THE TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF KENYA

Haile Selassie Avenue, P. O. Box 52428, Nairobi, 00200, Tel: +254 (020) 343672, 2249974, 2251300, 341639,
Fax: 2219689, E-mail: vc@kenpoly.ac.ke, Website: www.tukenya.ac.ke

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT

School of Electrical and Electronics Engineering
Bachelor of Technology Year 2

SECTION A

INTERCONNECTION OF THREE PHASE POWER SOURCE

OBJECTIVES

 To define the star and delta configurations of a three phase power source
 To verify the relationship between phase and line voltages in a three phase power source
 To display phase shift of a three phase power source in an oscilloscope

THEORY

Fig. 1

Fig. 1 shows a simplified three-phase generator. Three windings, phase-shifted 120º in space, are influenced
by a rotating field, generated by the inductor (magnetic field) in rotary way (rotor). Then, induced voltages
of equal value are generated in all the three windings (equal number of turns).

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In star connection of three phase power source, similar ends say ‘start’ ends of three coils (it could be
‘finishing’ ends also) are joined together at point N or neutral point or star point. The ratio between the
phase to phase voltage and phase to neutral voltage is expressed by the formula: VL = √3VP

In delta or mesh connection, the dissimilar ends of the three phase windings are joined together. The phase
voltage is equal to the line voltage, VP = VL

EQUIPMENT AND INSTRUMENTS

 Power supply unit, model PSU-T/EV

 Experiment module MCM2T/EV
 Dual-trace oscilloscope
 Multimeter

CIRCUIT DIAGRAMS

Fig. 2

PROCEDURE

1. Connect the circuit in star configuration, the common point represents neutral, then power the
circuit and measure the rms values of voltages at the points indicated in table 1 then switch off the
power.
2. Connect the circuit in delta configuration, the neutral point is not significant any longer, then
power the circuit and measure the rms values of voltages at the points indicated in table 2 then
switch off the power.
3. Connect the three-phase source in star configuration. Using a dual-trace oscilloscope, connect the
ground of this instrument to point N, channel 1 to point R and channel 2 to point S. Power the

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 circuit and check the phase shift between R-S, S-T and T-R with the same method (set the probes
to a multiplicity factor of 10)

Table 1: Star connected source

Voltage (V) R-N S-N T-N R-S S-T T-R

Table 2: Delta connected source

Voltage (V) R-S S-T T-R T-N

Table 3: Phase shift

Phase shift in degrees R-S S-T T-R

DISCUSSION
i. Analyze the three sets of results above.
ii. State the necessity of interconnecting separate phases of a three phase power source.
iii. Why does star connected alternator require less number of turns per phase as compared to that
required by delta connected one to give the same line voltage?
iv. Why is delta connected source, at normal distribution voltage (refer to standard voltage
distribution in Kenya), not suitable for supplying lighting as well as power loads?
SECTION B

INTERCONNECTION OF THREE PHASE BALANCED LOAD

OBJECTIVES

 To connect a three phase balanced load in star and to determine the relationship among line,
phase and neutral currents
 To connect a three phase balanced load in delta and to determine the relationship between phase
and line currents

THEORY

Two principle methods of connecting separate phases of a three phase system are the star and delta
connections. In a star network, if a three-phase load consists of three impedances of equal value,
the currents crossing the phases are equal. In this case, the load is "balanced", the neutral conductor
is not crossed by any current, IN = 0. The intensity of line currents is equal to that of phase currents,
IL = IP. In delta connected system, line currents are √3 times phase currents, IL = √3IP

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PRE LAB EXERCISE

1. A star connected 3-phase load has an impedance of (6 + j8) Ω in each branch. A line to line
voltage of 220 V is impressed through a 3-phase transformer. Find the voltage across each
branch, line voltages and line currents.
2. In a 3-phase 4-wire 400/230 V system, a lamp of 100 watts is connected to one phase and neutral
and another lamp of 200 watts is connected to the second phase and the neutral. Calculate the
voltage across each lamp when the neutral is disconnected.
3. Three coils each of impedance (4 + j3) Ω are connected in delta across 400 V, 50 Hz supply. Find
the current in each coil, line current, active, reactive and apparent powers.
4. A 3-phase delta connected load, each phase of which has an impedance (25 + j40) Ω is fed from
the secondary of 3-phase star connected transformer which has phase voltage of 240 V. Draw the
circuit diagram of the system and calculate (a) the current in each phase of the load (b) the
voltage across each phase of the load and (c) the current in the transformer secondary windings.

EQUIPMENT
 Power supply unit, model PSU-T/EV
 Experiment module MCM2T/EV
 Multimeter

CIRCUIT DIAGRAMS

Figure 3: Star connected load

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 Fig. 4: Delta connected load

STEPS FOR STAR CONNECTED LOAD

1. Connect the circuit as shown in fig 3; neutral conductor to point 13, jumpers J1, J2 and J3 fully
inserted.
2. Measure the intensity of each line current connecting an ammeter in place of the connecting
cables R-8, S-18 and T-19 respectively.
3. Measure the intensity of current of each phase of the star connected load. Disconnect the
respective jumper every time before connecting the ammeter, for instance, between the points 11-
12 for phase R.
4. Switch off the circuit and disconnect all jumpers
STEPS FOR DELTA CONNECTED LOAD

1. Connect the circuit as shown in fig 4; two resistors prearranged in the load section in series to
each phase, jumpers J4, J5 and J6 fully inserted
2. Measure the intensity of line currents connecting an ammeter in place of connecting cables R-24,
S-29 and T-34 respectively

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 3. Measure the intensity of current of each phase of the delta-connected load. (Disconnect the
respective jumper every time, before connecting the ammeter, for instance, between points 25 -
26 for phase R)
4. Switch off the circuit and disconnect all jumpers
Table 4: Star connected load

Line currents Phase currents Neutral

IRL ISL ITL IRP ISP ITP IN

Table 5: Delta connected load

Line currents Phase currents Neutral

IRL ISL ITL IRP ISP ITP IN

DISCUSSION

i. State the necessary conditions for an entire 3-phase system to be balanced.

ii. A lamp load is being supplied from a 400 V, 3-phase, 4-wire a.c supply system. If a 3-phase
induction motor is now switched on across the same supply, then neutral current will (a) increase
instantly (b) decrease instantly (c) remain unchanged (d) unpredictable.
iii. Explain your answer in (ii) above.
iv. From the test results, analyze the behavior of the currents in the two circuits experimented.

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