EE 33-Measurements and Instrumentation: Unit-I-Introduction
EE 33-Measurements and Instrumentation: Unit-I-Introduction
UNIT-I-INTRODUCTION
CONTENTS
Measurement Basic requirements Significance of measurement Methods of measurement Evolution of instruments Classification of Instruments Types of Instrumentation system Instrument and measurement systems
Measurement of a given quantity is essentially an act or result of comparison between the quantity (whose magnitude is unknown) and predetermined or predefined standards. Two quantities are compared the result is expressed in numerical values.
1. Measurement:
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Standards
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Errors in measurement
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3. Significance of Measurement
Importance of Measurement is simply and eloquently expressed in the following
measure what you are speaking about and can express it in numbers, you know something about it; when you cannot express in it numbers your knowledge is of
INDIRECT METHOD: Measurements by direct methods are not always possible, feasible and practicable. In engineering applications measurement systems are used which require need of indirect method for measurement purposes.
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Indirect Methods
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Direct Methods
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4. Methods of Measurement
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statement of famous physicist Lord Kelvin: I often say that when you can
quantities or variables.
Because of modular nature of the elements within it, it is common to refer the
6. Evolution of Instruments
Mechanical Electrical Electronic Instruments.
MECHANICAL: These instruments are very reliable for static and stable conditions.
ELECTRICAL: It is faster than mechanical, indicating the output are rapid than mechanical methods. But it depends on the mechanical movement of the meters. The
ELECTRONIC: It is more reliable than other system. It uses semiconductor devices and weak signal can also be detected
7. Classification of Instruments
ABSOLUTE: These instruments give the magnitude if the quantity under measurement terms of physical constants of the instrument. SECONDARY: These instruments are calibrated by the comparison with absolute instruments which have already been calibrated. Further it is classified as
Deflection Type Instruments Null Type Instruments.
Functions of instrument and measuring system can be classified into three. They are: www.EEENotes.in
Secondary Instruments.
Absolute Instruments.
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But their disadvantage is that they are unable to respond rapidly to measurements of
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PRIMARY SENSING ELEMENT: The quantity under measurement makes its first
measurement has to be conveyed to the personnel handling the instrument or the system for monitoring, control or analysis purpose.
element into suitable form to preserve the information content of the original signal.
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QUANTITY TO BE MEASURED
with time is known as static. Accuracy Drift Dead Zone Static Error Sensitivity
Static correction Scale range Scale span Noise Dead Time Hysteresis. Linearity
Static Characteristics
Reproducibility
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INTERMEDIATE STAGE
TERMINATING STAGE
of input response.
STATIC ERROR: It is defined as the difference between the measured value and true
cannot be maintained. It is classified as Noise Zero drift Span drift or sensitivity drift Zonal drift.
system responds to changes in measured quantity. It is one of the dynamic characteristics of a measurement system.
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changes in the measured quantity without any dynamic error. Dynamic Error
It is the difference between the true value of the quantity changing with time and the
value indicated by the measurement system if no static error is assumed. It is also called measurement error. It is one the dynamic characteristics. Measuring Lag
It is the retardation delay in the response of a measurement system to changes in the
Time delay: The response of the measurement system begins after a dead zone after
Due to inherent short comings in the instrument Due to misuse of the instrument Due to loading effects of the instrument
error.
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Systematic Errors
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Deviation is departure of the observed reading from the arithmetic mean of the group
sum of the individual deviations squared divided by the number of readings. Problem
Question: The following 10 observation were recorded when measuring a voltage: 41.7, 42.0, 41.8, 42.0, 42.1, 41.9, 42.0, 41.9, 42.5, 41.8 volts.Calculate Mean, Standard
Answer
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The standard deviation of an infinite number of data is defined as the square root of the
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Arithmetic Mean
instruments against a known standard and subsequently to find errors and accuracy.
