Module 3

AC Circuits and Three phase

systems

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 AC circuits
Symbols used
i or i(t) - instantaneous value of current wave form (sinusoidal)
Im - Maximum value of current
- phasor representation of current
I - rms value of current
φ - phase angle (e.g, phase angle of current phasor w.r.to reference phasor)
Phase of an alternating quantity – is the fraction of time period that
has elapsed since it has last passed from the selected origin
-Two alternating quantities of same
frequency are said to be in Phase,
if they reach zero or maximum
value at the same time

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-If two alternating quantities of same frequency have different zero
points, then they have a Phase difference between them. It may be in
terms of lag/lead
-The angle ‘φ’ by which an alternating
quantity lags/leads other alternating
quantity of same frequency is called
Phase angle

Phasor representation of alternating quantities

Phasor – A phasor is a rotating vector
- A sinusoidal quantity can be represented by a phasor, rotating in
anticlockwise direction with an angular velocity ‘ω’ rad/sec

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- A full cycle of a sine wave can be represented by the rotation of a
phasor through 360◦
- The instantaneous value of a sine wave at any point is equal to the
vertical distance from the tip of the phasor to the horizontal axis
- The length of the phasor represents the maximum value (here, V m) of
the waveform and the angle (θ or ωt) it makes with x-axis is called its
phase
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- Alternating quantities of same frequency can be represented in the
same phasor diagram as shown below

- Here, v = VmSinωt and i = ImSin(ωt-φ)

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 Forms of phasor representation
- The voltage, current and other parameters of an AC circuit may be
represented by using complex numbers.
- A complex quantity may be represented in any of the following forms
1. Rectangular form
- Here the phasor is represented in terms of
horizontal and vertical components with an
operator ‘j’
V = A+jB
2. Polar form
- Here the phasor is represented in terms of its magnitude and phase
angle w.r.to the reference axis.
Let phasor V = A+jB.
The polar form becomes, V = r<θ,
where and θ = tan-1(B/A)

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3. Trigonometric form
V = r (cosθ ± jsinθ)
4. Exponential form
- here the phasor is represented as

j operator
-When a phasor is multiplied by j (= ), the phasor is rotated through
90◦ in anticlockwise direction.
-Each successive multiplication by ‘j’ results
in rotating the phasor through an additional
90◦ in anticlockwise direction

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Impedance
- The opposition offered by a circuit against the flow of ac
current through it.
- It is a complex quantity
- In an ac circuit, impedance = voltage/current
- In general, impedance Z = R±jX
Where, R=real part (resistance of circuit, R)
X=imaginary part ( reactance of circuit, XC or XL)

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 AC through pure Resistive circuit
Consider a circuit as shown.
Let, applied voltage be v=VmSinωt
By Ohm’s law, current i = v/R = (VmSinωt)/R
i.e, i = ImSinωt
Where, Im = Vm/R is the maximum value of current.
From voltage and current equations, it is clear that they are in phase.
The phasor diagram can be drawn as shown.
Power
Instantaneous power = v i
= VmSinωt ImSinωt
= Vm Im Sin2ωt =

Average power for one complete cycle can be calculated by using the
equation, where P(t) is the instantaneous power and T is

the time period (here T = 2π, T of voltage and current waveform)

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On simplifying, Pavg = (VmIm)/2 = (Vm/√2) x (Im/√2) = Vrms Irms
(Average value of over one complete cycle (2π) is zero)

- The voltage, current and power waveforms are shown below.

- Impedance of this circuit in complex form = R+j0

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 AC through pure inductive circuit
Consider a circuit as shown.
Let, applied voltage be v=VmSinωt
Due to inductance (L) of the coil, a self induced
Emf is induced in the coil which opposes the
applied voltage.
i.e, VL = L(di/dt)
Applying KVL in the above circuit, v – VL = 0
i.e, Vm Sinωt – L(di/dt) = 0
di = (Vm/L)Sinωt dt
i = ʃ di = (Vm/ωL) Sin(ωt-90)
i = Im Sin(ωt-90)
Where, Im = (Vm/ωL) is the maximum value of current.
The term (ωL) is called inductive rectance (XL), which is the opposition
offered by the inductor against the flow of ac current through it.
From voltage and current equations, it is clear that current lags behind
voltage by an angle 90.
The phasor diagram is shown above.
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Power
Instantaneous power = v i = VmSinωt ImSin(ωt-90)
= -Vm Im Sinωt Cosωt = - (VmIm/2) Sin2ωt
Average power for one complete cycle = 0 (Because, on integrating
Sin2ωt from 0 to 2π, we get 0)
i.e, Power consumed in a pure inductive ac circuit is 0.
-The voltage, current and power waveforms are shown below.
-Impedance of the circuit in complex
form is 0+jXL

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 AC through pure capacitive circuit
Consider a circuit as shown
Let, applied voltage be v=VmSinωt
The charge in the capacitor, q = C Vc = C VmSinωt
Current in the circuit, i = (dq/dt)

= C Vm ω Cosωt

i=

i = Im Sin(ωt+90)
Where, Im = (Vm ωC) is the maximum value of current.

The term (1/ωC) is called capacitive reactance (XC), which is the opposition
offered by the capacitor against the flow of ac current through it.

From voltage and current equations, it is clear that voltage lags behind
current by an angle 90. The phasor diagram is given above.
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Power
Instantaneous power = v i = VmSinωt ImSin(ωt+90)
= Vm Im Sinωt Cosωt = (VmIm/2) Sin2ωt
Average power for one complete cycle = 0 (Because, on integrating
Sin2ωt from 0 to 2π, we get 0)
i.e, Power consumed in a pure capacitive ac circuit is 0.
-The voltage, current and power waveforms
are shown in the figure.
- Impedance of the circuit in complex form
is 0-jXc

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 AC through series R-L circuit
Consider the circuit shown.
Let, applied voltage be, v=VmSinωt
Voltage across resistor, VR = IR (in phase with I)
Voltage across inductor, VL = IXL (leading current by 90◦)
From phasor diagram, applied voltage(v) is the resultant of VR and VL
i. e,

-The term is called the impedance of R-L

circuit.
-From the phasor diagram it is clear that current lags behind the voltage
by an angle ‘φ’. i.e, current i = ImSin(ωt-φ)
-From phasor diagram,
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Power
In a series R-L circuit, power is consumed by resistor alone.
Average power, P = VR I
Where VR = VCosφ (from phasor diagram)
i. e, P = VICosφ
The term Cosφ is called power factor of the circuit.
- The voltage, current and power waveforms are shown in the figure.
- Impedance of the circuit in complex form, Z= R+jXL

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 AC through series R-C circuit
Consider the circuit shown.
Let, applied voltage be, v=VmSinωt
Voltage across resistor, VR = IR (in phase with I)
Voltage across capacitor, VC = IXC (lagging current by 90◦)
From phasor diagram, applied voltage(v) is the resultant of VR and VC
i. e,

- The term is called the impedance of R-C

circuit.
-From the phasor diagram it is clear that current leads the voltage by an
angle ‘φ’. i.e, current i = ImSin(ωt+φ)
- From phasor diagram,
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Power
In a series R-C circuit, power is consumed by resistor alone.
Average power, P = VR I
Where VR = VCosφ (from phasor diagram)
i. e, P = VICosφ
The term Cosφ is called power factor of the circuit.
- The voltage, current and power waveforms are shown in the figure.
- Impedance of the circuit in complex form, Z= R-jXC

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