K.D.K.

COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
THIRD SEMESTER ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING
SUBJECT:
EMI (ELECTRICAL MEASUREMENT AND INSTRUMENTATION)

STAFF NAME: Dr.G.H.Agrawal

 AC Bridges
 Alternating current bridges methods are used for the measurement of
inductance, capacitance, loss factor etc.

 The AC bridges are the extension of WSB Wheat stone bridge.

 AC bridge consists of four arms, a source of excitation and a balance

detector.

 In an ac bridge each of the four arm are impedance. The battery and
galvanometer of WSB are replaced by a.c.source and detector sensitive to
detect the small potential differences.

Maxwell’s Inductance Capacitance Bridge:

 In this bridge an inductance is measured by comparison with a standard

capacitance.

 The circuit diagram is shown in Fig. No. 1

 Let L1 = Unknown inductance.

 R1 = Effective Resistance of Inductor L1

 R2, R3, R4 = Known Non-Inductive resistances.

 C4 = Variable Standard Capacitor

 Fig. No. 1 Maxwell’s Inductance Capacitance Bridge

 Fig. No. 1 Shows the Maxwell’s Inductance Capacitance Bridge for the
measurement of unknown Inductance.

 Z1 = R1 +jωL1

 Z4 = R4 / (1 + jωC4 R4)

 Z2 = R2

 Z3 = R3
 In Balance Condition

 Z1 Z4 = Z2 Z3

= (R1 +jωL1) [ R4 / (1 + jωC4 R4)] = R2 R3

On Solving we get

R1 R4 + jωL1 R4 = R2 R3 + jω C4 R4 R2 R3

Separating real and imaginary parts we get

R1 = R2 R3 / R4 ….Equation 1….

And L1 = R2 R3 C4 ….Equation 2….

We get two equation having two variables R 4 and C4 which appear in one of
the two balanced equation and hence the two equation are independent.

Quality factor OR Q factor = ωL1 /R1 = ωC4 R4 …Equation 3….

Advantages:
 The two balanced equation are independent if we choose R 4 and C4 are
variables element.

 The frequency does not appear in any of the equation.

 The Maxwell’s Bridge gives simple equation. Decade capacitance and

Decade Resistor can be choose for variable capacitor and Resistor.

 Maxwell’s Bridge is very useful for measurement of wide range of

inductance.

Disadvantages:

 Bridge requires a standard variable capacitor which may be expensive.

 The Bridge is limited to the measurement of low Q Coils (1< Q<10) because
high Q Coils requires a large resistance R 4 as shown in equation 3.

Fig. No. 2 Shows the Phasor diagram of Maxwell’s Bridge.

Fig. No. 2 Phasor Diagram of Maxwell’s Bridge.

 Hay’s Bridge:

 The Hay’s Bridge is the modification of Maxwell’s Bridge.

 This Bridge uses a resistance in series with standard capacitor (unlike

Maxewell’s Bridge which uses in a resistance in parallel with capacitor.

 The Circuit diagram is shown in Fig. No.1.

Fig No. 1 Hay’s Bridge

 Let L1 = Unknown inductance.

 R1 = Effective Resistance of Inductor L1

 R2, R3, R4 = Known Non-Inductive resistances.

 C4 = Variable Standard Capacitor

 In Balance Condition

 Z1 Z4 = Z2 Z3

= (R1 +jωL1) (R4 – j/ωC4 ) = R2 R3

On Solving we get

 R1 R4 + L1/C4 + jωL1R4 –jR1 / ωC4 = R2 R3

 Separating real and imaginary parts we get

 R1 R4+ L1/C4 = R2 R3

 And L1 = - R1 / (ω2 R4C4)

On Solving above two equation we get

L1 = R2 R3 C4 / (1+ ω2 C24 R24) …Equation 1…

R1 = ω2R2 R3R4C24 / (1+ ω2 C24 R24) …Equation 2…

 Quality factor OR Q factor = ωL1 /R1 = 1/ωC4 R4 …Equation 3….

 The expression for the unknown inductance and resistance contain frequency
term.

 Hence the frequency of the source of supply to the bridge must be accurately
known. This is not true for the inductance when a high Q coil is being
measured.

 We know that Q = 1/ωC4 R4 putting in equation 1 we get

 L1 = R2 R3 C4 / [1+ (1/Q)2] …Equation 4…

 When Q is greater than 10 then 1/Q2 is very small and hence it can be
neglected then equation 4 will reduce to

 L1 = R2 R3 C4 which is the same as Maxewell’s Bridge equation.

ADVANTAGES:

 The bridge gives very simple expression for unknown inductance for high Q
Coil and hence it is suitable for high Q Coils having Q > 10.

 The Hay’s Bridge also give simple expression for Q factor.

DISADVANTAGES:

 Hay’s Bridge is suitable for High Q inductors. For Low Q Coil it depends in
frequency and for low Q Coils Maxwell’s Bridge is more suited.

 Fig. No. 2 Shows the Phasor Diagram of Hay’s Bridge.

Fig. No. 2 Phasor diagram of Hay’s Bridge.

 Measurement of Capacitance:

Schering Bridge:

Fig. No.1 Schering Bridge

 Fig. No.1 Shows the Schering bridge for the measurement of unknown
capacitance.

