MECE 3320

MECE 3320 – Measurements & Instrumentation

Basic Concepts of Measurement Methods

Dr. Isaac Choutapalli

Department of Mechanical Engineering
University of Texas – Pan American
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Need for Measurements

 Several general needs: rate of flow in a pipe; mass flux of contaminants in a

river – flow quantities can be measured directly or indirectly.

 Measurements necessary for correlation of dependent variables: lift and drag

of various vehicles are dependent on density and velocity of flow.

 Measurements used as a diagnostic for determining various quantities:

velocity measurements to determine noise sources.

 Measurements for verification of theory.

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Basic Quantities
Quantity Unit Symbol Definition
The metre is the length of the path travelled by light in vacuum during
Length meter m
a time interval of 1/299 792 458 of second.
Mass kilogram kg It is equal to the mass of 1000 cc of water at 40C (maximum density).
The second is the duration of 9 192 631 770 periods of the radiation
Time second s corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the
ground state of the caesium 133 atom.
The ampere is that constant current which, if maintained in two
straight parallel conductors of infinite length, of negligible circular
Electric current ampere A cross-section, and placed 1 metre apart in vacuum, would produce
between these conductors a force equal to 2 x 10 -7 newton per metre
of length.
The kelvin, unit of thermodynamic temperature, is the fraction
Thermodynamic
kelvin K 1/273.16 of the thermodynamic temperature of the triple point of
temperature
water.
The mole is the amount of substance of a system which contains as
Amount of
mole mol many elementary entities as there are atoms in 0.012 kilogram of
substance
carbon 12; This value corresponds to the number of Avogadro
The candela is the luminous intensity, in a given direction, of a source
Luminous
candela cd that emits monochromatic radiation of frequency 540*10 12 hertz and
intensity
that has a radiant intensity in that direction of 1/683 watt per steradian

Source: www.themeter.net
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Derived Quantities

Derived quantity Name Symbol

area square meter m2
volume cubic meter m3
speed, velocity meter per second m/s
acceleration meter per second squared m/s2
wave number reciprocal meter m-1
mass density kilogram per cubic meter kg/m3
specific volume cubic meter per kilogram m3/kg
current density ampere per square meter A/m2
magnetic field strength ampere per meter A/m
amount-of-substance concentration mole per cubic meter mol/m3
luminance candela per square meter cd/m2
kilogram per kilogram, which may be
mass fraction kg/kg = 1
represented by the number 1

Source: physics.nist.gov
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General Measurement System

Calibration

Sensor Transducer Output

Stage Stage Stage

Signal conditioning stage

Process

Control
Stage
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Experimental Test Plan

Experimental test plan

(the way an experimental test is designed and executed)

System & Tolerance Data Reduction

Parameter Design Plan
Design Plan Design Plan

What question How good do How will I

am I trying the results Interpret the
to answer? need to be? resulting data?

What needs to Does my answer

be measured? make sense?
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Some Definitions

 Independent Variable: Variable that can be changed

independently of other variables.
 Dependent Variable: Variable that is affected by changes in one or
more other variables.
 Extraneous Variables: Variables that are not or cannot be
controlled during measurements.
 Parameter: A functional grouping of variables. E.g. Reynolds
number.
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Noise & Interference

 Noise: Random variation of

the value of a measured signal.
Interference: Undesirable
deterministic trends in the
measured value.

How do you minimize?

 Repetition
 Replication
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Strategies for a Good Test

Strategies for Good Experimental Results

Replication & Concomitant

Random Tests
Repetition Methods
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Calibration

How do you make sure that the reading given out by the
load cell is the correct weight of the car?
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Calibration Contd.
 A calibration applies a known input value to a measurement
system for the purpose of observing the system output value.

 The known value used for the calibration is called the

standard.

W2
W1

Voltage
W = f(V)
Load Cell Voltmeter

Weight
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Calibration Contd.
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Calibration Contd.

 Static Calibration: Describes the static input-output relationship

for a measurement system. ‘Static’ implies that the values of the
variable involved do not vary with time.
 Dynamic Calibration: Determines the relationship between an
input of known dynamic behavior and the measurement system
output.
 y 
 Static Sensitivity: Slope of the static calibration curve K   
 x  x  x
1

Range: The limits defining the operating range of the system (Full-
Scale Operating range - FSO)
 Resolution: The smallest increment in measured value that can be
discerned.
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Accuracy and Error

 True Value: The exact value of a variable.

 Measured Value: Value of the variable indicated by the

measurement system.

 Error = measured value – true value

 Accuracy: Degree of closeness to the true value.

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Random and Systematic Error
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Illustration of Random, Systematic Error & Accuracy

 Uncertainty of a measurement system is the result

of several interacting random, systematic errors,
calibration procedure and the standard used to provide
the known value.
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Instrument Errors

Overall Instrument Error

uc  e
2
1  e22  ............eM2 
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HW1, Quiz-1 Posted on Black Board