In a delta system, how does the phase current compare to the line current?

In a delta system, the relationship between phase current and line current is defined by the configuration of the system itself. In a three-phase delta connection, each phase is connected in a closed loop, and the line current is the current flowing through each line leading to the delta configuration.

The correct understanding here is that the phase current is indeed less than the line current by a factor of approximately 1.732, which is the square root of 3. This occurs because in a delta connection, each phase current can be calculated as the line current divided by the square root of 3. This means that while the line current is the total current supplied to the entire system, each phase current is a portion of it and corresponds to the individual phases of the delta network.

To summarize, in a delta system, the way the currents interact due to the configuration results in the phase current being less than the line current by this fundamental factor, thereby justifying the selection of the correct answer.