flows through 6 wires and there is thus 6 units of loss.

1A v1 1A 1A v2 1A 1A v3 1A 100W 100W 100W

3 single-phase supplies - 6 units of loss

The three supplies can be connected to a common return. When the load current in each phase is the same the load is said to be balanced. With the load balanced and the three currents phase shifted by 120 from each other the sum of the current at any instant is zero and there is no current in the return line.

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1A 1A 1A

v1

v2

v3

three-phase supply, balanced load - 3 units of loss In a three-phase 120 system, only 3 wires are required to transmit the power that would otherwise require 6 wires. One half of the copper is required and the wire transmission losses will be halved.

Wye or Star Connection. A three-phase system with a common connection is normally drawn as shown below and is known as a wye or star connection. The common point is called the wye, star or neutral point. This point is often grounded at the supply for safety reasons. In practice, loads are not perfectly balanced and a fourth neutral wire is used to carry the resultant current. The neutral conductor may be considerably smaller than the three main conductors. wye or star connection - 3 phase, 4 wires
N

Delta Connection The three single-phase supplies discussed earlier could also be connected in series. The sum of the three 120 phase shifted voltages at any instant is zero. If the sum is zero, then both end points are at the same potential and may be joined together.

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v1 v1 v2 v3

v2 0 120 240 360 v3

v1+v2+v3=0

sum of the instantaneous voltages is zero The connection is usually drawn as shown below and is known a delta connection after the shape of the greek letter delta, .

1A

1A

1A

delta connection - 3 phase, 3 wire Wye and Delta Comparison The Wye configuration is used to distribute power to everyday single-phase appliances found in the home and office. Single-phase loads are connected to one leg of the wye between line and neutral. The total load on each phase is shared out as much as possible so as to present a balanced load to the primary three-phase supply. The wye configuration can also supply single or three-phase power to higher power loads at a higher voltage. The single-phase voltages are phase to neutral voltages. A higher phase to phase voltage is also available as shown by the black vector on the diagram.
N 60 3 2 v1 3 Sin60 = 2

V phase-phase = 3 x V phase-neutral

v3 v2

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The delta configuration is most often used to supply higher power three-phase industrial loads. Different voltage combinations can be obtained from one three-phase delta supply however, by making connections or taps along the windings of the supply transformers. In the US, for example, a 240V delta system may have a centre-tapped winding to provide two 120V supplies. The centre-tap may be grounded at the transformer for safety reasons. 208V is also available between the centre tap and the third high leg of the delta connection. Power Measurements Power is measured in ac systems using wattmeters. A modern digital sampling wattmeter, such as any of the Voltech PM series, multiplies instantaneous samples of voltage and current together to calculate instantaneous watts and then takes an average of the instantaneous watts over one cycle to display the true power. A wattmeter will provide accurate measurements of true power, apparent power, volt-amperes reactive, power factor, harmonics and many others over a broad range of wave shapes, frequencies and power factor.
120V
N

120V

Single-Phase Wattmeter Connection

CH1

LO

LOAD

LOAD

HI

HI

V CH1
N LO

or
N LO

V CH1
LO

Single-phase, Two wire and DC measurements

CH1

HI

Only one wattmeter is required. The system connection to the voltage and current terminals of the wattmeter is straightforward. The voltage terminals of the wattmeter are connected in parallel across the load and the current is passed through the current terminals which are in series with the load.

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Three-Phase Three Wire Connection - Two Wattmeter Method. Where three wires are present, two wattmeters are required to measure total power. Connect the wattmeters as shown below. The voltage terminals of the wattmeters are connected phase to phase.

