Department of Electrical Engineering

Instrumentation and Measurements

ELEN-3121

Measurement Signal Transmission

Unit 11

Engr. Muhammad Arslan Yousaf (M.Sc.)

 Department of Electrical Engineering

Introduction
• Processes are recorded / controlled in a control room that is most of
the time located far away from the measuring instrument.
• Transmission of measurement signal over a long distance is
therefore a need and there are many problems associated with the
long-distance signal transmission.
• Contamination of the measurement signal by noise is the most
serious problem.
• Radiated electromagnetic fields from electrical machinery and
power cables, induced fields through wiring loops, transient
voltages produced due to the switching and lighting impulse on the
power supply are the main sources of electrical noise.

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Modes of signal transmission

Measurement signal can be transmitted by different ways, in either
analogue or digital format:

– Electrical transmission
– Optical transmission
• Fiber-optic transmission
• Optical wireless transmission
– Pneumatic transmission
– Radio-telemetry transmission

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Electrical transmission
• Transmission of the measurement signal as a varying analogue
voltage is the simplest form of electrical transmission
• However, this can cause the measurement signal to become
corrupted by noise.
• In order to reduce the noise, signals can either be transmitted in the
form of varying current, or else it can be superimposed on an a.c.
carrier system.

• Types of electrical transmission

– Transmission as varying voltages
– Current loop transmission

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Transmission as varying voltages

• Most of the signals already exist in an electrical form as varying
analogue voltages and the mode of transmission is easy as signal
remains in the same form. But special measures must be taken to
overcome the signal attenuation and noise problems.
• A major disadvantage of this transmission is the possibility that the
voltage at the indicator (voltmeter) will be less than the voltage at
the signal source, due to line resistance and indicator current draw.

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Transmission as varying voltages

• This drop in voltage along the conductor length constitutes a
measurement error from the transmitter to the indicator.
• Signal attenuation can also be compensated by the signal amplification at
the input to the transmission system.
• Signal amplification prior to transmission is essential if a reasonable signal
to- noise ratio is to be obtained after transmission.
• Shielding consists of surrounding the signal wires in a cable with a metal
shield that is connected to earth and help reducing the noise.
• Voltage signals are still used in many applications because of their
extreme design simplicity. One common signal standard is 0-10 volts and a
more common voltage range is 1-5 volts, which makes use of the live zero
concept for circuit fault indication.

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 Department of Electrical Engineering

Current loop transmission

• The signal-attenuation effect of conductor resistances can be
minimized if varying voltage signals are transmitted as varying
current signals.
• Current loop transmission uses currents in the range between 4mA
and 20mA to represent the voltage level of the analogue signal.
• Two voltage-controlled current sources are used, one providing a
constant 4mA output that is used as the power supply current and
the other providing a variable 0–16mA output that is scaled and
proportional to the input voltage level.
• A positive, non-zero current level is used to represent a zero value of the
transmitted signal and it enables transmission faults to be readily
identified.

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Current loop transmission

Precision Digital

4 to 20 mA analog current loop

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Current loop transmission

REAL PARS

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Fiber-optic transmission
• Light, instead of electricity is used as medium of transmitting
information
• Noise caused by neighbouring electromagnetic fields is almost
eliminated
• Optical signal attenuation along a fiber-optic link is much less than
electric signal attenuation along an equivalent length of metal
conductor.
Fiber-optic cables and transducers.

• Fiber-optic cables are used for signal transmission in three distinct ways
– Relatively short fiber-optic cables
– longer fiber-optic cables are used to connect remote instruments to controllers
– Longer links are used for data transmission systems in telephone and computer
networks

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 Department of Electrical Engineering

Pneumatic transmission
• Pneumatic transmission consists of transmitting analogue signals as
a varying pneumatic pressure level that is usually in the range of
3– 15 𝑝𝑠𝑖.
• Frequently, the initial signal is in the form of a varying voltage level
(0-5/10V) that is converted into a corresponding pneumatic
pressure.
• In few examples of the pneumatic transmission, the signal is
available in varying current form and current-to-pressure converter
is used to convert the current signal (4-20mA) into pneumatic
signals prior to transmission.
• Pneumatic transmission provides similar levels of noise immunity to
current loop transmission, but the transmission speed is much less
than the electrical or optical transmission.

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 Department of Electrical Engineering

Radio telemetry
• Radio telemetry is normally used over transmission distances up to
400 miles.
• It can be extended by special techniques to provide communication
through space over millions of miles.
• Radio telemetry is also commonly used over quite short distances to
transmit signals where physical electrical or fiber-optic links are
difficult to install or maintain.
• Radio telemetry has an advantage over optical wireless transmission
through an air medium- radio waves are attenuated much less by
obstacles between the energy transmitter and receiver.
• Radio telemetry usually performs better than optical wireless
telemetry and is therefore used much more commonly.

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FM signal transmission

Radio transmission using FM/FM system.

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Thank you for your attention!

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