Single-Phase Power vs Three-Phase Power:

Single-Phase Power vs Three-Phase Power:

Both three-phase and single-phase devices can be powered from a three-phase supply. A three-phase circuit is a combination of three single-phase circuits. The current, voltage, and power relations of balanced three-phase AC circuits can be studied by applying the rules that apply to single-phase circuits.

The sine waves of three-phase voltage are separated by 120 electrical degree because they are generated by three separate sets of armature coils in an AC generator. These three sets of coils are mounted 120 electrical degrees apart on the generator’s armature. The coil ends could all be brought out of the generator to form three separate single-phase circuits, but they are conventionally interconnected so that only three or four wires are actually brought out of the generator.

Single-phase AC voltage with zero power factor has both voltage and current sine waves in phase, so they cross the zero line together twice in each cycle. Similarly, a plot of three-phase voltage sine waves, also with zero power factors as shown in the Figure, has all three voltage and current waves crossing the zero line twice each cycle together. Each of its three phases, V1, V2, and V3, is separated by 120 electrical degrees.