Let

 C1 = Capacitor whose capacitance is to be determined.

  r1 = A series resistance which represents loss in capacitor C 1.

 C2 = A Standard Capacitor.

 R3 = A non-inductive resistance

 C4 = A variable capacitor

 R4 = A non-inductive resistance in parallel with variable capacitor C 4

At balance Condition

 Z1 Z4 = Z2 Z3

 (r1 + 1/jωC1) [ R4 / (1+jωC4 R4) ] = (1/jωC2 ) R3

OR

 (r1 + 1/jωC1) R4 = (R3/jωC2 ) (1+jωC4 R4)

OR

 r1R4 – jR4 /ωC1 = (-jR3/ωC2 ) (R3 R4 C4 / C2)

 Equating real and imaginary parts we get

r1= R3 C4 /C2 …Equation 1…

C1 = C2 (R4/ R3) …Equation 2…

Two independent balance equation is obtained if C 4 and R4 are taken as
variable elements.
 Dissipation Factor = D1 = tan δ = ωC1 r1 = ω (C2 R4/ R3) (R3 C4 /C2)
OR
Dissipation Factor = D1 =ω C4 R4 …Equation 3 …

The values of capacitance C1 and its dissipation factor is obtained from the
values of bridge elements at balance.

Fig. No.2 Shows the phasor diagram of Schering bridge.

Fig. No.2 Phasor diagram of Schering Bridge

 Problems:
Example: A Maxwell’s Bridge is used to measure an unknown inductance in
comparison with capacitance. The various values at balance are R2 = 400 Ω, R3 =
600Ω, R4 = 1000Ω, C4 = 0.5µF, Calculate the values of R1 and L1 Also calculate
the values of Q factor of coil if frequency is 1000 Hz.
Solution: At Balance Condition of Maxwell’s Bridge:
R1 = R2 R3 / R4 = 400 x 600 /1000 = 240 Ω. ...Answer…
L1 = R2 R3 C4 = 400 x 600 x 0.5x 10-6 = 0.12 Henry. …Answer…
Q= ωL1 /R1 = 2 x π x 1000 x 0.12 / 240 = 3.14 …Answer…

Example: A bridge consists of the following:

Arm ab – A Choke coil having a resistance R1 and Inductance L1
Arm bc- A non-inductive resistance R3
Arm cd- A mica condenser C4 in series with a non-inductive resistance R4
Arm da – A non-inductive resistance R2
When the bridge is fed from a source of 500Hz at the balance condition of bridge
is obtained under following conditions: R2 = 2410Ω, R3 = 750Ω, C4 = 0.35µF,
R4=64.5Ω. The Series resistance of capacitor is = 0.4Ω. Calculate the resistance
and inductance of the choke coil. The Supply is connected between a and c and
detector is connected between b and d.
Solution:
First Draw the figure.
After drawing the figure we find that it is Hay’s Bridge.
L1 = [(R2 R3 C4 /(1+ω2 C42 R42 ))]
= [(2410x750x0.35x10-6) /(1+ (2 x π x 500 x 0.35 x 10-6 x 64.9)2 ]
= 0.63 H. …Answer…
Note: R4 we have taken 64.9 = 64.5 + 0.4 = R4 + Series resistance of C4
R1 = [(ω2R2 R3 R4 C42 /(1+ω2 C42 R42 ))]
R1 = [((2 x π x 500)2 x 2410 x 750 x 64.9 x (0.35x10-6)2 ) /(1+ (2 x π x 500 x 0.35 x
10-6 x 64.9)2 ]
R1 = 141.1 Ω. …Answer…

Example: The Schering bridge uses a standard capacitor C 2 of 106pF, a non-

reactive resistance of R4 of 1000Ω, in parallel with a variable Capacitor C 4 = 0.5
µF and a non-inductive resistance R3 = 260Ω. Calculate the unknown Capacitance
C1 and Series Resistance R1.

Solution:

R1 = (C4 / C2) R3 = (0.5 x 10-6/ (106 x 10-12 )) x 260

R1 = 1.23 X 106 Ω …Answer….

C1 = ( R4 / R3) C2 = (1000/ 260) x 106 x 10-12

C1 = 407.69 pF. …Answer…

Problem: The Four arm of Hay’s Bridge are arranged as follows AB Coil of
unknown impedance. Arm BC non-reactive resistor of 1000Ω. Arm CB Non-
reactive resistor of 833 Ω with a standard Capacitor of 0.38 µF. Arm DA Non-
reactive resistor of 16800Ω. If the supply Frequency is 50 Hz. Determine
inductance and resistance at balanced condition.
Solution:
L1 = R2 R3 C4 / (1+ ω2 C24 R24)

L1 = (16800 x 1000 x 0.38 x 10-6)/ [ 1+ (2 x π x 50 x 0.38 x 10-6 x 833)2 ]

L1 = 6.38 H.

R1 = ω2R2 R3R4C24 / (1+ ω2 C24 R24)

R1 = [(2 x π x 50)2 x 16800 x 1000 x 833 x (0.38 x 10-6 )2 ] / [ 1+ (2 x π x 50
x 0.38 x 10-6 x 833)2 ]

R1 = 210 Ω …Answer…

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