MEASUREMENT OF VIBRATION USING PIEZOELECTRIC TRANSDUCER

Objectives
To understand the principle/operation of piezoelectric sensor for vibration
measurement.
To determine the calibration curve for the input output data
To calculate accuracy and non-linearity
Apparatus/Equipments required
Piezoelectric sensor kit with Motor assembly
Diital Multi Meter
Power supply
Description of Piezoelectric Sensor
! piezoelectric sensor is a device that uses the piezoelectric effect" to measure
chanes in pressure" acceleration" strain or force by convertin them to an electrical
chare. ! piezoelectric transducer has very hih D# output impedance and can be
modeled as a proportional voltae source and filter network. The voltae $ at the
source is directly proportional to the applied force" pressure" or strain. The output
sinal is then related to this mechanical force as if it had passed throuh the
e%uivalent circuit.
! detailed model includes the effects of the sensor&s mechanical construction and
other non-idealities. The inductance 'm is due to the seismic mass and inertia of the
sensor itself. #
e
is inversely proportional to the mechanical elasticity of the sensor.
#
(
represents the static capacitance of the transducer" resultin from an inertial mass of
infinite size. )
i
is the insulation leakae resistance of the transducer element. *f the
sensor is connected to a load resistance" this also acts in parallel with the insulation
resistance" both increasin the hih-pass cutoff fre%uency.

+i., #ircuit diaram of a typical Piezoelectric -ensor
Operating principle: Piezoelectric effect
Dependin on how a piezoelectric material is cut" three main modes of operation can
be distinuished. transverse" lonitudinal" and shear.
Transverse effect
! force is applied alon a neutral a/is 0y1 and the chares are enerated alon the
0/1 direction" perpendicular to the line of force. The amount of chare 0#
/
1 depends on
the eometrical dimensions of the respective piezoelectric element. 2hen dimensions
a" b" c apply"
#
/
3 d
/y
+
y
b/a
+re%uency response of a piezoelectric sensor4
output voltae vs. applied force
where a is the dimension in line with the neutral a/is" b is in line with the chare
eneratin a/is and d is the correspondin piezoelectric coefficient.
'onitudinal effect
The amount of chare produced is strictly proportional to the applied force and is
independent of size and shape of the piezoelectric element. 5sin several elements
that are mechanically in series and electrically in parallel is the only way to increase
the chare output. The resultin chare is
#
/
3d
//
+
/
n
2here d
//
is the piezoelectric coefficient for a chare in /-direction released by
forces applied alon /-direction 0in p#/61. +
/
is the applied +orce in /-direction and n
corresponds to the number of stacked elements. +orce applied and the element
dimension.
Signal Conditioning Circuit
+i., 7lock diaram for -inal #onditionin #ircuit
Piezoelectric sensors re%uire some precautions when connectin to sensitive
electronic components. +irst and foremost" the voltae levels created by hard shock
can be very hih" even around ,((-$ spikes.
More than likely" an op amp will be used to interface these sensors to an !/D
converter" either discrete or on a microcontroller. 8ne tip is to choose a hih-input-
impedance op amp to minimize current.
'ow pass +ilter Precision )ectifier
9ain !mplifier
Display -enso
r
-inal conditionin in a sinle stae can prepare the input from the shock sensor
directly into an !/D converter.
Eperimental Procedure
The voltae output from many measurement systems suffers from two primary
shortcomins.
,. The output voltae can be noisy.
:. The sensitivity of the output voltae can be lower than desired
To overcome the above problems" an electrical circuit is desined for conditionin the
output voltae from the sensor before displayin the sinal. The circuit will use
performs two primary functions" each of which is intended to compensate for one of
the above shortcomins.
The circuit will.
,. 'ow-pass filter the output sinal from the sensor. This will reduce the hih-
fre%uency noise in the sensor;s output voltae.
:. !mplify the output sinal from the sensor.
This will increase the sensitivity of the overall measurement.
+i.: </perimental setup for vibration measurement usin piezoelectric sensor
,. #alibrate the sensor to the measurement system
:. !d=ust the speed knob of the motor
>. Take readins for vibration by increasin value of speed
?. Plot the raph for velocity and acceleration
@. Determine the best fit straiht line usin least s%uares method.
A. #alculate the -ensitivity / !ccuracy / 'inearity
O!SE"#A$%O& $A!'E
S(&o
*nput 0v1
8utput
$elocity 0mm/s1 !cceleration0mm/s
:
1
,.
:.
>.
B.
?.
C.
@.
A.
D.
,(.
,,.
,:
,>
,B
,?
,C
Signature of staff/facult)
*ormula
!ccuracy 0E1 3 True value observed value / True value
6on linearity 0 E1 3 7est fit value - observed value / 7est fit value
"esults
!n e/periment is carried out to determine the calibration curve of piezoelectric
vibration sensor and static characteristics such as -ensitivity" !ccuracy and
6onlinearity. The calculated values are iven below.
,. <%uation of calibration curve for the input output data
:. -ensitivity of the piezoelectric vibration sensor.
>. Ma/imum non linearity . E
B. Ma/imum <rror. E