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Lecture Notes 2

1. The document discusses the characteristics and types of sensors. A good sensor should have high sensitivity, linearity, resolution, and low noise and power consumption. 2. Sensors are classified based on the quantity measured, such as temperature, pressure, force, speed, and light. They can also be active or passive based on their power requirements. 3. Key parameters to consider when selecting a sensor for an application include the variables measured, dynamic range, required resolution and sensitivity, accuracy, environmental conditions, available power, cost, size, ease of use, and required signal processing.

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33 views2 pages

Lecture Notes 2

1. The document discusses the characteristics and types of sensors. A good sensor should have high sensitivity, linearity, resolution, and low noise and power consumption. 2. Sensors are classified based on the quantity measured, such as temperature, pressure, force, speed, and light. They can also be active or passive based on their power requirements. 3. Key parameters to consider when selecting a sensor for an application include the variables measured, dynamic range, required resolution and sensitivity, accuracy, environmental conditions, available power, cost, size, ease of use, and required signal processing.

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Arpit Sharma
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Babu Banarasi Das National Institute of Technology & Management

Sensor and Instrumentation KOE034

Lecture Notes

Faculty : Shivam Dixit Course : B.Tech – CSE 3 Semester

Characteristics of Sensors

A good sensor should have the following characteristics

1. High Sensitivity: Sensitivity indicates how much the output of the device changes with unit
change in input (quantity to be measured). For example the voltage of a temperature sensor
changes by 1mV for every 1oC change in temperature than the sensitivity of the sensor is said to be
1mV/oC.

2. Linearity: The output should change linearly with the input.

3. High Resolution: Resolution is the smallest change in the input that the device can detect.

4. Less Noise and Disturbance.

5. Less power consumption.

Types of Sensors

Sensors are classified based on the nature of quantity they measure. Following are the types of
sensors with few examples. Sensor classification

1. Based on the quantity being measured


Temperature: Resistance Temperature Detector (RTD), Thermistor, Thermocouple
 Pressure: Bourdon tube, manometer, diaphragms, pressure gauge
 Force/ torque: Strain gauge, load cell
 Speed/ position: Tachometer, encoder, LVDT
 Light: Photo-diode, Light dependent resistor

2. Active and passive sensors:


Based on power requirement sensors can be classified as active and passive.
Active sensors are those which do not require external power source for their functioning.
They generate power within themselves to operate and hence called as self-generating type.
The energy for functioning is derived from the quantity being measured. For example
piezoelectric crystal generate electrical output (charge) when subjected to acceleration.
Passive sensors require external power source for their functioning. Most of the resistive,
inductive and capacitive sensors are passive (just as resistors, inductors and capacitors are
called passive devices).

3. Analog and digital sensor:


An analog sensor converts the physical quantity being measured to analog form (continuous
in time). Thermocouple, RTD, Strain gauge are called analog sensors.
A digital sensor produces output in the form of pulse. Encoders are example of digital
sensors.

4. Inverse sensors:
There are some sensors which are capable of sensing a physical quantity to convert it to
other form and also sense the output signal form to get back the quantity in original form.
For example a piezoelectric crystal when subjected to vibration generates voltage. At the
same time when a piezo crystal is subjected to varying voltage they begin to vibrate. This
property make them suitable to use in microphone and speakers.

Sensor Selection Criteria

The following parameters need to be keep in mind while selecting a sensor for application

1. Variables measured and application


2. Dynamic range
3. Required resolution and sensitivity
4. Required accuracy and precision
5. Environmental conditions
6. Power available for sensing
7. Availability
8. Cost
9. Size and available space
10. Ease of use
11. Ease of maintenance
12. Required signal processing

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