Surements and Instrumentatlon

5.17
10
20

20
20

30
(d) Zero contor
100
20

(0) Squared
Flg. 6.4 Typlcal motor scalos

When the meter is used as an ammeter Fig. 5.4 (a) or as avoltmeter Fig. 5.4 (b), the
torque of the meter is proportional to the product if the flux of the fixed coil (FC) and the
Ux of the moving coil. The scale of the instrunent is thus a square one as shown in Fig.
5.4 (e).
Since energy must be used to create two magnetic fields, the electrodynamometer
movement is less sensitive as compared to that in PMMC instruments.
The control torque is provided by spring torque. The damping is provided by either
cddy currents or air piston attached to the pointer.
These instruments are not in common use as
(a) They have low torque/weight ratio
(b) Owing to T, a I', the scale is non uniform
(c) These are expensive.
5.8 MOVING COIL TYPE

This type of instrument is principally used for the measurement of

and voltages, though it can also be used for d.c.
alternating currents
measurements, There are two types of
moving-iron instruments.
() Attraction type in which a single soft-iron vane (or moving iron) is mounted
on the spindle and is attracted towards the coil when operating curent tiows
through it.
518
Basic Electrical &Electronics Engineering
ti Repulsiontype in which two sof-iron vanes are used; one fixed and attached
to the stationary coil while the other is movable (.e. moving iron) and mounted
on the spindle of the instrument. When operating current flows through the coil,
the two vanes are magnetised, developing similt polarity at the same ends
Consequently, repulsion takes place between the vanes and the movable vans
scale.
causes the pointer to move over the
has a fewer turns ofthiok
Incase the instrument is to be used as an anmmeter, the coil
requirement. In case it is to be
wire so that the amneter has low resistance-a desirable
as a voltmeter, the coil has a large number of turns of fine wire so that the voltmeter
used
has high resistance- desirable requirement.
5.8.1 Attraction Type M.I. Instruments
instrument.
Fig. 5.5 shows the constructional details of an attraction type moving-iron
oval-shaped soft-iron is
It consists of acylindrical coilor solenoid which is kept fixed, An the coil. Apointer is
attached to the spindle in such a way that it can move in and out of
soft-iron piece. The
attached to the spindle so that it is deflected with the motion of the
themoving element.
controlling torque is provided by one spiral spring aranged at the top ofcurrent
It should be noted that in this instrument, the springs do not carry the as the same is
carried by the stationary coil. The damping device is an aluminum vane attached to the
spindle, as shown in Fig.5.5, which moves in a closed chamber. In somne instruments,
dar1ping is provided by the movement of a piston inside the curved chamber [See Fig.
5.6]: the piston being attached to the spindle.
Air Chamber
Damping
Paddle

Control
Spring

Spring

Moving -Col
lron
Balance
Spindle Weights
Moving Iron
Fig.5.5 Fig.5.6
Neaxurements and lnstrumentetlon
Wurklug
When the iwtrunent ls coneeted ln the elreuit to mmensure eurrent or votage, the
opeating eurreut (lowng tlrough the voll set# up amagetle field. ln other wods, the evif
behuves like a nwguetand therefoe itatteaets the sot-lron pleeetoWards i, Thà reutt is
that the potnter ataehed to the movlog wysiem unoves fhom ero positlon. The polnter will
e to rest «t a poxtleu were cietleetlog torque is equal to the eontrellng torque. if
eurent ln the eol is reverswd, the dlreetlon of agnetle (ield also feverses and so does the
vetamwoduced n he sot-iron plece, llence, tlhe dlreetlon of the defleeting torúe
remalus untuwged. Fo tlla reaso, uelh lnstrunents can be used for both de. nnd n6.
meeentk
Delleetlug turquer
Ihe furve pulllog tle sotl-lron plece towards the eotl is direetly preportlonat
(9 magnetle tleldstrenuth puodueel ty the eoil
(0 ole strength developed ln the lron plece

A listantaneouw de(leellng toque «

IWthe permeutbillyof kom t& anauned vonstant, len,
t«h where ia tlhe iuatautaneouk coll eurreut
A lutataneous deteetlng torque «
Avernge detlectlg terqve, « eH ofoveea eyele
Nlwe the iustwnent Is lng eontrolled,

lu the xteaty ultlon ofctetleetlon,

@«mea ofover eyele

Nive the delleetkn ta Mtonal to the

uAKe of eatleureent, tte seate ef elt
end of the Neale
5.20 Basic Electrical8& Electronics Engineerina
5.8.2 Repulsion Type M.l. Instruments
Fig. 5.7() shows theconstructional details ofa repulsion type moving iron instrument.
cylindrical hollow coil
It consists of two soft-iron pieces or vanes surrounded by a fixed other is free to
and the
which carries the operating current. One of these vanes is fixed
and is mounted
move as shown in Fig. 5.7 (ii), The movable vane is of cylindrical shape wedge-shaped
vane, which is
aXially on aspindle to which a pointer is attached. The fixed controlling torque is provided
and has a larger radius, is attached to the stationary coil. The
by one spiral spring at the top of the instrument.
Balance Weights

Moving Iron Spindle

-Control NNNNNNN
NNN
Spring
Damping
Paddle Coil
$SS
Fixed Iron

Spindle -Moving Fixed

Iron iron

Fig.5.7

It may be noted that in this instrument, springs do not provide the electrical
connections. Damping is provided by air friction due to the motion of a piston in an air
chamber.

Working.
When current to be measured or current proportional to the voltage to be measured
flows through the coil, a magnetic field is set up by the coil. This magnetic field magnetizes
the two vanes in the same direction i.e., similar polarities are developed at the same ends
of thevanes as shown in Fig. 5.7 (iii). Since the adjacent edges of the
vanes are of the same
polarity, the two vanes repel each other. As the fixed vane cannot move, the movable vane
deflects and causes the pointer to move from zero position.
The pointer willcome to rest at a position where deflecting
torque is equal to the
controlling torque provided by the spring. If the current in the coil is reversed, the direction
of deflecting torque remains unchanged. It is because reversal ofthefield of the coil
reverses
the magnetization of both iron vanes so that they repel each other regardless of which way
Measurements and Instrumentation 5.21
the cùrrent flows through the coil. For this reason, such instruments can be used for both
d.c. and a.c. applications.
Deflecting torque:
The deflecting torque results due to the repulsion between the similarly charged
soft-iron pieces or vanes. If the two pieces develop pole strengths of m, and m, respectively,
then,
Instantaneous deflecting torque am, m, a *H
If the permeability of iron is assumed constant, then,
Haiwhere i is coil current.
Instantaneous deflecting torque a i
:. Average deflecting torque, T,d a mean of P over a cycle
Since the instrument is spring-controlled,

In the steady position of deflection, T, =Tc

a mean of i over a cycle
aP...for dc.
a. Prm.s. ... for a.c.

Thus, the deflection is proportional to the square of coil current as is the case with
attraction type moving-iron instruments. Therefore, the scale of such instruments is also
non-uniform; being crowded in the beginning and spread out near the finish end of the
scale. However, the non-linearity of the scale can be corrected to some extent by the accurate
shaping (e.g., using tongue-shaped vanes) and positioning of iron vanes in relation to the
operating coil.
5.8.3 Comparisonof Moving Coil, Dynamometer type and Moving
Iron Voltmeters and Ammeters
Table belowshows the comparison between permanent magnet moving coil
(PMMC),
dynamometer type and moving iron voltmeters and ammeters.