Calibration Procedure involve a comparison of the particular instrument with either a Primary standard a secondary standard with a higher accuracy than the instrument to be calibrated. an instrument of known accuracy.
standard is applied to a piece of equipment having a known measure of physical quantity. Types of Standards
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16. Standards
Mechanical Instruments Electrical Instruments and Electronic Instruments. 7. Classify instruments based on their functions. Indicating instruments Integrating instruments Recording instruments 8. Give the applications of measurement systems. The instruments and measurement systems are sued for Monitoring of processes and operations. www.EEENotes.in
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quantity or variable.
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5. Define Instrument.
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processed by some intermediate means and is then fed to the end device which
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Indirect method.
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A secondary standard with a higher accuracy than the instrument to be calibrated or An instrument of known accuracy. 11. Define Calibration.
It is the process by which comparing the instrument with a standard to correct the accuracy.
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CONTENTS
Analog Instruments Classification Principle of operation Magnetic Effect Analog Voltmeters Types of Instruments Wattmeter Two wattmeter method Energy meters Poly Phase Energy Meter 1. Analog Instruments Single Phase Energy Meter Analog Ammeters
and bears a constant relation to its input. 2. Classification Classified based upon the quantity they measure (ammeter, voltmeter) Classified according to the current that can be measured by them.(DC,AC) Classified according to the effects used for working. Classified as Indicating, Recording, And Integrating. Classified on the basis of method used for comparing the unknown quantity. (Direct / Comparison measurement )
An analog device is one in which the output or display is a continuous function of time
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3. Principle of operation Magnetic Effect Thermal Effect Electrostatic Effect Induction Effect Hall Effect
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4. Magnetic Effect
Supporting the moving element Suspension Taut Suspension Pivot and jewel bearings
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Hall Effects
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5. Analog Ammeters
Ammeters are connected in series in the circuit whose current is to be measured. The
power loss in an ammeter is I2Ra.Therefore ammeters should have a low electrical resistance so that they cause a small voltage drop and consequently absorb small power. 6. Analog Voltmeters
Permanent magnet moving coil (PMMC). Moving Iron Electro-dynamometer type. Hot wire type. Thermocouple type. Induction type. Electrostatic type. Rectifier type.
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7. Types of Instruments
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resistance so that they cause a small voltage drop and consequently absorb small power.
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Voltmeters are connected in parallel in the circuit whose voltage is to be measured. The
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Electrodynamometer Type
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Energy meters
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circuit and therefore must be connected in parallel with the portion of the circuit on which the measurement is made. By contrast, an ammeter must be connected in series. In
circuit. Modern solid-state meters have digital readouts, but the principles of operation
Ammeter
must have very low resistance to avoid significant alteration of the current it is to measure. By contrast, a voltmeter must be connected in parallel. The analogy with an inline flow meter in a water circuit can help visualize why an ammeter must have a low resistance, and why connecting an ammeter in parallel can damage the meter. Modern solid-state meters have digital readouts, but the principles of operation can be better appreciated by examining the older moving coil meters based on galvanometer sensors.
branch of an electric circuit. It must be placed in series with the measured branch, and
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galvanometer sensors.
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can be better appreciated by examining the older moving coil meters based on
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not have an appreciable affect on the current or voltage associated with the measured
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difference. It is necessary for the voltmeter to have a very high resistance so that it does
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analogy with a water circuit, a voltmeter is like a meter designed to measure pressure
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from quite different backgrounds. Jacques D'Arsonval (1851-1940) was a director of a laboratory of biological physics and a professor of experimental medicine, and one of the founders of diathermy treatments. Marcel Deprez (1843-1918) was an engineer and an early promoter of high-voltage electrical power transmission.
by flat ribbon of wire which serves as one lead-in wire. The connection to the lower end of the coil is provided by a light, helical spring that provides the restoring torque. The electro-magnetic torque is greatest when the magnetic field lines are perpendicular to the plane of the coil; this condition is met for a wide range of coil positions by placing the cylindrical core of soft iron in the middle of the magnetic gap, and giving the magnet pole faces a concave contour. Since the electro-magnetic torque is proportional to the current in the coil and the restoring toque is proportional to the angle of twist of the suspension fiber, at equilibrium the current through the coil is linearly proportional to its
In the D'Arsonval-Deprez design the coil has many turns of fine wire, and is suspended
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The two French inventors of this form of galvanometer in the early 1880s came
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D'Arsonval Galvanometer
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polarity of the applied voltage (or, you can think of it in terms of the direction of the
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movement causes useless In order to use a DC-style meter movement such as the D'Arsonval design, the alternating current must be rectified into DC. This is most easily accomplished through www.EEENotes.in
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current).
