ME 306 Chapter 1.

MEASUREMENT AND INSTRUMENTATION SYSTEMS

CLASSIFICATION OF MEASUREMENT INSTRUMENTS

Measurement devices involve the use of instruments as a physical means of determining

quantity and value of some physical variable being measured. These measurement

instruments may be classified as follows:

1. Analog and Digital Instruments

(Previously explained in Class Notes_2)

2. Passive (Self-Operated) and Active (Power-Operated) Instruments

a) Passive (Self-Operated) Instruments:

Figure: pressure measurement with a Passive (Self-Operated) Instrument

■ Example of a passive instrument is the shown pressure gage. The pressure of the fluid

is translated into a movement of a pointer against a scale. The energy expended in

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ME 306 Chapter 1. MEASUREMENT AND INSTRUMENTATION SYSTEMS

moving the pointer is from the measured pressure and there are no energy inputs to

the system.

■ The Passive (or Self-Operated) instrument has its output signal that is entirely

produced by the physical system and the quantity being measured.

■ This instrument type does not require any outside power for its operation; the output

energy is supplied totally by the input signal from the physical system.

Other examples include:

▪ Mercury-in-glass thermometer,

▪ Pressure-actuated temperature gage,

▪ U-tube manometer,

▪ Bourdon tube pressure gage

b) Active (Power-Operated) Instrument:

Figure: Float-type tank level measurement with an Active (Power-operated) Instrument

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ME 306 Chapter 1. MEASUREMENT AND INSTRUMENTATION SYSTEMS

■ An example of an active instrument is a float-type tank level indicator shown in the

Figure.

■ As the liquid level rises in the tank, the float is raised. Its arm causes the wiper

(potentiometer arm) to move over the potential divider whose output terminals are

connected to a voltmeter.

■ As a float rises, a greater part of the potential divider resistance is included in the

output circuit giving an increased output voltage.

■ The output voltage is proportional to the liquid level.

■ The energy in the output voltages signal comes mainly from the external power

source.

■ The Active (or Power-operated) instruments are those instruments which require

some auxiliary external source of power (such as electricity, compressed air, hydraulic

supply, etc.) for their operation.

■ The external power source is usually in electrical form, but in some cases, it can be

other forms of energy such as a pneumatic or hydraulic one.

■ In such instruments, the energy in the output signal comes mainly from the external

power source and the input signal represents a small fraction and an insignificant

portion of the output power.

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 ME 306 Chapter 1. MEASUREMENT AND INSTRUMENTATION SYSTEMS

3. Mechanical and Electrical/Electronic Instruments.

(a) Mechanical Instruments:

■ Mechanical instruments are very reliable for static and stable conditions. They are

simple in design and use, and relatively cheaper in cost.

■ However, mechanical instruments are unable to respond rapidly to the

measurements of dynamic and transient conditions because they have moving parts

that are rigid, heavy, and bulky.

■ In addition, most of the mechanical instruments cause noise and are not suitable

when remote indication is needed.

(b) Electrical/Electronic Instruments:

■ Most of the scientific and industrial instruments require very fast responses. Such

requirements cannot be met with mechanical instruments.

■ Electrical/Electronic instruments are more rapid than that of mechanical instruments

and are suitable for remote indication and electronic recording functions.

■ Electrical/Electronic instruments use semiconductor where the response time is

extremely small.

■ With the use of Electrical/Electronic devices very weak signals can be easily detected

by using electronic amplifiers.

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 ME 306 Chapter 1. MEASUREMENT AND INSTRUMENTATION SYSTEMS

4. Manual and Automatic Instruments.

■ The manual instruments require the services of

an operator, example is the deadweight

pressure gauge shown.

■ Automatic instruments do not require the

services of an operator.

■ Automatic instruments are preferred

because of their faster response

compared to manual instruments and due to their low operational cost.

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 ME 306 Chapter 1. MEASUREMENT AND INSTRUMENTATION SYSTEMS

5. Null Output and Deflection Output Instruments.

■ The deadweight pressure gauge shown is a

null-type instrument.

■ Here, the operator adds and subtracts weights

until a null point is reached, where the

downward force balances the fluid pressure

on the piston.

■ Null-type instruments are more accurate than

deflection types and they are used for calibration duties.

■ The shown pressure gauge is a

deflection type instrument, where

the value of the quantity being

measured is displayed in terms of the

movement of a pointer.

■ Deflection type instrument is more convenient since it is simpler to read the position

of a pointer against a scale than to add and subtract weights until a null point is

reached.

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 ME 306 Chapter 1. MEASUREMENT AND INSTRUMENTATION SYSTEMS

6. Self-Contained and Remote Indicating Instruments.

■ A self-contained instrument has all its different elements in one physical assembly.

■ In a remote indicating instrument, the primary sensing element may be located at a

sufficiently long distance from the secondary indicating element.

■ In the modern instrumentation technology, there is a trend to install remote

indicating instruments where the important indications can be displayed in the central

control rooms.

7. Indicating-Type Output and Signal-Type Output Instruments

■ Indicating-type output instruments give an audio or visual indication of the

magnitude of the physical quantity measured.

■ Signal-type output Instruments give an output in the form of a measurement signal

whose magnitude is proportional to the measured quantity.

■ They are commonly used as part of automatic control systems or in measurement

systems where the output measurement signal is recorded in some way for later use.

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