Written Report Transducers PDF
Written Report Transducers PDF
Transducers
1. Resistive Position Transducers
2. Strain Gauge
3. Displacement Transducers
4. Capacitive Transducers
5. Inductive Transducers
Transducers
Definition of Transducers
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.
Types of Transducers
1. Resistive Position Transducers
2. Strain Gauge
3. Displacement Transducers
4. Capacitive Transducers
5. Inductive Transducers
6. Variable Inductance Transducers
7. Temperature Transducers
8. Photoelectric Transducer
Covered in this report is the first five (5) transducers.
(a)
(b)
Figure 1 (a) Construction of a resistive position transducer and (b) typical method
2
=
1 + 2
or
=
1 + 2
This equation shows that the output voltage is directly proportional to the
position of the wiper, if the resistance of the transducer is distributed uniformly along
the length of travel of the wiper.
EXAMPLE-1:
A displacement transducer with a shaft stroke of 4 in. is used in the circuit of figure
1 (b). R1 +R2 is 1000 and VT = 4 V. The wiper is 1.5 in from B. Find VO?
Solution:
Assuming that the resistance is evenly distributed, we will get the resistance
per inch from point A to point B.
1 + 2
1
=
=
= 0.25
(1.5 ) = 375
2
375
(4 ) = 1.5
=
1 + 2
1
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 the wires.
It is a very versatile detector and used for measuring weight, pressure,
mechanical force, or displacement.
The construction of a bonded strain gauge (see figure) shows a fine wire
element looped back and forth on a mounting plate, which is usually cemented to
the member undergoing stress.
When a gauge is subjected to a stress, its length increases while its crosssectional area decreases.
From Hooke Theory, stress, S, is defined as force per unit area.
=
where
F = the force in kilograms
A = area in square meters (m2)
The increase in resistance can be seen from the following equation:
=
where
= the specific resistance of the conductor material in ohm meters
L = length of conductor (meters)
A = area of the conductor (m2)
where
L = initial length in meters
L = the change in initial length in meters
/ /
=
/
where
K = the gauge factor
R = the initial resistance in ohms (without strain)
R = the change in initial resistance in ohms
The constant of proportionality between stress and strain for a linear stressstrain curve is known as the modulus of elasticity of material E or called Youngs
modulus. It is written as:
=
where
EXAMPLE-2:
A resistant strain gauge with a gauge factor of 2 is fastened to a steel member,
which is subjected to a strain 1 x 10-6. If the original resistance value of the gauge is
130, calculate the change in resistance.
=
=
DISPLACEMENT TRANSDUCERS
Most displacement transducers sense displacement by means of a sensing
shaft, which is mechanically connected to the point or object whose displacement is
to be measured.
The mechanical elements that are used to convert the applied force into a
displacement are called force-summing devices.
Various types of displacement transducers:
i.
ii.
iii.
CAPACITIVE TRANSDUCERS
A change in capacitance with changes in position of a moving element is used
to provide an electrical indication.
where
k = dielectric constant
A = the area of the plate, in m2
o = 8.854 x 10-12 in farads per meter (F/m)
d = distance between two capacitive surface in m
From this equation, can be seen that the capacitance increases if the effective
area is increased and it decreases if the distance between two capacitive surface
(usually, spacing of parallel plates) is increased.
FORMS OF CAPACITIVE TRANSDUCERS
1. Rotary Plate Capacitor
This transducer is made up of a fixed plate called Stator and a movable plate
called Rotor.
When the rotor changes its position relative to the stator, the effective area
between the plates is also changed and in turns, changing the capacitance.
2. Rectilinear Capacitance Transducer
( 1)
()
EXAMPLE-3:
An electrode-diaphragm pressure transducer has plates whose area is 5 x 10-3
m2 and whose distance between plates is 1 x 10 -3 m. Calculate its capacitance if it
measures air pressure. The dielectric constant of air is k = 1.
1(5 10
=
=
2 ) (8.853 1012
1 103
) = 44.25
INDUCTIVE TRANSDUCERS
In inductive transducer, magnetic characteristics of an electric circuit changes
due to motion of object. A simple type of displacement sensor is the variable
inductance type wherein the variation of inductance as a function of displacement is
achieved either by variation in mutual inductance or self-inductance.
The principle on which the meter, which these transducers are used, used is
that of a dc generator. The generator rotor is replaced by a pipe between two
magnetic poles. As fluid flows through the magnetic field, an electromotive force is
induced in it and can be picked up by the electrodes. This can be expressed
mathematically as
=
where
E = the EMF in volts
B = the field strength, webers per square meters (Teslas)
l = conductor length, meters
v = velocity of conductor, meters per second.
EXAMPLE-4:
Given an inductive input transducer for flow measurement, the diameter of
the conduit is 0.0125 m. If a flow velocity of 10 m/sec produces a magnetic field
strength of 0.2 T, find the electromotive force generated.
= = (0.2
(0.0125
)
)
(10
) = 0.025
2
sec