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movements, like permanent-magnet motors, are devices whose motion depends on the
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change with each half-cycle of the AC. (Figure below) Permanent-magnet meter
directly connected to alternating current, because the direction of needle movement will
it in one direction. Another strategy for a practical AC meter movement is to redesign the movement without the inherent polarity sensitivity of the DC types. This means avoiding the use of permanent magnets. Probably the simplest design is to use a no magnetized iron vane to move the needle against spring tension, the vane being attracted toward a stationary coil of wire energized by the AC quantity to be measured as in Figure below.
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voltage. This works just as well for AC as it does for DC, or should I say, just as poorly! energized coil and an iron vane, and as such these electrostatic meter movements tend
current need be drawn from the circuit under test. Also, electrostatic meter movements are capable of measuring very high voltages without need for range resistors or other, external apparatus. When a sensitive meter movement needs to be re-ranged to function as an AC voltmeter, series-connected multiplier resistors and/or resistive voltage dividers may be employed just as in DC meter design: (Figure below)
technology possesses the advantage of extremely high input impedance, meaning that no
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to be fragile and easily disturbed by physical movement. But, for some high-voltage AC
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The forces involved are very small, much smaller than the magnetic attraction between an
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Fig:Multiplier resistor (a) or resistive divider (b) scales the range of the basic
Capacitors may be used instead of resistors, though, to make voltmeter divider circuits. This strategy has the advantage of being non-dissipative (no true power consumed and no heat produced): (Figure below)
If the meter movement is electrostatic, and thus inherently capacitive in nature, a single multiplier capacitor may be connected in series to give it a greater voltage measuring range, just as a series-connected multiplier resistor gives a moving-coil (inherently resistive) meter movement a greater voltage range: (Figure below)
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meter movement
Fig:An electrostatic meter movement may use a capacitive multiplier to multiply the scale of the basic meter movement.. The Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) mentioned in the DC metering chapter is ideally
across the screen of the tube while the measured AC voltage drives the beam up and down. A graphical representation of the AC wave shape and not just a measurement of magnitude can easily be had with such a device. However, CRT's have the disadvantages
RMS measurement. As we already know, AC measurements are often cast in a scale of DC power equivalence, called RMS (Root-Mean-Square) for the sake of meaningful comparisons with DC and with other AC waveforms of varying shape. None of the meter movement technologies so far discussed inherently measure the RMS value of an AC quantity. Meter movements relying on the motion of a mechanical needle (rectified D'Arsonval, iron-vane, and electrostatic) all tend to mechanically average the instantaneous values into an overall average value for the waveform. This average value is not necessarily the same as RMS, although many times it is mistaken as such. Average and RMS values rate against each other as such for these three common waveform shapes: (Figure below) www.EEENotes.in
the designer and user of AC metering instruments to be aware of. This is the issue of
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technologies having been discussed already, there is another factor crucially important for
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glass) working against them. For these reasons, electromechanical AC meter movements
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of weight, size, significant power consumption, and fragility (being made of evacuated
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suited for measuring AC voltages, especially if the electron beam is swept side-to-side
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obtaining with an instrument, and electromechanical meter movements naturally deliver average measurements rather than RMS, what are AC meter designers to do? Cheat, of course! Typically the assumption is made that the waveform shape to be measured is going to be sine (by far the most common, especially for power systems), and then the
we see that RMS is equal to 0.707 times the peak value while Average is 0.637 times the peak, so we can divide one figure by the other to obtain an average-to-RMS conversion factor of 1.109:
In other words, the meter movement will be calibrated to indicate approximately 1.11 times higher than it would ordinarily (naturally) indicate with no special
meter movement scale is altered by the appropriate multiplication factor. For sine waves
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Since RMS seems to be the kind of measurement most people are interested in
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RMS, Average, and Peak-to-Peak values for sine, square, and triangle waves.
