Shot Term Training

Programme on
Industrial Instrumentation

04/02/15

Syllabus
Basic concept of measurement, Transducers and their
classification, Measurement of non-electrical quantities
like Angular and Linear Displacement, Strain,
Vibration, Pressure, Liquid flow, Temperature, Force
and Torque. Instrumentation amplifiers, Data
acquisition and conversion, Digital signal transmission
and processing, Microprocessor based instrumentation.
Input and output devices and Displays.

04/02/15

INTRODUCTION
An instrumentation system is an assembly of
various
instruments
and
components
interconnected to measure analyse and
control the electrical, thermal hydraulic and
other non-electrical physical quantities.

04/02/15

Elements of Measurement System

The whole operation can be described in
terms of three functional elements. Each
functional element is made up of a distinct
component or group of components, which
performs required and definite steps in
measurement. These may be taken as basic
elements, whose scope is determined by their
functioning rather than their construction.
04/02/15

Elements of Measurement System

Primary sensing element

Variable conversion element
Data-presentation element
Terminating stage
Signal Conditioning
Transmitting element

04/02/15

Primary sensing element

The quantity under measurement makes its
first contact with primary sensing element of
a measurement system. Immediately after this
a transducer converts measured into an
analogous electrical signal. This is true in
most of the cases but in many cases the
measured quantity is directly converted into
an electrical quantity by a transducer.
04/02/15

Variable conversion element

The output of the primary sensing element may
be any kind of electrical signal. It may be a voltage, a
frequency or some other electrical parameter. Often this
output does not suit to the system. For the instrument to
perform the desired function, it may be necessary to
convert this output to some other suitable form while
retaining the original signal. The function of variable
manipulation element is to manipulate the signal .

04/02/15

Data-presentation element
The information about the quantity under
measurement has to be conveyed to the
personnel handling the instrument or the
system for monitoring control, or analysis
purposes. The information conveyed must be
in a form intelligible to the personnel.

04/02/15

Data-presentation element

cont..

These devices may be analogue or digital

indicating instruments like
Ammeters
Recorders like magnetic tapes,
High speed camera
Storage type CRT
Printers
Analogue and digital computers.

04/02/15

Terminating stage
The final stage in a measurement system is
known as terminating stage.
When a control device is used for the final
measurement stage it is necessary to apply
some feedback to the input signal to
accomplish the control objectives.

04/02/15

10

Signal Conditioning
Many a times one has to perform certain operations
on the signal before it is transmitted further. These
processes may be linear like amplification, alternation,
integration, differentiation addition and subtraction.
Some non-linear processes like modulation, detection,
sampling filtering, chopping and clipping etc. are
performed on the signal to bring to the desired form.
This is called signal conditioning.
In fact the element that follows the primary sensing
element in any instrument or instrumentation system
should be called signal-conditioning element.
04/02/15

11

Transmitting element
When the elements of an instrument are
physically separated, it becomes necessary to
transmit data from one to another.
The element that performs this function is
called a transmitting element.

04/02/15

12

Typical Instrumentation System

Consists of following operation.
Monitoring processes: - An instrumentation
system has an essential function of monitoring
the process. It simply indicates the value or
condition of parameter under the study in the
process.
04/02/15

13

Process Control
In order to control the process variables like
temperature, pressure, humidity etc. these quantities
must be measured at the desired location in the
processing plant. They are compared with the reference
or desired signal and the error signal is amplified to
operate the actuator in controlling the process. The
corrective action goes on till the controlled output is
same as the desired output, in that case the error signal
will be zero and the actuator will not operate.
04/02/15

14

TRANSDUCERS
A device, which converts one form of energy
into another form of energy, is called transducer.
For the field of electrical instrumentation
transducer is defined as a device, which converts
a physical quantity (or a physical condition) into
an electrical signal Transducer is often referred
as pick-up.

04/02/15

15

Type of Transducers

Primary Transducers
Secondary Transducers

04/02/15

16

Primary transducers
Primary transducers are detectors, which sense
a physical phenomenon.
The example of primary transducer is a
thermocouple, which senses the radiant energy
and directly converts it into an analogous
electrical output, which is a voltage.
04/02/15

17

Secondary transducers
Secondary transducers convert the analogous
output into on electrical signal.

