POST LAB CALCULATIONS

5.2.1- STAR CONNECTION

a) From the results obtained, a relationship between the phase and the line current at the load
can be found:

The phase and line currents are in phase

b) From the results obtained, a relationship between the phase and line voltages at the load
can be found:

Vrn=128 Vyn=128 Vbn=127

Therefore, average phase voltage =127.6

Vry=222 Vyb=222 Vbr=220

Therefore, average line current =221.3

By dividing line voltage by phase voltage we get:

In a star connected system the line voltage is higher than the phase voltage by a factor of √

Therefore, for a star connected load, the magnitude of the line voltage is 1.734 times the
magnitude of the phase voltage:

√
c) The neutral current, In for this experiment was found to be zero. The magnitude can be
calculated as follows:

the neutral current can be written in terms of the phase currents using Kirchhoff’s Current Law:

The system is balanced and the phase currents would be the same but would have a phase
difference of 120º

Therefore the value of the current in the red line is given by:

ir = Im

The yellow phase lags the red phase by 120º, hence the equation becomes:

iy = Im

The blue phase lags the red phase by 240º, hence the equation becomes:

ib = Im

Using as our reference current we get:

Recall, sin(θ - 120) = sin θ cos 120 - sin 120cos θ

sin(θ - 240) = sin θ cos 240 - sin 240 cos θ

 From the diagram given, all three phases have the same resistance (balanced load). Also, the
phase voltages are equal to each other. Hence Im is the same for all three phases.

[ ]

[ ]

√ √
[ ]

d) And taking the phase voltages as the reference we get the phasor below:

Vbr=220V -Vyn Vry=222V

Vbn=127V

Ib=1.25A

o
=29.9

120o =29.9
o
o
120
Vrn=128V
-Vrn o Ir=1.25A
120

o
=29.9
Iy=1.25A

Vyn=128V -Vbn

Vyb=222V
 Angle between phase and line currents:

Recall:

Angle for Vry:

( )

Angle for Vyb:

( )

Angle for Vbr:

( )

Using the phasor diagram, the phase powers can be calculated as follows:

The phase powers, W1C, W2C, W3C, are each given by the product of the phase voltage and phase
current.

For the star connection the phase current is equal to the line current and the phase voltage is
times smaller than the line voltage.

The power in one phase is given by the product of the voltage across the phase the current
through it and the power factor.
But from the phasor diagram and are in phase since the load is purely resistive. Hence
Now:

In one phase the power W is:

Total calculated phase power = + + = (160 + 160 + 158.75) W = 478.75 W

Wattmeter (WR /WY /WB) 160 160 155

Calculated Power(WR/WB/WY) 160 160 158.75

Total Load Power Wattmeter = 475 Watts

Total Load Power Calculated = 478.75 Watts

A difference of 3.75 watts can be observed between the calculated and wattmeter phase
powers.

The wattmeter was connected to a single line and to the neutral wire, which essentially gave
the power across the phase thus giving the phase power. From the table, we can see that the
calculated power is larger than the measured power. The difference between the two readings
is because the measured voltage and current was used to calculate the phase power and the
measured phase power was taken from the wattmeter so that the errors from the measured
values was transferred to the calculated values.
This was also noticed for the individual phases:

Wr (measured) =160W

Wy (measured) =160W

Wb (measured) =155W
5.2.2- UNBALANCED CONDITIONS
a)
Using an equation for the neutral equation,

⃗⃗⃗ ⃗⃗⃗ ⃗⃗⃗ ⃗⃗⃗

√ √
( )

The magnitude of the current obtained was found to be 1.275A while the measured value for In
was found to be an average of 0.86A. These values obtained showed little deviation from each
other therefore, verifying the measured value obtained.
b)

For a purely resistive load, the phase voltages and phase currents are in phase. For the
unbalanced loads the magnitudes of the Y and B phase currents are less than that of the R
phase as shown by the phasor diagram. As such the Y and B phase powers are less than the R
phase power. Also, the current Ir is larger than Ib and Iy

Using the phasor diagram, the phase powers can be calculated.

The Phase powers are Wrc , Wyc , Wbc.

The power in one phase is the product of the voltage across the phase and the current through
it, and the power factor.

