ESE 3217 Lec 03

ESE 3217
Instrumentation and Control

Lecture 03- Measurement system & Instrumentation
Part 2
References
1. Instrumentation and Process Control - Franklyn W. Kirk,

Thomas A. Weedon, Philip Kirk
2. A Real-Time Approach to Process Control - William Y.
Svrcek, Donald P. Mahoney, Brent R. Young
Functional Elements of a measurement system
Functional Elements of a measurement system
Measurement system consists of several elements or blocks. It is possible to identify four types of element, although in
a given system one type of element (transmission) may be missing.
Functional Elements of a Measurement System
➔ Sensing element / Sensor: Interact with medium/process & produces an output related to the variable
measured. If there is more than one sensing element in a system, the element in contact with the process is
termed the primary sensing element, the others secondary sensing elements.
➔ Signal Conditioning Element: Converts & manipulate the output of sensing element to more suitable as DC
V/I/f.
Signal Conditioning Element = [Conversion Elem (Transducer) + Manipulation Elem].
◆ Variable Conversion Element / Transducer : It converts the output of primary sensing element into
suitable form without changing information.
◆ Variable Manipulation Element: This element is used to convert the signal into suitable range.
➔ Signal transmission element: Data Transmission System is simply used for transmitting data from one element
to another. Data Conditioning Element and Data Transmission System are together called as the intermediate
stage of an instrument.
Transmitter = [Sensing E + Conditioner E + Transmission E].
➔ Signal processing element: Converts signal to a form of more suitable for presentation (ADC, microcomputer).
➔ Data presentation element: Pointer & Scale, Digital display, or Another transmission to Controller
Temperature Measurement
Methods of measuring temperature include

1. Change of state
2. Expansion:
(a) Bimetal thermostats
(b) Liquid in glass
(c) Liquid in metal
3. Pressure type:
(a) Gas filled
(b) Vapour pressure filled
4. Electrical:
(a) Resistance
(b) Thermocouple
Temperature Measurement
Bimetal thermostats
Thermocouples
When two dissimilar metal or alloy wires are joined together at both ends to form a loop and a difference in
temperature exists between the ends, a difference in junction potentials exists resulting in a thermoelectric
electromagnetic field (emf). This is known as the Seebeck effect, after Seebeck’s 1821 discovery of this
phenomenon. The magnitude of the emf will depend on the types of materials used and the temperature
difference. This is the concept behind a thermocouple for measuring temperature.
Thermocouple Types
Base metal thermocouple types:

1. Constantan/copper, type T: -75–93◦C (TP) or 93–371◦C (TN)
2. Constantan/chromel, type E: 0–316◦C (EP) or 316–971◦C (EN)
3. Constantan/iron, type J: -73–427◦C (JP) or 427–760◦C (JN)
4. Alumel/chromel, type K: 0–277◦C (KP) or 277–1149◦C (KN)
5. Nicrosil/nisil, type N: 0–277◦C (NP) or 277–1149◦C (NN)
Noble metal thermocouple types:

1. Platinum + 10% rhodium/platinum, type S: -18–538◦C (SP) or
538–1149◦C (SN)
2. Platinum/platinum + 13% rhodium, type R: up to 1480◦C
depending on sheath materials used
3. Platinum + 5% rhodium/platinum + 20% rhodium, type B: up to
1700◦C depending on
sheath materials used
Thermocouple Characteristics
Flow Measurement
Flow measurement techniques can be divided into the
following categories: 6. Quantity or total flowmeters, such as
1. Obstruction-type meters, such as (a) Positive displacement
(a) Orifice plates (b) Sliding vane
(b) Flow nozzles (c) Bellows type
(c) Venturi tubes (d) Nutating disc
(d) Pitot tubes (e) Rotating piston
(e) Dall tubes (f) Turbine type
(f) Combinations of (a) to (e) 7. Magnetic flowmeters
(g) Elbow and target meters 8. Vortex meters
2. Rotational or turbine meters 9. Mass flowmeters, such as
3. Variable area meters/rotameters (a) Coriolis effect flowmeters
4. Ultrasonic and thermal-type meters (b) Thermal dispersion flow meters
5. Square root extractors for obstruction-type meters
Selection of a flowmeter is based on obtaining the optimum measuring accuracy at the minimum price.
It should be noted that flowmeters may use up a substantial amount of energy, especially when
used in low pressure vapour service. Therefore they should only be provided when necessary.
Obstruction-type meters
Orifice plates are simple, inexpensive, and replaceable.
A flow nozzle is a primary flow element consisting of a
restriction shaped like a curved funnel that allows a little
more flow than an orifice plate and reduces the straight run
pipe requirements.
A venturi tube is consisting of a fabricated pipe section with
a converging inlet section, a straight throat, and a diverging
outlet section. The static pressure connection is located at
the entrance to the inlet section. The reduced pressure
connection is in the throat. Much more expensive than
orifice plates but are more accurate and recover 90% or
more of the differential pressure. This reduces the burden
on pumps and the cost of power to run them. Venturi tubes
are frequently used to measure large flows of Water.
A low-loss flow tube is a primary flow element consisting of
an aerodynamic internal cross section with the low-pressure
connection at the throat. A low-loss tube is very expensive
but has the highest recovered differential pressure of any
primary flow element at 97%. Low-loss tubes are often used
in applications where the line pressure is low and therefore
the pressure recovery must be high.
A pitot tube is a flow element consisting of a