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With square waves, the RMS and Average values are identical! An AC meter calibrated to accurately read RMS voltage or current on a pure sine wave will not give the
The astute reader will note that I have omitted the CRT movement from the RMS/Average discussion. This is because a CRT with its practically weightless electron beam movement displays the Peak (or Peak-to-Peak if you wish) of an AC waveform
RMS value of a waveform from it? Conversion factors between Peak and RMS only hold so long as the waveform falls neatly into a known category of shape (sine, triangle, and square are the only examples with Peak/RMS/Average conversion factors given here!). One answer is to design the meter movement around the very definition of RMS:
that the AC source to be measured is connected across a resistor of known value, and the heat output of that resistor is measured with a device like a thermocouple. This would provide a far more direct measurement means of RMS than any conversion factor could, for it will work with ANY waveform shape whatsoever: (Figure below)
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rather than Average or RMS. Still, a similar problem arises: how do you determine the
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This includes triangle waves, square waves, or any kind of distorted sine wave. With
proper value while indicating the magnitude of anything other than a perfect sine wave.
While the device shown above is somewhat crude and would suffer from unique engineering problems of its own, the concept illustrated is very sound. The resistor converts the AC voltage or current quantity into a thermal (heat) quantity, effectively squaring the values in real-time. The system's mass works to average these values by the principle of thermal inertia, and then the meter scale itself is calibrated to give an indication based on the square-root of the thermal measurement: perfect Root-MeanSquare indication all in one device! In fact, one major instrument manufacturer has implemented this technique into its high-end line of handheld electronic multimeters for
to give voltmeter movements higher range, and parallel shunt resistors are used to allow ammeter movements to measure currents beyond their natural range. However, we are not limited to these techniques as we were with DC: because we can use transformers with AC, meter ranges can be electromagnetically rather than resistively stepped up or stepped down, sometimes far beyond what resistors would have practically allowed for. Potential Transformers (PT's) and Current Transformers (CT's) are precision instrument devices manufactured to produce very precise ratios of transformation between primary and secondary windings. They can allow small, simple AC meter movements to indicate extremely high voltages and currents in power systems with accuracy and complete www.EEENotes.in
operation is much the same as with DC instruments: series multiplier resistors are used
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true-RMS capability.
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(CT) Current transformer scales current down. (PT) Potential transformer scales voltage down.
Shown here is a voltage and current meter panel from a three-phase AC system. The three donut current transformers (CT's) can be seen in the rear of the panel. Three AC ammeters (rated 5 amps full-scale deflection each) on the front of the panel indicate current through each conductor going through a CT. As this panel has been removed
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from service, there are no current-carrying conductors threaded through the center of the
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Toroidal current transformers scale high current levels down for application to 5 A fullscale AC ammeters.
Because of the expense (and often large size) of instrument transformers, they are not
An important electrical quantity with no equivalent in DC circuits is frequency. Frequency measurement is very important in many applications of alternating current, especially in AC power systems designed to run efficiently at one frequency and one frequency only. If an electromechanical alternator is generating the AC, the frequency will be directly proportional to the shaft speed of the machine, and frequency could be measured simply by measuring the speed of the shaft. If frequency needs to be measured at some distance from the alternator, though, other means of measurement will be necessary. www.EEENotes.in
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precision resistors (multipliers and shunts) are used, just as with DC.
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used to scale AC meters for any applications other than high voltage and high current.
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The user of this meter views the ends of all those unequal length reeds as they are collectively shaken at the frequency of the applied AC voltage to the coil. The one closest in resonant frequency to the applied AC will vibrate the most, looking something like Figure below.
