What is 3 Phase Power?
The first concept to understand about a 3-phase induction motor is the first part of its name – three-phase power.
A single-phase power supply uses two wires to provide a sinusoidal voltage. In a three-phase system, three wires are used to provide the same sinusoidal voltage, but each phase is shifted by 120°.
If you were to add up the voltage of each phase at any point in time, the sum would be constant. Single-phase power is fine for residential or other low-power applications, but three-phase power is typically required for industrial or higher-power applications.
It can transmit three times as much power while only using 1.5 times as much wire, and this makes for a more efficient and economical power supply.