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Lecture 1 INTRODUCTION

Introduction to sensors

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27 views21 pages

Lecture 1 INTRODUCTION

Introduction to sensors

Uploaded by

rutendochatiza
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Lecture 1

General Definitions
Sensor
• A device that responds to a physical stimulus.

• Any sensor is an energy converter. No matter what you try to measure, you
always deal with energy transfer between the object of measurement to the
sensor.

• The process of sensing is a particular case of information transfer, and any


transmission of information requires transmission of energy.

Transducer: A device that converts energy of one form into energy of


another form.

Actuator: A device or mechanism capable of performing a physical action.

Stimulus: The quantity that is sensed. Sometimes called the measurand.

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Sensor category by Stimulus

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Categories of Sensors
 Sensors can be classified into two basic categories:

 Analog (continuous)

 Examples: thermocouple, strain gauges, potentiometers.

 Discrete

a) Binary (on/off): Examples: Limit switch, photoelectric switches.

b) Digital (e.g., pulse counter): Examples: photoelectric array , optical

encoder .

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Categories of Sensors
 Sensors can also be classified as passive and active sensors:

 Active sensor is a sensor that requires an external power source, also called

parametric sensors.

 Examples: thermistors, strain gauges, capacitive or inductive proximity sensors

 Passive Sensor sensors that do not require external power sources, they are also

called self-generating sensors.

 Examples: thermoelectric sensors, solar cells, magnetic microphones,

piezoelectric sensors

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Classification of sensors

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Transducers
 A transducer is a device that gets an input in one physical form and converts
it to an output in another physical form.

 The transducers may be thought of consisting of 2 important and closely


related parts.

 These 2 parts are:

1. sensing element

2. transduction element

 In addition there may be many other auxiliary parts such as amplifiers and
other signal processing equipment, power supplies, calibrating and
reference sources and mechanical mounting features.

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Sensing element / detector element

 A detector or a sensing element is that part of a transducer


which responds to a physical phenomena.

 The response of the sensing element must be closely related to


the physical phenomena.

Transduction elements

 A transduction element transforms the output of a sensing


element to an electrical output.

 The transducer element in a way acts as a secondary transducer.

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 Factors influencing the choice of transducers
These factors are:
i. Operating principle
ii. Sensitivity
iii. Operating range
iv. Accuracy
v. Errors
vi. Transient and frequency response
vii. Stability and Reliability
viii. Operating environment

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Actuators
 Actuators: are hardware devices that convert a controller command signal into
a change in a physical parameter .

 A device or mechanism capable of performing a physical action

 ▪▪ The change is usually mechanical (e.g., position or velocity).

 An actuator is also a transducer because it changes one type of physical


quantity into some alternative form (e.g. electric current to rotational speed of
electric motor).

 A sensor monitors conditions and signals when changes occur. An actuator


receives a signal and performs an action, often in the form of movement in a
mechanical machine.

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Types of Actuators

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Requirements for interfacing
 Sensors and actuators almost never operate by
themselves.

 They are more often parts of more complex systems and


function within these larger systems.

 It is indeed a rare occurrence when the specifications of


sensors or actuators match the needs of the system.

 Therefore most sensors and actuators need to be


interfaced with the system in which they operate.
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Simple connection of sensors/actuators

 Block with Microprocessor

 Amplifier

 Driver

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Control implementation…

 sensor is a thermocouple and the actuator is a motor whose


speed is proportional to temperature (operating a fan to cool a
computer processor).

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PLC based Connection

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Input Devices

Magnetic reed proximity sensor; Hall proximity sensor; Inductive proximity sensor,
Capacity proximity sensor
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Input Devices

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Limit Switch
 Limit switch (mechanical): Binary contact sensor in which lever arm
or pushbutton closes or opens an electrical contact.

Some functions of the


Limit Switch
• End of travel indicator
• Start of a process step
• Reverse the arm
motion

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Output devices

• Displays

• electric motors

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