Signal Conditioning for

Electronic
Instrumentation
AC Bridges

MCT 3332 : Instrumentation and

Measurements
Dr. Hazlina Md Yusof
Department of Mechatronics Engineering
International Islamic University Malaysia

Analog Signal Conditioning

AC Bridges
Used to measure inductance and capacitances
Applied in communication systems and complex
electronic circuits
- Used for shifting phase, providing feedback paths for
oscillators or amplifiers, filtering out undesired signals
and measuring the frequency of audio signals

Operates on balanced condition

- Reactance and resistive
components are balanced

Analog Signal Conditioning

AC Bridges

Z1

Analog Signal Conditioning

AC Bridges

Analog Signal Conditioning

AC Bridges
Example 7
An AC bridge is in balance
with the following constants:
arm AB, R = 200 in series
with L = 15.9 mH R; arm BC,
R = 300 in series with C =
0.265 F; arm CD, unknown;
arm DA, = 450 . The
oscillator frequency is 1 kHz.
Find the constants of arm CD.

Analog Signal Conditioning

AC Bridges
a.k.a. Similar Angle
Capacitance Comparison Bridge
Bridge

j
-

Capacitance Comparison
Bridge
Example 8
A similar angle bridge is used to measure a
capacitive impedance at a frequency of 2kHz. The
bridge constant at balance are
C3 =100F
R1=10k
R2=50k

R3=100k

Find the equivalent series circuit of the unknown

impedance

Analog Signal Conditioning

AC Bridges
Inductance Comparison Bridge

Analog Signal Conditioning

AC Bridges
Maxwell Bridge

Quality factor, Q = ( Lx ) / Rx = C1 R1

Analog Signal Conditioning

AC Bridges
Hay Bridge

10

Analog Signal Conditioning

AC Bridges
Hay Bridge

11

Analog Signal Conditioning

AC Bridges
Schering Bridge

12

Analog Signal Conditioning

AC Bridges
Schering Bridge

13

Analog Signal Conditioning

AC Bridges
Wien Bridge

14

Analog Signal Conditioning

AC Bridges
Wagner Ground
Wagner Ground Connection
C
C5

C6

A
C

D
1

B
2

Wagner ground

C4

Diagram of Wagner ground

One way to control stray capacitances is by

Shielding the arms, reduce the effect of stray
capacitances but cannot eliminate them
completely.
Stray across arm
Cannot eliminate
Wagner ground connection eliminates some
effects of stray capacitances in a bridge circuit
Simultaneous balance of both bridge makes the
point 1 and 2 at the ground potential. (short C1
and C2 to ground, C4 and C5 are eliminated from
detector circuit)
The capacitance across the bridge arms e.g. C6
cannot be eliminated by Wagner ground.

15

Analog Signal Conditioning

AC Bridges

ENDS

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