TN 324: Intelligent Instrumentation

TN 324: INTELLIGENT
INSTRUMENTATION
Instructor: Mr. Mwalongo M, R
(Assistant Lecturer)
Office No: AB 15 (Admin Block)
E-mail: [email protected]
LECTURE 2:
TRANSDUCERS
INTRODUCTION OF TRANSDUCERS
 A transducer is a device that converts one form of energy to

other form. It converts the measurand to a usable electrical
signal.
 In other words; it is a device that is capable of converting the
physical quantity into a proportional electrical quantity such
as voltage or current.
Pressure Voltage
BLOCK DIAGRAM OF TRANSDUCERS
o Transducer contains two parts that are closely related to
each other i.e. the sensing element and transduction
element.
o The sensing element is called as the sensor. It is device
producing measurable response to change in physical
conditions.
o The transduction element convert the sensor output to
suitable electrical form.
CHARACTERISTICS OF TRANSDUCERS
1. Linearity
2. Repeatability
3. Accuracy
4. High stability and reliability
5. Speed of response
6. Sensitivity
7. Small size
8. Ruggedness
TRANSDUCERS SELECTION FACTORS
1. Operating Principle: The transducer are many times
selected on the basis of operating principle used by them.
The operating principle used may be resistive, inductive,
capacitive, optoelectronic, piezo electric etc.
2. Sensitivity: The transducer must be sensitive enough to
produce detectable output.
3. Operating Range: The transducer should maintain the
range requirement and have a good resolution over the
entire range.
4. Accuracy: High accuracy is assured.
CONTD.
4. Cross sensitivity: It has to be taken into account when
measuring mechanical quantities. There are situation where
the actual quantity is being measured is in one plane and the
transducer is subjected to variation in another plane.
5. Errors: The transducer should maintain the expected input-
output relationship as described by the transfer function so
as to avoid errors.
7. Transient and frequency response : The transducer should
meet the desired time domain specification like peak
overshoot, rise time, setting time and small dynamic error.
CONTD.
8. Loading Effects: The transducer should have a high input
impedance and low output impedance to avoid loading effects.
9. Environmental Compatibility: It should be assured that the

transducer selected to work under specified environmental
conditions maintains its input- output relationship and does not
break down.
10. Insensitivity to unwanted signals: The transducer should be

minimally sensitive to unwanted signals and highly sensitive to
desired signals.
CLASSIFICATION OF TRANSDUCERS
The transducers can be classified as:
I. Active and passive transducers.

II. Analog and digital transducers.
III. On the basis of transduction principle used.
IV. Primary and secondary transducer
V. Transducers and inverse transducers.
ACTIVE AND PASSIVE TRANSDUCERS
• Active transducers :
• These transducers do not need any external source of power for

their operation. Therefore, they are also called as self
generating type transducers.
I. The active transducer are self generating devices which operate

under the energy conversion principle.
II. As the output of active transducers we get an equivalent

electrical output signal e.g. temperature or strain to electric
potential, without any external source of energy being used.
PIEZOELECTRIC TRANSDUCER
CLASSIFICATION OF ACTIVE TRANSDUCERS
ACTIVE AND PASSIVE TRANSDUCERS
 Passive Transducers :
I. These transducers need external source of
power for their operation. So they are not
self generating type transducers.
II. A DC power supply or an audio frequency
generator is used as an external power
source.
III.These transducers produce the output
signal in the form of variation in resistance,
capacitance, inductance or some other
electrical parameter in response to the
quantity to be measured.
CLASSIFICATION OF PASSIVE TRANSDUCERS
PRIMARY AND SECONDARY TRANSDUCERS
o Some transducers contain the mechanical as well as

electrical device. The mechanical device converts the
physical quantity to be measured into a mechanical signal.
Such mechanical device are called as the primary
transducers, because they deal with the physical quantity to
be measured.
o The electrical device then convert this mechanical signal

into a corresponding electrical signal. Such electrical device
are known as secondary transducers.
CONTD
o Ref fig in which the diaphragm act as primary
transducer. It convert pressure (the quantity to be
measured) into displacement (the mechanical signal).
o The displacement is then converted into change in
resistance using strain gauge. Hence strain gauge acts
as the secondary transducer.
According to Transduction Principle
CAPACITIVE TRANSDUCER:
oIn capacitive transduction transducers, the measurand is
converted to a change in the capacitance.
oA typical capacitor is comprised of two parallel plates of
conducting material separated by an electrical insulating
material called a dielectric. The plates and the dielectric may
be either flattened or rolled.
oThe purpose of the dielectric is to help the two parallel plates
maintain their stored electrical charges.
CAPACITIVE TRANSDUCER:
d
C = ε0 εr A / d
d is the separation distance of plates (m) Area=A
C is the capacitance (F, Farad)

