INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROL

TUTORIAL 2 – SENSORS AND PRIMARY TRANSDUCERS

This tutorial provides an overview of instrument sensors used in process and automatic
control. It is useful to anyone studying measurement systems and instrumentation but it is
provided mainly in support of the EC module D227 – Control System Engineering. This
tutorial is mainly descriptive.

Control is a broad concept and the following might apply to an automated system such as
a robot or to a process control system such as a pneumatic valve controlling the flow of
steam in a pipe.

On completion of this tutorial, you should be able to do the following.

• Explain a basic measurement system.

• Explain the basic working principles of a variety of temperature sensors.

• Explain the basic working principles of a variety of pressure sensors.

• Explain the basic working principles of a variety of speed transducers.

• Explain the basic working principles of a variety of flow meters.

• Explain the basic working principles of a variety of force gauges.

• Explain the basic working principles of a variety of displacement gauges.

• Explain the basic working principles of a variety of level (depth) gauges.

• Explain in some detail the theory and use of strain gauges.

In order to complete the theoretical part of this tutorial, you must be familiar with basic
mechanical and electrical science.

 D.J.Dunn 1 www.PAControl.com