There is still a lot of discussion that I believe revolves around the "single phase" vs. "two phase" argument. I completely stayed out of the 2500 post thread mostly because I thougth both "single phase" and "two phase" were equally correct.
Since then I've realized one name is more correct than the other name (at least in the mathmatical sense).
So how do we decide what to call single phase, and what to call two phase? I don't think that has been answered yet.
The general principle in math is to keep problems as simple as possible. If we can work a problem using only real numbers ,1,2, 3, 4.... and -1,-2,-3,-4.... that's how we work the problem. We don't add complex numbers or multiple dimensions.
For example, if we add 2+2=4, it is a one dimensional problem. We don't say its 2+0i + 2 +2i = 4 + 0i. Working the problem that way gives the correct answer, but its much more complex than necessary.
Likewise, if we are working a physics problem that deals in two dimensions (maybe the path of a projectile motion), we don't normally worry about the third dimension, and we certainly don't add a 4th dimension.
The same applies to AC circuits - we don't call a delta system a 12 phase system when we only have to work with 3 phases. We should only call a system 2 phase if there is some reason we can't work out all the details of a circuit by considering only one phase.
Since then I've realized one name is more correct than the other name (at least in the mathmatical sense).
So how do we decide what to call single phase, and what to call two phase? I don't think that has been answered yet.
The general principle in math is to keep problems as simple as possible. If we can work a problem using only real numbers ,1,2, 3, 4.... and -1,-2,-3,-4.... that's how we work the problem. We don't add complex numbers or multiple dimensions.
For example, if we add 2+2=4, it is a one dimensional problem. We don't say its 2+0i + 2 +2i = 4 + 0i. Working the problem that way gives the correct answer, but its much more complex than necessary.
Likewise, if we are working a physics problem that deals in two dimensions (maybe the path of a projectile motion), we don't normally worry about the third dimension, and we certainly don't add a 4th dimension.
The same applies to AC circuits - we don't call a delta system a 12 phase system when we only have to work with 3 phases. We should only call a system 2 phase if there is some reason we can't work out all the details of a circuit by considering only one phase.