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Generation of Polyphase Voltage

1) Polyphase circuits generate multiple independent voltage waves from armature windings displaced at specific angles, with three-phase being most common. 2) A three-phase alternator has three coils displaced 120 degrees, inducing sinusoidal voltages 120 degrees out of phase. 3) Phasor diagrams represent the magnitude and phase relationship between the voltages, with phase sequence ABC when tracing coils in one direction.
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
479 views7 pages

Generation of Polyphase Voltage

1) Polyphase circuits generate multiple independent voltage waves from armature windings displaced at specific angles, with three-phase being most common. 2) A three-phase alternator has three coils displaced 120 degrees, inducing sinusoidal voltages 120 degrees out of phase. 3) Phasor diagrams represent the magnitude and phase relationship between the voltages, with phase sequence ABC when tracing coils in one direction.
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POLYPHASE CIRCUITS

GENERATION OF POLYPHASE VOLTAGE


The alternating currents and voltages that were previously discussed in the preceding
chapters are single-phase voltage and current because they consist of a single alternating voltage
and current wave. A single-phase alternator has only one armature winding as shown in the figure
below. But if the number of armature windings is increased, then it becomes polyphase
alternator and it produces as many independent voltage waves as the number of windings or
phases. These windings are displaced from one another by specific angles being determined by
the number of phases.
In two-phase alternators, the armature windings are displaced 90 electrical degrees
apart. A three-phase alternator has three independent armature windings which are 120
electrical degrees apart. Hence the voltages induced in the three windings are 120 o apart in
time phase.
Three-phase systems are the most common, although, for certain jobs, more number of
phases is also used.
In the figure below is shown a two-pole, stationary armature, rotating-field type three-
phase alternator. It has three armature coils A, B and C displaced 120 o apart from one another.
When the poles are rotated as shown in the figure (Fig. 3) it is found that the emf induced in
conductor A reaches its maximum and emf in conductor B reaches its maximum value 120o
later than the maximum value in conductor A. In like manner, the maximum emf induced in
conductor C would occur 240o later than in conductor A. thus the three coils have three emfs
induced in them which are similar in all respects except that they are 120o out of time phase
with one another as in the figure (Fig 6). Each voltage wave is assumed to be sinusoidal and
having maximum value of Em.
Assuming sinusoidal voltage variations, and using the emf of phase A as the reference,
the following equations may be written for the voltages in a three-phase system:
ea = Em sin α
eb = Em sin (α-120o)
ec = Em sin (α-240 o)
For the two phase system:
ea = Em sin α
eb = Em sin (α-90 o)
Fig. 1. SINGLE PHASE ALTERNATOR

Fig. 2. TWO PHASE ALTERNATOR


Fig. 3 THREE PHASE ALTERNATOR
Fig. 4. THREE PHASE ALTERNATOR AND THE VOLTAGE GENERATED

A
90o

Fig. 6. VECTOR DIAGRAM OF THE TWO


Fig. 5. VECTOR DIAGRAM OF THE THREE
PHASE VOLTAGES OF A TWO PHASE
PHASE VOLTAGES OF A THREE PHASE
ALTERNATOR
ALTERNATOR
PHASE SEQUENCE

Comparing these equations (below) with respect to their wave diagrams, (Fig. 4), it should be
understood that the order of the phases , or the phase sequence is ABC for the three phase systems and
AB for the two system.

Three phase Two phase

ea = Em sin α ea = Em sin α
eb = Em sin (α-120o) eb = Em sin (α-90 o)
ec = Em sin (α-240 o)

The phase sequences can be readily be changed by reversing the direction of rotation of the field
winding (rotor) in figs 3 and 4 under this condition they would be ACB for three phase and BA for two
phase. Once the phasor sequence of the generator is established, the order in which the lne wires are
connected to the load will determine how the load will behave. A three phase induction motor, for
example will rotate in one direction and if two wires are interchanged the motor will reverse its direction
of rotation. When the loads are stationary and unbalanced, consisting of various combinations of R, L and
C, two completely different sets of calculated values will be obtained for the two phase sequences.

PHASOR NOTATION IN POLYPHASE CIRCUITS.

Although the effective voltages developed in the different phases of an ac generator (alternator)
are numerically equal, their phasor positions are determined by the manner in which the windings are
arranged in the machine. Phasor directions are properly specified only when the symbols indicate how
the winding circuits must be traced to yield the correct phase displacement. Thus in the figure below,
the voltage of phase A is ahead of the voltage in phase B by 120 elec deg when phase A is traced from a
to A and phase B is traced from b to B; similarly the voltage of phase C lags behind the voltage of phase B
by 120 elec deg when phase C is traced from c to C and phase B is traced from b to B. It is therefore logical
to represent phasor quantities by a double subscript notation indicating how the circuit is being traced.

Fig. 7. WINDINGS OF A THREE PHASE


ALTERNATOR
Figure 8 shows a convenient scheme of notation for three phase and two phase alternator windings and
their corresponding voltaes.

THREE PHASE DIAGRAMS

TWO PHASE DIAGRAMS

Fig. 8. WINDING AND PHASOR DIAGRAMS WITH THE DOUBLE SUBSCRIPT NOTATION

When three phase windings are interconnected, it is frequently necessary to trace a winding in an
opposite direction to determine the resultant voltage. Under such conditions the phasors are merely
reversed and the opposite subscript notations are applied to the quantities.

THREE PHASE TWO PHASE

Fig. 9. PHASORS WITH REVERSED-SUBSCRIPT NOTATION


Illustrations of winding interconnections to determine the magnitude and direction of resultant
voltages.

Fig. 10. RESULTANT VOLTAGES OF INTERCONNECTED ALTERNATOR COILS

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