Ph1

HI

Three Phase Source or

CH1 Ph2 HI

LO

Ph1

CH2

LO

Ph2

Three Phase Load or

CH1 Ph3

HI LO

CH2

HI LO Ph3

Three-phase, Three wire (2 wattmeter method)

Number of Wattmeters Required In a single-phase system there are just two wires. Power is measured using a single wattmeter. In a three-wire system, two wattmeters are required as shown below. In general, No. of Wattmeters Required = No. of Wires - 1

Proof for a three-wire wye system. The instantaneous power measured by a wattmeter is the product of the instantaneous voltage and current samples.

HI

CH1

LO

i1

v1

v3
HI LO

v2

i3
HI LO

Wattmeter 1 reading = i1 (v1 - v3) Wattmeter 2 reading = i2 (v2 - v3) Sum of readings W1 + W2

CH2

CH1

HI LO

i2

CH2

= i1v1 - i1v3 + i2v2 - i2v3 = i1v1 + i2v2 - (i1 + i2) v3

( From Kirchoffs law, i1 + i2 + i3 = 0, 2 readings W1 + W2

so

i1 + i2 = -i3 ) = total instantaneous watts.

= i1v1 + i2v2 + i3v3

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Single-Phase Three Wire Connection. In this system, the voltages are produced from one tapped transformer winding and all voltages are in phase. Two 120V and one 240V supplies are available and may have different loads on each leg. To measure total power and other quantities, connect two wattmeters as shown below.

HI

CH1

LO

CH1 LO

LOAD

HI

LOAD

Single-phase, Three wire

V CH2
L HI HI

CH2

LO

Three-Phase Three-Wire Connection - Three Wattmeter Method. Although only two wattmeters are required to measure total power in a three-wire system as shown earlier, it is sometimes convenient to use three wattmeters. In the connection shown below, a false neutral has been created by connecting the voltage low terminals of all three wattmeters together. The three-wire, three-wattmeter connection has the advantages of indicating the power in each phase (not possible in the two-wattmeter connection) and phase to neutral voltages.

Ph1

HI

Three Phase Source or

CH1 Ph2 HI

LO

LOAD

LO

Ph1

CH2 Ph3 HI

LO

Ph2

Three Phase Load or

CH3

LO

Ph3

V CH1

HI LO

V CH2

HI LO

V CH3

HI LO

Three-phase, Three wire (3 wattmeter method Set Analyzer to ThreePhase, Four Wire mode)

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Three-Phase, Four-Wire Connection. Three wattmeters are required to measure total watts in a four-wire system. The voltages measured are the true phase to neutral voltages.

Ph1

HI

Three Phase Source or

CH1 Ph2 HI

LO

Ph1

CH2 Ph3 HI

LO

Ph2

Three Phase Load or

CH3 N

LO

Ph3

Three-phase, Four wire (3 wattmeter method)

V CH1

HI LO

V CH2

HI LO

V CH3

HI LO N

The phase to phase voltages can be accurately calculated from the phase to neutral voltages amplitude and phase using vector mathematics. A modern power analyzer will also use Kirchoffs law to calculate the current flowing in the neutral line.

Selecting Measurement Equipment. 1. For a given number of wires, N, N-1 wattmeters are required to measure total quantities such as power. 2. Modern multi-channel power analyzers will calculate total or sum quantities such as watts, volts, amps, volt-amperes and power factor directly using appropriate in-built formulae. A power analyzer with vector mathematics capability will also convert phase to neutral (or wye) quantities to phase to phase (or delta) quantities. The factor 3 can only be used to convert between systems or multiply up the measurements of only one wattmeter on balanced, linear systems. 3. Many electrical and electronic loads are non-linear and draw distorted current from the supply. Harmonic analysis ability will allow the study of harmonic currents and power. 4. In power electronics applications, the measurement equipment must have a wide bandwidth and excellent rejection of common-mode signals (CMRR) to achieve accurate power analysis.

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Note: While every care has been taken in compiling the information for this publication, Voltech Instruments cannot accept legal liability for any inaccuracies. Voltech Instruments reserves the right to alter product specifications without notice and whenever necessary to ensure optimum performance from its product range.

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