04/02/15

18

Classification of transducers
The transducers can be active, that is self
generating type or passive, that is externally
powered.
Passive transducers derive the power required
for energy conversion from an external power
source. Potentiometers are the examples of
passive transducers.
04/02/15

19

Active transducers
(i) Thermoelectric,
(ii) Piezoelectric,
(iii) Photovoltaic
(iv) Magnatostrictive,
(v) Electro kinetic
(vi) Electrodynamic,
(vii) Electromagnetic,
(viii) Pyroelectric,
(ix) Galvanic
04/02/15

20

Passive transducers
(i) Resistive
(ii) Inductive
(iii) Capacitive
(iv) Photoconductive
(v) Magneto resistive
(vi) Thermo resistive
(vii) Elastoresistive

04/02/15

(viii) Hall effect

(ix) Synchro
(x) Gyro
(xi) Radio active
absorption
(xii) Ionic conduction

21

Basic requirements of Transducers

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

04/02/15

Ruggedness
Linearity
Repeatability
Convenient instrumentation
High stability & reliability
Good dynamic response
Excellent mechanical characteristics
Built-in integrated device with noise and
other defects minimized
22

Types of Detectors

Electrical Transducers
Pressure Transducers
Piezzo-electric Transducers
Oscillation transducers
Inductive Transducer

04/02/15

23

Advantages of Electrical transducer

over mechanical transducers
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Minimized friction
Minimized mass-inertia effect
Easy Electrical amplification
Very small power electrical/electronic system controlled
The electrical output can be easily used, transmitted and
processed for the purpose of measurement.
Miniaturization due to integrated circuits and use of
microprocessors.
Easy Data transmission etc.

04/02/15

24

MEASUREMENT
OF
DISPLACEMENT

04/02/15

25

Major electrical transducers for

displacement measurement

04/02/15

Variable
resistancePotentiometric/strain gauge
Variable inductance-LVDT/ variable
reluctance
Variable capacitance
Synchros and resolvers

26

Advantages of Synchros and resolvers

i. Infinite resolution
ii. No wear of rotation, except at slip rings
iii. System operating at much higher speed
iv. Relatively insensitive characteristics to stray
cable capacitances
v. High reliability and accuracy
vi. Useful operating angle of 360 degree and
capable of continuous rotations.
04/02/15

27

MEASUREMENT
OF
STRAIN

04/02/15

28

Types of strain gauges

Mechanical

gauges
Optical gauges
Electrical strain gauges

04/02/15

29

Types of electrical strain gauges

04/02/15

Wire gauges
i. Flat grid type
ii. Wrap around type
iii. Single wire gauge
iv. Woven type
Unbonded Strain gauges
Foil gauges
Semiconductor strain gauges
Thin film gauges
30

MEASUREMENT
OF
PRESSURE

04/02/15

31

Classification of transducers
1. Gravitational i.e. Manometer
2. Elastic type
Diaphragms
Capsule
Bourdon tube
Bellows

04/02/15

32

Transduction methods:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
04/02/15

Potentiometric Device
Strain Gauge transducer
Variable reluctance Sensor
LVDT type transducer
Variable capacitance Device
Thin Film Pressure transducer
Force Balance transducer
Piezoelectric Pressure Transducer
33

MEASUREMENT
OF
FLOW

04/02/15

34

Classification of Flow meters

1.

2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

04/02/15

Head type flow meter based on differential pressure

measurement i.e.Orifice plate, Ventury tube, Flow nozzle
and Pitot tube
Electromagnetic flow meter
Rotameter (Variable area meter)
Mechanical flow meter
Anemometer
Ultrasonic flow meter
Vortex flow meter

35

MEASUREMENT
OF
TEMPERATURE

04/02/15

36

Types of Temperature sensors

1.

2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

04/02/15

Mechanical temperature sensors

i. Liquid in glass thermometer
ii. Liquid filled systems
iii. Vapour pressure thermometer
Resistance type temperature sensors
Platinum resistance thermometer
Thermocouples
Thermisters
Solid state sensors
Quartz thermometer
Radiation thermometer
Optical pyrometer

37

MEASUREMENT
OF
FORCE AND TORQUE

04/02/15

38

Types of transducers
1. Force Measuring sensor Load cell:
i.
Column type device
ii.
Proving rings
iii. Cantilever beam
iv. Shear type load cell
v.
Pressducer
2. Digital force transducer
3. Force balance device
4. Hydraulic load cell
5. Electronic weighing system
04/02/15

39

Torque measuring transducers

1.
2.
3.
4.

04/02/15

Absorption type
Transmission type
Stress type
Deflection type

40

INSTRUMENTATION
AMPLIFIER

04/02/15

41

Important features
i. Selectable gain with high gain accuracy and gain

linearity
ii. Differential input capability with high common
mode rejection, even with sources having
unbalance high out put impedances
iii. High stability of gain with low temperature
coefficient
iv. Low DC offset and drift errors referred to input
v. Low out put impedance
04/02/15

42