ε0 : absolute permittivity of vacuum
εr : relative permittivity
A is the effective (overlapping) area of capacitor plates (m2)
Either A, d or ε can be varied.
ELECTROMAGNETIC TRANSDUCTION:
oIn electromagnetic transduction, the measurand is converted to
voltage induced in conductor by change in the magnetic flux, in
absence of excitation.
oThe electromagnetic transducer are self generating active
transducers.
oThe motion between a piece of magnet and an electromagnet is
responsible for the change in flux.
Current induced in a coil.
INDUCTIVE TRANSDUCER:
oIn inductive transduction, the measurand is converted into a

change in the self inductance of a single coil. It is achieved by
displacing the core of the coil that is attached to a mechanical
sensing element.
PIEZO ELECTRIC INDUCTION :
oIn piezoelectric induction the measurand is converted into a

change in electrostatic charge q or voltage V generated by
crystals when mechanically it is stressed as shown in fig.
PHOTOVOLTAIC TRANSDUCTION :
oIn photovoltaic transduction the measurand is converted to

voltage generated when the junction between dissimilar material
is illuminated as shown in fig.
Physics of Photovoltaic Generation
n-type
semiconductor
+ + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Depletion Zone
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
p-type
semiconductor
PHOTO CONDUCTIVE TRANSDUCTION:
oIn photoconductive transduction the measurand is converted to

change in resistance of semiconductor material by the change in
light incident on the material.
Transducer and Inverse Transducer
TRANSDUCER:
oTransducers convert non electrical quantity to electrical

quantity.
INVERSE TRANSDUCER:
o Inverse transducers convert electrical quantity to a non

electrical quantity.
PASSIVE TRANSDUCERS
• Resistive transducers :
o Resistive transducers are those transducers in which the resistance
change due to the change in some physical phenomenon.
o The resistance of a metal conductor is expressed by a simple
equation.
– R = ρL/A
– Where R = resistance of conductor in Ω
L = length of conductor in m
A = cross sectional area of conductor in m2
ρ = resistivity of conductor material in Ω-m.
RESISTIVE TRANSDUCER
There are 4 type of resistive transducers.
1. Potentiometers (POT)
2. Strain gauge
3. Thermistors
4. Resistance thermometer
POTENTIOMETER
o The potentiometer are used for voltage division. They consist
of a resistive element provided with a sliding contact. The
sliding contact is called as wiper.
o The contact motion may be linear or rotational or combination
of the two. The combinational potentiometer have their
resistive element in helix form and are called helipots.
o Fig shows a linear pot and a rotary pot.
STRAIN GAUGE
 The strain gauge is a passive, resistive transducer which converts the
mechanical elongation and compression into a resistance change.
 This change in resistance takes place due to variation in length and cross
sectional area of the gauge wire, when an external force acts on it.
RESISTANCE THERMOMETER
o Resistance of metal increase with increases in temperature.
Therefore metals are said to have a positive temperature
coefficient of resistivity.
o Fig shows the simplest type of open wire construction of platinum
résistance thermometer. The platinum wire is wound in the form of
spirals on an insulating material such as mica or ceramic.
o This assembly is then placed at the tip of probe
o This wire is in direct contact with the gas or liquid whose
temperature is to be measured.
o The resistance of the platinum wire changes with the change
in temperature of the gas or liquid
o This type of sensor have a positive temperature coefficient
of resistivity as they are made from metals they are also
known as resistance temperature detector
o Resistance thermometer are generally of probe type for
immersion in medium whose temperature is to be measured
or controlled.
THERMISTOR
o Thermistor is a contraction of a term “thermal resistor”.
o Thermistor are temperature dependent resistors. They are
made of semiconductor material which have negative
temperature coefficient of resistivity i.e. their resistance
decreases with increase of temperature.
o Thermistors are widely used in application which involve
measurement in the range of 0-60º. Thermistors are
composed of sintered mixture of metallic oxides such as
magnese, nickle, cobalt, copper, iron and uranium.
Contd.
o The thermistor may be in the form of beads, rods and discs.
o The thermistors provide a large change in resistance for small
change in temperature. In some cases the resistance of
thermistor at room temperature may decrease as much as 6%
for each 1ºC rise in temperature.
THERMOCOUPLES
See beck Effect
o When a pair of dissimilar metals are joined at one end, and
there is a temperature difference between the joined ends and
the open ends, thermal emf is generated, which can be
measured in the open ends.
o This forms the basis of thermocouples.
VARIABLE-INDUCTANCE TRANSDUCERS
o An inductive electromechanical transducer is a transducer

which converts the physical motion into the change in
inductance.
o Inductive transducers are mainly used for displacement
measurement.
VARIABLE-INDUCTANCE TRANSDUCERS
o The inductive transducers are of the self generating or the
passive type. The self generating inductive transducers use
the basic generator principle i.e. the motion between a
conductor and magnetic field induces a voltage in the
conductor.
o The variable inductance transducers work on the following
principles.
o Variation in self inductance -Read!!!!!
o Variation in mutual inductance-Read!!!!!
READING ASSIGNMENT
Read on:
Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT)

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TN 324: INTELLIGENT

Office No: AB 15 (Admin Block)

 A transducer is a device that converts one form of energy to

9. Environmental Compatibility: It should be assured that the

10. Insensitivity to unwanted signals: The transducer should be

The transducers can be classified as:

I. Active and passive transducers.

• These transducers do not need any external source of power for

I. The active transducer are self generating devices which operate

II. As the output of active transducers we get an equivalent

o Some transducers contain the mechanical as well as

o The electrical device then convert this mechanical signal

C is the capacitance (F, Farad)

oIn inductive transduction, the measurand is converted into a

oIn piezoelectric induction the measurand is converted into a

oIn photovoltaic transduction the measurand is converted to

oIn photoconductive transduction the measurand is converted to

oTransducers convert non electrical quantity to electrical

o Inverse transducers convert electrical quantity to a non

o An inductive electromechanical transducer is a transducer

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