But from the phasor diagram and are in phase since the load is purely resistive. Hence
Now:
Using the results obtained in the experiment as seen in the table, we get:

5.2.3- POWER FACTOR DETERMINATION

a) Load Power factor is given by:

Where real power is given by the reading on the wattmeter

And apparent power = Phase voltage x Phase current

Real Power,

For a balanced load total power (3 phases) would be:

Therefore, the power factor is given by the total active power divided by the total apparent
power.
Apparent Power (balanced),

VrnIr= 128 x 0.85= 108.8W VynIy= 128 x 0.85= 108.8W VbnIb= 126 x 0.85= 107.1W

Now, 108.8 + 108.8 + 107.1 = 324.7W

b)

The system is balanced and the phase currents would be the same but would have a phase
difference of 120º

Therefore the value of the current in the red line is given by:

ir = Im

The yellow phase lags the red phase by 120º, hence the equation becomes:

iy = Im

The blue phase lags the red phase by 240º, hence the equation becomes:

ib = Im
With reference to the diagram given, the neutral current can be written in terms of the phase
currents by using Kirchhoff’s Current Law:

Using as our reference current we get:

From the diagram above all three phases have the same resistance (balanced load). Also the
phase voltages are equal to each other. Hence Im is the same for all three phases.

[ ]

[ ]

√ √
[ ]
 Ib=0.85A

c) Vbn=126V

49.4o

120o
120o Vrn=128V
o
120 50.2o
50.2o

Iy=0.85A

Vyn=128V
Ir=0.85A

Calculating the power factor for each phase:

Red phase:
64 therefore,

Yellow phase:
64 therefore,

Blue phase:
65 therefore,

The phasor below show the phase current and phase voltage for the inductive load.
d)

The power triangle can be used to calculate reactive power (R), from the real power.

(i) For the RED Phase,

REAL POWER:

REACTIVE POWER:

(ii) For the YELLOW Phase,

REAL POWER:
REACTIVE POWER:

(iii) For the BLUE Phase,

REAL POWER:

REACTIVE POWER:
 VR=81.9V
e)

Vbn=126V

VL=96.8V

VL=98.34V
48.8o

120o
120o
Vrn=128V
120o 48.8o
o
50.0

VR=81.92V

Vyn=128V

VL=98.34V VR=81.92V

The resistive voltage, VR and the inductive voltage, VL can be found for each phase by using the
following equations:
For the RED phase:

For the YELLOW phase:

For the BLUE phase:

5.2.4- DELTA CONNECTION
a) The relationship between the phase and line currents at the delta connected load is:

I1=0.85 I2=0.85 I3=0.81

Therefore, average phase current =0.83

Iry=1.80 Iyb=1.85 Ibr=1.83

Therefore, average line current =1.82

Now dividing line voltage by phase voltage we get:

In a star connected system the line current is higher than the phase current by a factor of √

Therefore, for a star connected load, the magnitude of the line current is 2.19 times the
magnitude of the phase voltage:

b) The relationship between the phase voltage VP and line voltage VL in a delta connected
load is:

The phase and line voltages are in phase.

c) Phasor diagram showing the phase currents, phase voltages and the line currents

Ib=1.83A
Vbr=224V

-I2
I3=0.81A

o
=22.5

-I1 120o Vry=223V

120o
o
I1=0.85A
120 o =24.1
o
=23.4

I2=0.85A -I3
Iy=1.85A Ir=1.8A

Vyb=224V
 Angle between phase and line currents:

Recall:

RED Phase:

( )

YELLOW Phase

( )

BLUE Phase

( )

Using the phasor diagram, the phase powers can be calculated as follows:

The phase powers, W1C, W2C, W3C, are each given by the product of the phase voltage and phase
current.

For a delta connection the phase voltage is equal to the line voltage and the phase current is
times smaller than the line current.
The power in one phase is given by the product of the voltage across the phase the current
through it and the power factor.

But from the phasor diagram and are in phase since the load is purely resistive. Hence
Now:

In one phase the power W is:

Total calculated phase power = + + = (189.55+ 190.40 + 181.44) W = 561.39 W

If the wattmeter was connected as illustrated in the lab manual (figure 1), then the wattmeter
is measuring line current and line voltage not the phase current. Therefore, using the formula:

Then the actual phase power that should be measured by the wattmeter.

Hence:
So:

√ √

Total measured phase power =

Total calculated phase power = 561.39 W

The new difference can now be accounted for by:

1. Energy losses in the circuit due to resistance of the connections and the wires used to
connect the circuit.
2. Differences in internal resistances of the wattmeter and ammeter and voltmeter