What Is Phase Angle

The term “phase angle” refers to a specific point in the period of a cycle that is measured from some arbitrary zero and expressed as an angle. Furthermore, one of the most crucial aspects of a periodic wave is its phase angle.

What Is Phase Angle

The phase shift between total voltage and total electric current is described by a phase angle. Moreover, this corresponds to the phase shift between the active and overall voltage in the voltage triangle. The phase shift between the effective resistance vector and the impedance exists in the resistance triangle.

The Phase Angle is the angular aspect of a periodic wave. It’s a complicated quantity that’s measured in radians or degrees. The following is a depiction of any pure periodic wave. A∠θ, where A is the magnitude and θ denotes the phase angle of the wave.

Measurement of Phase Angle

When dealing with a periodic wave, the following steps can be used to calculate the phase angle.

Step 1: Note the Reference Points

The number of units of angular measure that lie between the reference point and the point on the wave can be used to calculate the phase angle. In addition, the reference point can be on the same wave or a separate wave.

The reference point for the Argand diagram’s real axis must be chosen from the projection of a rotating vector. The phase angle of a point on the wave is determined by the value of the point on the abscissa corresponding to that point.

Step 2: Graphing 

The graphing of the wave can be done on any conventional coordinate system in general. Furthermore, in the Cartesian plot, one entire wave cycle has a 360o phase angle.

What Is Phase Angle in Electrical

In electronics, where voltage and other sinusoidal waves are involved, the phase angle is extremely essential. The amount of electrical degrees of lag or lead between the voltage and current waveforms in an ac circuit is referred to as phase angle in electronics.

Relationships of Resonance Circuit

The RLC circuit is how experts refer to the resonance circuit. It also includes a capacitor, an inductor, and a resistor. The description of the voltage and current behavior of the RLC circuit regarding phase is particularly noteworthy.

Resistor 

In a resistor, the current and voltage are in the same phase. As a result, the phase discrepancies between these variables in a resistor are negligible.

Capacitor

The current and voltage present in a capacitor are not in phase with one another. The current in this apparatus would be 90 degrees ahead of the voltage. As a result, in a capacitor, the phase difference between them is 90 degrees.

Inductor

The current and voltage in an inductor are also not in sync with each other. The voltage in this device is 90 degrees ahead of the electricity. As a result, there is a 90-degree phase discrepancy between current and voltage.

What Is Phase Angle in AC Circuit

The concept of phase angle in an AC circuit quite reflects the relationship described as that of the resonance circuit. Voltage sources that change in time as a sine function are used in AC circuits. In other words, voltage versus time is plotted as a sine wave. 

When a sinusoidal voltage source is linked to a resistor, the current produced is also a sine wave that varies as a sine wave. Furthermore, no phase difference between voltage and current will exist. 

When the same voltage source is linked to an inductive load, the resulting current will still be a sine wave, but it will be out of phase with the voltage source. The current can be up to 90 degrees behind the supplied voltage. If a sine wave voltage source is linked to a capacitive load, the current generated will be out of phase.

Conclusion

Phase angle and phase difference are two of the prominent characteristics of circuitry. In electronics, where voltage and other sinusoidal waves are involved, the phase angle is extremely essential. The phase angle between voltage and current determines how much power is delivered in an AC system.