SENSORS and

ACTUATORS
Control Systems
Instrumentation

Lecture notes
Instructor: Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 1 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Lecture 7 (Week 7):
Sensor Based on Magnetic Field
(Inductive Sensor)

Main contents
1. General principle
2. Inductive proximity sensor
3. Magnetic flow sensor
4. Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT)

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 2 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 General Operational Principle
1. Basic concept:
- Operational principle of Inductive sensors /
transducers / transmitter is based on the
electrical principle of inductance.
- Inductance is the phenomenon in which, the
magnetic field produced in the coil of wire, will
oppose the flow of current in it.
- So thus the inductance will restrict the current
flow and reduces the circuit performance.

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 3 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 General Operational Principle
1. Basic concept:
- As the target approaches the sensor head, the Eddy current loss increases and
oscillation amplitude becomes smaller accordingly. The rectified signal and
distance have an approximate proportional relationship. The linearization
circuit corrects the linearity to obtain a linear output that is proportional to the
distance.

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 4 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 General Operational Principle
1. Basic concept:

The output is linearly corrected for three materials

[stainless steel (SUS304), iron, and aluminum].

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 5 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 General Operational Principle
1. Basic concept: An inductive displacement sensor that can offer an analog
voltage or analog current output.

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 6 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 General Operational Principle
1. Basic concept:

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 7 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Inductive proximity sensor
Inductive proximity switch: is an inductive displacement sensor which basically
used for detection of metallic objects with digital output
The Figure shows the construction of inductive proximity switch which has four
components: the coil, oscillator, detection circuit and output circuit.

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 8 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Inductive proximity sensor
Operational principle

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 9 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Inductive proximity sensor
Application and installation:
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TEOCHrnotrk&t=305s

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 10 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Inductive proximity sensor
Application and installation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR_xkSuWgR4

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 11 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Inductive proximity sensor
Datasheet reading and using: source https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gO5IF5tfuGk

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 12 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Inductive proximity sensor
Sensor connection:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYdKN0jaxLs

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 13 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Inductive proximity sensor
Connection PNP and NPN for sensor

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 14 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Inductive proximity sensor
Application to measure velocity
https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=YeXlmdlXp2s&feature=youtu.be

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 15 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Magnetic Flow meter sensor
Magnetic flow meters is used to get the velocity of a liquid in a pipe.
Magnetic flow meters consist of a nonmagnetic flow tube, liner, electrodes and
electromagnets to generate a magnetic field.

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 16 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Magnetic Flow meter sensor
Operational Principle:
A conductive fluid is passed through the pipe. As the fluid passes, its motion
relative to magnetic field produces an 𝑉𝑒𝑚𝑓 proportional to velocity of fluid. It is
given by Faraday’s law
E Vemf B.D.V
V: velocity of fluid [m/s]
B: magnetic field strength
D: diameter of pipe

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 17 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Magnetic Flow meter sensor
Application
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6xJJyNDgeE

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 18 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT)
A linear variable differential transformer (LVDT) is a displacement sensor that
looks like a transformer. This transformer has primary and two secondary
windings (coils) with the magnetic connection between them depending on the
position of the core, which is made of a ferromagnetic material. The position of the
core changes with the displacement to be measured.

Two secondary coils having equal number of turns

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 19 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT)
Operational principle:
An AC input sinusoidal voltage is
applied to the primary of the
LVDT. When the core moves right,
the magnetic coupling between the
primary and the right secondary (S2)
becomes stronger, and therefore the
induced voltage (E2) is increased. At
the same time, the connection
between the primary and the left
secondary gets weaker, and the
induced voltage (E1) in that circuit
becomes smaller. Thus:

Eout = Es1 − Es 2 → Eo If Core moves left

Eout = Es1 − Es 2 → Eo If Core moves right

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 20 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT)
Operational principle:
The differential voltage in the secondary coil
determines the distance moved, and the
direction of movement. If we convert
Eout into a DC signal, we can determine the
amount of the core displacement.

Es1

Es 2

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 21 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT)
Operational principle:
The voltage from the first secondary (Vs1 =Es1) is rectified by means of the half-
wave rectifier created by D1 and the upper R and C. Similarly, the rectified version
of Vs2 =Es2 appears at node B. The output is the difference between these two DC
voltages, i.e., Vout = V1 - V2.

Vs1

Vs 2

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 22 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT)
Characteristics

Eo = Es 2 − Es1

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 23 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT)
Operational principle: video

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 24 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT)
Application: video

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 25 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT)
Application:

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 26 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT)
Application:

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 27 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 HCMUTE Univ. - FME
https://fme.hcmute.edu.vn/

Lecture notes info

Sensors and Actuators
Fall Semester, 2021
------------------------------------------------

© Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

Email: [email protected]
Sites: https://sites.google.com/view/halenhungocthanh/courses?authuser=0

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 28 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.