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Module 4 Sesion 1 Temperature and Displacement Sensors
Module 4 Sesion 1 Temperature and Displacement Sensors
Module IV
Session 1
Temperature & Displacement
sensors
Sensor and transducer
• ‘Sensor' is `a device that detects a change in a physical stimulus and
turns it into a signal which can be measured or recorded.
• ‘Transducer' is 'a device that transfers power from one system to
another in the same or in the different form'. Transducer is any device
that converts energy in one form to another energy. The majority
either convert electrical energy to mechanical displacement or convert
some non-electrical physical quantity, such as temperature, sound
or light to an electrical signal.
‘Sensor' for the sensing element itself and 'transducer' for the sensing
element plus any associated circuitry. All transducers would thus
contain a sensor and most (not all) sensors would also be transducers.
Functions of transducer
1. To sense the presence, magnitude, change in, and frequency of
some measurand.
2. To provide an electrical output that, when appropriately
processed and applied to readout device, gives accurate
quantitative data about the measurand
Measurand
Transducer Electrical
output
Excitation
1. Temperature transducers
2. Resistive Position Transducer
3. Capacitive Transducer
4. Inductive Transducer
5. Strain Gauge
6. LVDT
7. Piezoelectric Transducer
1. Temperature Transducers
A temperature transducer is an electrical device usually
used in automated air-temperature control sequences. Its
purpose is to take a measurement of the air temperature and
relay the information after translating it into a readable form
to a power source for the mechanical part of the system.
Temperature transducers can be divided into four main
categories:
a) Thermocouples
b) Thermistor
c) Resistance Temperature Detectors (RTD)
a) Thermocouple
R R0 (1 T )
Where, R = the resistance of the conductor at temperature t (0C)
R0= the resistance at the reference temperature, usually 200C
α = the temperature coefficient of resistance
ΔT= the difference between the operating and the reference temperature
How do RTDs work?
• RTD’s resistance as temp.
• Controller measures resistance value and converts to temp.
reading, fairly linear relationship.
• Unlike thermocouple, no electrical signal generated
• Controller measures resistance by passing current through RTD
• Use a base resistance value (ex: for Platinum, value of 100 ohms
at 0oC (32oF)
Temperature (oC)
c) Resistance Temperature Detector (RTD)
Precision Temperature Sensors with advantages
• More accurate and stable than thermocouple elements
• Maintain accuracy over longer period of time
• Range up to 1200oF (650 oC)
Disadvantages of RTDs
Cost: Platinum is 2x more expensive
Temp. Range limited
Response Time slower, 2x-4x times slower as heat must transfer through epoxy or
glass coating and entire RTD element must reach uniform temp. before accurate
measurement taken.
2. Displacement Sensors
Measurement of displacement is the basis of measuring:
Position, Velocity, Acceleration, Stress, Force, Pressure,
Proximity, Thickness. Displacement transducers can be
divided into following main categories:
a) Potentiometer
b) Strain Gauges
c) Inductive Sensors (LVDT)
d) Capacitive Sensors
e) Piezoelectric Sensors
f) Ultrasonic displacement sensors
a) Resistive Position Transducer
The principle of the resistance transducer is that the physical
variable under measurement causes a resistance change in the
sensing element. The change in the value of the resistance with a
change in the length of the conductor can be used to measure
displacement.
A common requirement in industrial measurement and control
work is to be able to sense the position of an object or distance it has
moved.
L
R Potentiometer
A
R: resistance change
: density
L: Length
A: area
a) Potentiometer
A resistive potentiometer (pot) consists of a resistance element
provided with a sliding contact, called a wiper. The motion of the
sliding contact may betranslatory or rotational.
a) Potentiometer
Advantage of Potentiometers
1. They are inexpensive.
2. Simple to operate and are very useful for applications where the
requirements are not particularly severe.
3. They are useful for the measurement of large amplitudes of displacement.
4. Electrical efficiency is very high, and they provide sufficient output to allow
control operations.
Disadvantages of Potentiometers
1. When using a linear potentiometer, a large force is required to move the
sliding contacts.
2. The sliding contacts can wear out, become misaligned and generate noise.
b) Strain Gauge
• The strain gauge is an example of a passive transducer that
uses electric resistance variation in wires to sense the strain
produced by a force on wires.
• It is a very versatile detector and transducer for measuring
weight, pressure, mechanical force, or displacement.
The construction of a bonded strain gauge shows a fine wire element
looped back and forth on a mounting plate, which is usually cemented
to the member undergoing stress. A tensile stress tends to elongate the
wire and thereby increase its length and decrease its cross-sectional
area.
Bonded type strain gauges are three types, namely
1. Wire Strain Gauges
2. Foil Strain Gauge
3. Semiconductor Strain Gauge
b) Strain Gauge
b) Strain Gauge
The combined effect is an increase in resistance:
L
R
Where,
A
ρ: the specific resistance of the conductor material in ohm meters
L : length of conductor (meters)
A : area of conductor (m2)
R / R
K
G
b) Strain Gauge
From Hooke theory, stress, S, is defined as internal force/area.
F
S
A
Where
S= the stress in kilograms per square meter
F= the force in kilograms
A= area in square meters
Where,
S
E E= Young modules in kg per square meter
S= the stress in kilograms per square meter
G G= the strain (no units)
b) Strain Gauge
Advantages of Semiconductor Strain Gauge
1. Semiconductor strain gauges have a high gauge factor of
about + 130. This allows measurement of very small strains, of
the order of 0.01 micron.
2. Hysteresis characteristics of semiconductor strain gauges are
excellent, eg. less than 0.05%.
3. Frequency response of 1012 Hz.
4. Semiconductor strain gauges can be very small in size,
ranging in length from 0.7 to 7.0 mm.
kA 0
C ( Farads)
d
where
k = dielectric constant
A = the area of the plate, in m2
εo = 8.854 x 10-12 F/m
d = the plate placing in m
d) Capacitive Transducer
Forms of Capacitance Transducers
Rectilinear Capacitance
Rotary plate capacitor Transducer
Thin diaphragm
d) Capacitive Transducer
Rectilinear capacitance
transducer:
Thin diaphragm:
A transducer that varies the
spacing between surfaces. The
dielectric is either air or vacuum.
Often used as Capacitance
microphones.
d) Capacitive Transducer
Advantages:
1. Has excellent frequency response
2. Can measure both static and dynamic phenomena.
Disadvantages:
1. Sensitivity to temperature variations
2. the possibility of erratic or distortion signals owing to
long lead length
Applications:
1. As frequency modulator in RF oscillator
2. In capacitance microphone
3. Use the capacitance transducer in an ac bridge circuit
e) Piezoelectric Transducer
A Symmetrical crystalline materials such as Quartz, Rochelle
salt and Barium titanate produce an emf when they are placed
under stress. This property is used in Piezoelectric Transducer
Working Principle, where a crystal is placed between a solid
base and the force-summing member.
e) Piezoelectric Transducer