small bent tube with a nozzle opening facing into
the flow. The nozzle is called the impact opening
and senses the velocity pressure plus the
static pressure. The static pressure is sensed at
the pipe wall perpendicular to the fluid stream.
Pitot tubes are commonly used to measure air
velocity.
Vortex Shedding Meters
A vortex shedding meter is an electrical

flowmeter consisting of a pipe section with a
symmetrical vertical bluff body (a partial dam)
across the flowing stream. A vortex shedding
meter uses the formation of vortices as its
principle of operation. A vortex is a fluid moving
in a whirlpool or whirlwind motion. Alternating
vortices are formed and travel downstream at
a frequency that is linearly proportional to
the speed of the flowing fluid. The frequency
of release of the vortices can be measured with
ultrasonic sensors.
Positive-displacement flowmeter
A positive-displacement flowmeter is a
flowmeter that admits fluid into a chamber
of known volume and then discharges it.
The number of times the chamber is filled
during a given interval is counted. This
type of meter is commonly used for
measuring total flow in homes and
factories. The chambers are arranged so
that as one is filling, the other is being
emptied. This action is registered by a
counting mechanism. The total flow for a
given interval is determined by reading the
counters.
Assignments
1. Magnetic meter, or magmeter

2. Ultrasonic flowmeter
Pressure Measurement
Pressure Measurement
MANOMETERS
A manometer is a device for measuring pressure with a
liquid-filled tube. A manometer is the simplest device for
measuring pressure. In a manometer, a fluid under pressure
is allowed to push against a liquid in a tube. The movement
of the liquid is proportional to the pressure. Water is the most
common liquid used in manometers. Other liquids may be
used as long as the densities are known.
Manometer Operation
In operation, different pressures are applied to the two halves
of the U-tube. One column may have atmospheric pressure
applied while the other column is connected to the process.
This is used to measure gauge pressure. For example, to
measure the draft of a boiler, the manometer has one end of
the tube connected to the breeching or the flue and the other
column open to air to measure the pressure difference.
Diaphragms (mechanical sensor)
Diaphragms
A diaphragm is a mechanical pressure
sensor consisting of a thin, flexible disc
that flexes in response to a change in
pressure. Pressure-sensing diaphragms
are commonly made of steel, stainless
steel, titanium, beryllium copper, bronze,
rubber, or other materials.
Bourdon tube pressure sensor
Diaphragms (Electrical sensor)
A resistance pressure transducer

is a diaphragm pressure sensor with
a strain gauge as the electrical
output element. Resistance pressure
transducers are the most widely
used electrical pressure transducers.
A strain gauge is a transducer that
measures the deformation, or strain,
of a rigid body as a result of the
force applied to the body.

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ESE 3217

Instrumentation and Control

1. Instrumentation and Process Control - Franklyn W. Kirk,

Methods of measuring temperature include

Base metal thermocouple types:

Noble metal thermocouple types:

A pitot tube is a flow element consisting of a

A vortex shedding meter is an electrical

1. Magnetic meter, or magmeter

A resistance pressure transducer

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