Overview
I wrote this course with the intention of removing the magic and mystique that surrounds the idea of three phase circuits. With that in mind, this course starts by reviewing single phase alternating current circuits including resistive, capacitive, and inductive circuits. This is a quick review emphasizing voltage, current, and power relationships in these three common circuit elements. Waveforms and their relationship to vectors is shown. Then most three phase circuits are shown to be nothing more than a number of single phase circuits. Then using some simple circuit techniques including Kirchoffs Voltage and Current Laws and Superposition, voltage, current, and power relationships in three phase circuits are easily seen. Also, a simple explanation of RMS voltages and currents, and the reason that RMS is used, is given.
This course was designed for both engineers in disciplines other than electrical, and electrical engineers who desire to deepen their understanding of three phase circuits. This course is more theoretical, but is easily adapted to the practical world of industrial and commercial electrical systems.
The material in this course is presented with numerous diagrams, waveforms, and vectors to help students understand how electrical power works. The material assumes some skill in basic mathematics, trigonometry, vector analysis, and the ability to convert between polar and rectangular co-ordinates. A calculator that does polar to rectangular and rectangular to polar conversions is very helpful in working through this material. Four templates to help apply this understanding to the real world are given for the students to use to help them in their work with three phase power.
The student must take a multiple choice quiz consisting of twenty (20) questions at the end of the course to obtain PDH credits. It is my intention that the material presented in this course help the students be better versed in three phase circuits, and therefore be more comfortable when working with engineers, technicians, and craftsmen in the field.
Specific Knowledge or Skill Obtained
This course teaches the following specific knowledge and skills:
- Definitions of specific electrical terms.
- Relationship between voltage, current, and power versus time for alternating current circuits.
- How to determine currents in three phase circuits when voltages and loads are known.
- How to replace a Delta three phase source with a Wye three phase source and vice versa.
- What phase sequence means and how a phase sequence indicator works.
Course
Click on the following link to the PDF document to review the course material before taking the quiz for credit.
A Unique and Understandable Way to Look at Three Phase Circuits
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