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Instrumentation & Measurements: Ruqia Ikram

The document discusses various instruments used to measure motion and displacement, including resistive potentiometers, linear variable differential transformers, variable capacitance transducers, variable inductance transducers, strain gauges, piezoelectric transducers, mechanical fly ball angular velocity sensors, revolution counters and timers, vibrometers, and accelerometers. For each instrument, the document describes the basic working principles, operational characteristics, sources of error, measurement ranges, and applications.

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jawad khalid
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29 views16 pages

Instrumentation & Measurements: Ruqia Ikram

The document discusses various instruments used to measure motion and displacement, including resistive potentiometers, linear variable differential transformers, variable capacitance transducers, variable inductance transducers, strain gauges, piezoelectric transducers, mechanical fly ball angular velocity sensors, revolution counters and timers, vibrometers, and accelerometers. For each instrument, the document describes the basic working principles, operational characteristics, sources of error, measurement ranges, and applications.

Uploaded by

jawad khalid
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Instrumentation & Measurements

Ruqia Ikram
Lecture 9,10

2 Institute of Space Technology (IST) Fall, 2019


Motion and displacement Measurements

 Resistive Potentiometer
 Linear variable differential transformer (LVDT)
 Variable capacitance transducer
 Variable inductance transducer
 Strain gauges
 Piezoelectric Transducer
 Mechanical Fly ball angular velocity sensor
 Revolution Counter and Timer
 Vibrometer
 Accelerometer

3 Institute of Space Technology (IST) Fall, 2019


Resistive Potentiometer

 It is one of most used displacement measuring devices


 It consists of resistance element with movable contact.
 A voltage Vs is applied across the two ends of resistor and an output
voltage V0 is measured.

 The body whose motion is being measured is connected to the sliding


element of the potentiometer.
 Types of potentiometer
 Wire-wound
 Carbon fiber
 Plastic film

4 Institute of Space Technology (IST) Fall, 2019


Resistive Potentiometer

Operational Problems
1. Dirt under slider.
2. High speed motion of slider can cause contact to slip.
3. Friction between slider and track.

 Life expectancy of potentiometer is quoted as number of


reversals.
 wire-wound, carbon-film and plastic-film types are 1 million, 5
million and 30 million respectively.

5 Institute of Space Technology (IST) Fall, 2019


Linear variable differential transformer
 It consists of transformer with single primary winding and two
secondary windings connected in series opposing manner
 The object whose translational displacement is to be measured is
physically attached to the central iron core of the transformer.
For an excitation voltage

the e.m.f.s induced in the secondary windings are given by:

The parameters 𝐾𝑎 and 𝐾𝑏 depend on the position of the iron core.


 For central position of core 𝐾𝑎 = 𝐾𝑏

 Core is displaced upwards i.e. towards winding A by distance x

6 Institute of Space Technology (IST) Fall, 2019


Linear variable differential transformer
 Core is displaced downwards (i.e. towards winding B) by a
distance x

 Magnitude of the output voltage V0 is the same in both cases but


phase differs between the two cases by 180°.
 There is no friction or wear during operation.
 Inaccuracy ±0.5%
 Span of measurement ±100µm to ±100mm
 Accuracy disturb due to harmonics in excitation voltage and stray
capacitance but it is less than 1%

7 Institute of Space Technology (IST) Fall, 2019


Variable Capacitance Transducer
 It is also used in displacement measurement.
 Most common forms of VCT

8 Institute of Space Technology (IST) Fall, 2019


Variable Capacitance Transducer
a) Capacitive plates are formed by two concentric hollow metal
cylinders. The displacement to be measured is applied to inner
displacement.
b) It consists of two flat parallel metal plates ,one is fixed and other is
moveable plate. Displacement are applied to movabe
plate.Capacitance changes as this moves.
c) a & b used air as dielectric medium. This form has two flat parallel
metal plates with a sheet of solid dielectric material between them.
Displacement measured cause capacitance change by moving
dielectric sheet.
 Inaccuracy ± 0.01%
 Displacement to
 No wear and friction

9 Institute of Space Technology (IST) Fall, 2019


Variable Inductive Transducer
 It has center-tapped single winding.
 Two halves of winding connected to form two arms of bridge circuit
that is excited with alternating voltage.
 When core is at center, output from bridge is zero.
 Displacement of core at either side cause net output voltage.
 It can measure as small range as 0-2mm or as large 0-5m

10 Institute of Space Technology (IST) Fall, 2019


Strain gauges
Strain gauges are normally used to measure
displacement within devices like diaphragm based
pressure sensors.
Working principle
 Strain gauges are devices that experience a change in
resistance when they are stretched or strained.
It consists of length of metal resistance wire formed into
zigzag pattern and mounted onto flexible backing sheet.
As strain is applied to gauge, shape of cross section of
resistance wire distort, changing cross-sectional area.
Input output relationship of strain gauge known as gauge
factor

11 Institute of Space Technology (IST) Fall, 2019


Strain gauges

 Strain gauges can be used to measure large displacement .For


this, displacement to be measured is applied to wedge fixed
between two beams carrying strain gauges.
 As beam is displaced downwards, beam are forced a part and
strained causing output reading on strain gauges .
 It can measure up to 50 mm.
 They are mainly 120,350,1000 ohms resistance.
 Mainly wire and foil type strain gauges.
 Wire type are now mostly replaced by metal foil
(nickel, copper alloy) or semi conductor type
(piezoelectric)
 Semi- conductor type are more expensive.

12 Institute of Space Technology (IST) Fall, 2019


Piezoelectric Transducer

 It is a force measuring device that is used in many instruments


that are measuring force, pressure and acceleration.
 It is also included in displacement transducer .Because its mode
of operation is to generate e.m.f that is proportional to distance by
which it is compressed.
 Manufactured from crystal of quartz or lithium sulphate.
 Crystal is compressed when charge is generated on the surface
that is measured as output voltage.
 Not suitable for static or slowly varying displacements as charge
leaks away over the period of time.
 High sensitivity about 1000 times better than strain gauges.
 Inaccuracy ±1%.

13 Institute of Space Technology (IST) Fall, 2019


Mechanical Fly Ball Angular Velocity Sensor

 Also known as centrifugal tachometer


 Velocity measuring device
 Used in speed governing systems for engines and turbines.
 Inaccuracy ±1%
 Can measure up to 40,000 rpm
 It consists of pair of spherical balls pivoted on rotating shaft.
These balls move outwards under the influence of centrifugal
forces. As rotational velocity of shat increases lift a pointer against
resistance of spring.
 Pointer is used for visual indication of speed

14 Institute of Space Technology (IST) Fall, 2019


Revolution Counter and Timer

 It is type of mechanical tachometer that is used to measure


velocity .
 It is used to count the revolutions of low speed engines(2000 -
3000rpm).
 It gives average rotational speed and not suitable for
instantaneous speed measurement.
 Timer is used to calculate time interval.

Vibrometer
 It is used to measure velocity of vibrating body .
 Measure low frequency
 Multiple range of sensitivity in one instrument.
 Frequency range depends upon different factors damping, its
natural frequency etc.

15 Institute of Space Technology (IST) Fall, 2019


Accelerometer

 It is used to measure acceleration of vibrating body.


 Measure high frequency .
 It has two types
 Piezoelectric accelerometer
 Capacitive accelerometer
 On basis of axes
 Uniaxial
 Biaxial
 Triaxial
Range ± 1g to ± 500 g
Low g’s accelerometer have high sensitivity .

16 Institute of Space Technology (IST) Fall, 2019

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