Electronic Measurements &

Instrumentation UNIT-I

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 1

Instrument : A device or mechanism used to
determine the present value of the quantity
under measurement.

Measurement: The process of determining

the amount of degree or capacity by
comparison(direct or indirect) with the
accepted standard of the system being used.

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 2

Block diagram of Instrumentation system

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 3

 The block diagram shown above is of basic
instrumentation system. It consist of primary
sensing element, variable manipulation
element, data transmission element and data
presentation element.
Primary sensing element
 The primary sensing element is also known as
sensor. Basically transducers are used as a
primary sensing element. Here, the physical
quantity (such as temperature, pressure etc.)
are sensed and then converted into analog
signal.
B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 4
 Variable conversion element
 It converts the output of primary sensing
element into suitable form without changing
information. Basically these are secondary
transducers.
Variable manipulation element
 The output of transducer may be electrical
signal i.e. voltage, current or other electrical
parameter. Here, manipulation means change
in numerical value of signal. This element is
used to convert the signal into suitable range.
B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 5
 Data transmission element
 Sometimes it is not possible to give direct read
out of the quality at a particular place (Example –
Measurement of temperature in the furnace). In
such a case, the data should transfer from one
place to another place through channel which is
known as data transmission element. Typically
transmission path are pneumatic pipe, electrical
cable and radio links. When radio link is used, the
electronic instrumentation system is called as
telemetry system.
Data presentation or controlling element
 Finally the output is recorded or given to the
controller to perform action. It performs different
functions like indicating, recording or controlling .

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 6

Advantages of Electronic Measurement
 1. Most of the quantities can be converted by
transducers into the electrical or electronic
signals.
 2. An electrical or electronic signal can be
amplified, filtered, multiplexed, sampled and
measured.
 3. The measurement can easily be obtained in
or converted into digital form for automatic
analysis and recording.

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 7

Advantages of Electronic Measurement
contd
 4.The measured signals can be transmitted
over long distances with the help of cables or
radio links, without any loss of information.

 5. Many measurements can be carried either

simultaneously or in rapid succession.

 6. Electronic circuits can detect and amplify

very weak signals and can measure the events
of very short duration as well.
B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 8
Advantages of Electronic Measurement
contd
 7. Electronic measurement makes possible to
build analog and digital signals. The digital
signals are very much required in computers.
The modern development in science and
technology are totally based on computers.

 8. Higher sensitivity, low power consumption

and a higher degree of reliability are the
important features of electronic instruments
and measurements.
B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 9
Performance characteristics of an instrument
The performance characteristics of an instrument
are mainly divided into two categories
1.Static characteristics
2.Dynamic characteristics
Static characteristics are defined for the
instruments which do not vary with time .The
various static characteristics are accuracy ,
precision, resolution , error, sensitivity,
threshold , reproducibility, zerodrift , stability
and linearity
B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 10
Static characteristics of an instrument
 Accuracy: The degree of closeness of a
measurement compare to the expected value.

 Precision: It is the measure of consistency or

repeatability of measurements do not differ.
The precision is composed of two characteristics
a)Conformity
b)Number of Significant figures

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 11

Static characteristics of an instrument
Conformity:
 Consider a resistor having true value as
2385692.0Ω, which is being measured by an
ohmmeter. Now, the meter is consistently
measuring the true value of the resistor. But
the reader, can read consistently, a value as 2.4
MΩ due to nonavailability of proper scale.
The value 2.4 MΩ is estimated by the reader
from the available scale. There are no
deviations from the observed value. The error
created due to the limitation of the scale
reading is a precision error.
B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 12
Static characteristics of an instrument
Significant figures:
The precision of the measurement is obtained from
the number of significant figures, in which the
reading is expressed. The significant figures
convey the actual information about the
magnitude and the measurement precision of the
quantity.
Eg: A resistance of 110Ω specified by an instrument
may be closer to109Ω or 111Ω.Thus there are 3
significant figures . While if it is specified as
110.1Ω or 109.9Ω.Thus there are now 4
significant figures .The latter with more
significant figures expresses a measurement of
great precision than the former.
B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 13
Static characteristics of an instrument

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 14

Static characteristics of an instrument

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 15

Static characteristics of an instrument
Error:
The deviation of the true value from the desired
value.

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 16

Static characteristics of an instrument

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 17

Static characteristics of an instrument

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 18

Static characteristics of an instrument

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 19

Static characteristics of an instrument

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 20

Static characteristics of an instrument

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 21

Static characteristics of an instrument

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 22

Dynamic characteristics of an instrument

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 23

Dynamic characteristics of an instrument

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 24

Voltmeters and Multimeters
 Basic meter: A basic d.c. meter uses a
motoring principle for its operation. It states
that any current carrying coil placed in a
magnetic field experiences a force, which is
proportional to the magnitude of current
passing through the coil. This movement of
coil is called D'Arsonval movement and basic
meter is called D'Arsonval galvanometer.

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 25

Voltmeters and Multimeters
D.C instruments:
 Using shunt resistance, d.c. current can be
measured. The instrument is
d.c.microammeter, milliammeter or ammeter.
 Using series resistance called multiplier, d.c.
voltage can be measured. The instrument is
d.c.milli voltmeter, voltmeter or kilo
voltmeter.
 Using a battery and resistive network,
resistance can be measured. The instrument is
ohmmeter
B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 26
Voltmeters and Multimeters
A.C instruments:
 Using a rectifier, a.c. voltages can be
measured, at power and audio frequencies.
The instrument is a.c voltmeter.
 Using a thermocouple type meter radio
frequency (RF) voltage or current can be
measured.
 Using a thermistor in a resistive bridge
network, expanded scale for power line
voltage can be obtained
B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 27
Basic Dc Voltmeter

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 28

Basic Dc Voltmeter

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 29

Multirange Voltmeter

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 30

Multirange Voltmeter

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 31

Multirange Voltmeter Problem

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 32

Solid State Voltmeter

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 33

Solid State Voltmeter
 Fig shows the circuit of an electronic
voltmeter using an IC opamp 741C.
 This is a directly coupled very high gain
amplifier. The gain of the opamp can be
adjusted to any suitable lower value by
providing appropriate resistance between
its output terminal Pin No. 6 and inverting
input Pin No. 2 to provide a negative
feedback.

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 34

Solid State Voltmeter
 The ratio R2/R1 determines the gain, provided
by the opamp.
 The 0.1 µF capacitor across the 100 k
resistance R2 is for stability under stray pick –
ups.
 Terminals 1 and 5 are called offset null
terminals.
 A 10 kΩ potentiometer is connected between
these two offset null terminals with its center
tap connected to a -5V supply. This
potentiometer is called zero set and is used for
adjusting zero output for zero input conditions.

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 35

Solid State Voltmeter
 The two diodes used are for IC protection.
Under normal conditions, they are non
conducting, as the maximum voltage across
them is 10 mV. If an excessive voltage, say
more than 100 mV appears across them, then
depending upon the polarity of the voltage,
one of the diodes conducts and protects the IC.
 A µA scale of 50 – 1000 µA full scale
deflection can be used as an indicator.
 R4 is adjusted to get maximum full scale
deflection.

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 36

Differential Voltmeter

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 37

Differential Voltmeter

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 38

AC Voltmeter Using Rectifiers

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 39

AC Voltmeter Using Rectifiers

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 40

AC Voltmeter Using HalfWaveRectifier

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 41

AC Voltmeter Using FullWaveRectifier

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 42

Multirange AC Voltmeter

B RAJANI KUMAR REDDY,ACADEMIC CONSULTANT,DEPT OF ECE 43