Two-wire distribution system for supplying three-phase rural loads

Currently, the supply of electricity to rural districts is realized, in almost all cases, through single-phase medium-voltage overhead distribution lines. However, some of these installations will eventually demand the use of more expressive electrical loads, which makes the use of three-phase distribution systems a necessity, thus bringing about the substitution of the existing single-phase network. Some of the more usual techniques, based on power electronics, make the supply of three-phase loads possible from converters especially developed for single- to three-phase transformation. In this context, this article presents a new and innovative low-cost methodology, based on electromagnetic arrangements, without the use of power electronics, for attending to rural three-phase supply needs through the use of a new overhead two-wire distribution system. © 2013 Brazilian Society for Automatics - SBA.