Electrical Supply

Systems
EPR-2-1

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introduction
 Two main types of voltages in use
◦ Direct current
◦ Alternating current

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introduction
 Alternating current system is varsetile since it
can be used by both A.C. and D.C.
Consumers.
 D.C. supply can be obtained from the A.C. by

rectifying the A.C. into D.C

 Direct current generators are expensive.


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Standard Voltages
 Extra low voltages:
◦ Up to 30 Vrms (A.C.) and 50 V (D.C.)
 Low Voltage:
◦ 250 V or less.
 Medium Voltages:
◦ 251 to 650 V
 High Voltage:
◦ 651 to 3000 V
 Extra-High voltages:
◦ More than 3000 V

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Standard Voltage
 It is impractical for the supply authorities to
maintain the same constant voltage at the
terminals of their customers due to voltage
drops in the distribution system as the loads
vary.

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Standard Voltage
 The acceptable variation under the electricity
regulation is ± 10% of the declared voltage.
 The permitted variation in frequency is ± 1%

of declared frequency.

 The majority of supply authorities throughout

the world provide a 3 phase a.c supply
system to consumers

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The 3 Phase Electricity Supply
System
 There are 4 distinct stages of a 3 phase
electricity system:
◦ Generation
◦ Transmission
◦ Distribution
◦ Utilisation

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The 3 Phase Electricity Supply
System

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Generator
 Voltage is generated at 11KV (Malawi)
 The generator has 2 main Parts:

◦ Startor
◦ Rotor
 But to fully operate, the generator needs two
additional parts
◦ Exciter
◦ Prime mover

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Generator

Electrical
PRIME output
ROTOR STATOR
MOVER (a.c.
voltage)

EXCITER
(dc
source)

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Principle of operation of a
synchronous generator
 Generator works on electromagnetic
induction principle which is based on
Faradays law

 “whenever there is a relative motion between

a magnetic field and a conductor, emf is
induced in that conductor”

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J.CHIKAPHONYA 5/27/19 12
Principle of operation of a
synchronous generator
 The rotor winding is continuously fed from a
dc source through brushes and slip rings
 The direct current flowing in the rotor

conductors produces a magnetic flux in the

air around it
 As the prime mover (turbine) drives the rotor,

the magnetic flux is carried with it.

 As it rotates, the flux cuts the stator

conductors thereby inducing an EMF in the in

them.

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Principle of operation of a
synchronous generator
 The stator conductors are placed at 120° to
each other, therefore the flux does not cut
the cut the conductors simultaneously but at
equal intervals
 The emf induced in one winding is identical

to that induced in the other, but it is out of

phase by 120°

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J.CHIKAPHONYA 5/27/19 15
Transmission
 Electricity is generated at 11KV, 22KV, and
33KV( in Malawi its is at 11KV)
 This generated voltage is stepped up by large

transformers to 66KV or 132KV

 Higher voltages are preferred during

transmission because losses are reduced

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Distribution
 The Transmission voltages are subsequently
reduced to distribution voltages of 33KV and
11KV for primary and secondary distribution
systems respectively
 The 11 KV is further reduced to 400V for non

domestic consumers or to 230V for domestic

consumers

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Substation arrangement for
11KV/400V
 The substation can provide a number of
supply systems, namely
◦ 3 phase, 4 wire supply system
◦ 3 phase, 3 wire supply system

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Single phase supply system
 Mainly used for domestic consumers
 Consists of any one of the live wires and a

neutral wire

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A.C. 3 phase, 4 wire system

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A.C. 3 phase, 4 wire system
 Consists of 3 single phase circuits with a
common earthed conductor know as the
neutral.
 The transformer secondary windings are

connected in star.
 The star point is then earthed and connected

to the neutral

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A.C. 3 phase, 4 wire system
 All three phase supplies are connected to the
three live conductors.
 Lighting, heating and other single phase

supplies are connected to one of the three

lines and the neutral.
 This type of system is the usual type of

supply for commercial institutions and

industrial premises of medium size

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A.C 3 Phase , 3 wire system

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A.C 3 Phase , 3 wire system
 Used in large loads which do not present
problems in load balancing over the three
phases eg motors.
 However, its main disadvantage is that no

single phase supplies can be taken from it.

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Star and delta connection
◦ If three phase windings are kept independent,
then six wires are needed to connect a supply
source (such as a generator) to a load (such as a
motor)
◦ To reduce the number of wires, these windings are
interconnected in two ways
 Star connection
 Delta connection
◦ Sources of three phased supplies are usually
connected in star where as 3phased transformer,
motor windings and other loads are connected in
either star or delta
Star connection
Star connection
 Outlets from each load are joined together to
form neutral point (star point)
 Voltages V V and V are called phase
R, Y B
voltages (VP), or line to neutral voltages.
 Voltages VRY, VYB and VBR are called Line
voltages.
Voltage and current relationship in
star connection
Delta Connection
 The end of one load is connected to the start
of the next load
Voltage and current relationship in
delta connection
 Line Voltages VRY, VYB and VBR are the
respective phase voltages (VP).
Power in a 3 Phase Balanced load
 P= I2R
 In A.C. circuits, we will need to define R in

terms of Impedance (Z).

 R= Z cos Ø

 Prove that power will be given as VI cos Ø

Power in a 3 Phase Balanced load
 Compare power in a star connected circuits
and delta connected circuit.

 When doing measurements, we can easily get

the line voltages. That’s why we use line
values to calculate power.
Types of power
 There are three types of power
i. Active power- the power drawn by the electrical
resistance of a system
ii. Apparent power-The product of the voltage and
the current in an a.c. circuit. It is the vector sum
of the active and the reactive power.
iii. Reactive power- Reactive Power is power stored in
and discharged by inductive loads
 The ratio between the active power and
apparent power is known as the power factor
Power factors
 Power factors are usually stated as "leading" or
"lagging" to show the sign of the phase angle.
 With a purely resistive load, the power factor
will be 1.
 Inductive loads e.g. transformers, motors and
wound coils - consumes reactive power with
current waveform lagging the voltage.
 Capacitive loads e.g. capacitor banks or buried
cables - generates reactive power with current
phase leading the voltage.

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