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simple and therefore easy to manufacture to be rugged. They are often found on small
capacitor). See Figure below. One or both components are made adjustable, and a meter is placed in the circuit to indicate maximum amplitude of voltage across the two components. The adjustment knob(s) are calibrated to show resonant frequency for any given setting, and the frequency is read from them after the device has been adjusted for maximum indication on the meter. Essentially, this is a tunable filter circuit, which is adjusted and then read in a manner similar to a bridge circuit (which must be balanced for a null condition and then read).
meter using an inductor and capacitor in the form of a tank circuit (parallel inductor and
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While reed-type meters are imprecise, their operational principle is not. In lieu of
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engine-driven generator sets for the purpose of setting engine speed so that the frequency
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Vibrating reed meters, obviously, are not precision instruments, but they are very
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bridge circuit and it is a sound metrological principle applied throughout the sciences. If
comparison should be relatively easy. For that frequency standard, we turn our attention back to the tuning fork, or at least a more modern variation of it called the quartz crystal. Quartz is a naturally occurring mineral possessing a very interesting property called piezoelectricity. Piezoelectric materials produce a voltage across their length when physically stressed, and will physically deform when an external voltage is applied across their lengths. This deformation is very, very slight in most cases, but it does exist. Quartz rock is elastic (springy) within that small range of bending which an external voltage would produce, which means that it will have a mechanical resonant
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quantities are equal to each other. This is the basic principle behind the DC (Wheatstone)
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known standard, the basic instrument doing nothing more than indicating when the two
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respectively) from the circuit under test to cause the meter to indicate, it will work.
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inductor and/or capacitor can intercept enough stray field (magnetic or electric,
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especially because it doesn't require direct connection to the circuit. So long as the
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This technique is a popular one for amateur radio operators (or at least it was
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Resonant frequency meter peaks as L-C resonant frequency is tuned to test frequency.
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connections across the dielectric (insulating) quartz body is real, and it has an effect on
Crystals, as resonant elements, typically have much higher Q (quality) values than tank circuits built from inductors and capacitors, principally due to the relative absence of stray resistance, making their resonant frequencies very definite and precise. Because the resonant frequency is solely dependent on the physical properties of quartz (a very stable substance, mechanically), the resonant frequency variation over time with a quartz crystal is very, very low. This is how quartz movement watches obtain their high accuracy: by means of an electronic oscillator stabilized by the resonant action of a quartz crystal. For laboratory applications, though, even greater frequency stability may be desired. To achieve this, the crystal in question may be placed in a temperature stabilized
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equivalence and how it can be exploited within an oscillator circuit to achieve an output
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necessary here, but what needs to be understood about crystals is this resonant circuit
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the resonant response of the whole system. A full discussion on crystal dynamics is not
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components within the crystal. The capacitance shown in parallel due to the wire
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equivalents of the quartz's mechanical resonance properties: they do not exist as discrete
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Two Marks
Deflecting torque Controlling torque Damping torque
2. Name the types of instruments used for making voltmeter and ammeter. PMMC type Moving iron type
Dynamometer type
Electrostatic type Induction type. 3. State the advantages of PMMC instruments Uniform scale. No hysterisis loss Very accurate High effuiciency.
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8. State the advantages of Moving iron type instruments Less expensive Can be used for both dc and ac Reasonably accurate.
9. State the advantages of Hot wire type instruments Can be used for both dc and ac
Unaffected by stray magnetic fields Readings are independent of frequency and waveform. 10. What are the constructional parts of dynamometer type wattmeter?
Current limiting resister Helical spring Spindle attached with pointer Graduated scale 11. Write down the deflecting torque equation in dynamometer type wattmeter. Td VI Cos
Moving Coil
Fixed coil
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15. How the errors caused by methods of connection is compensated By using compensating coil.
16. Name the methods used for power measurement in three phase circuits. (i)Single wattmeter method (ii) Two wattmeter method (iii) Three wattmeter method.
17. What are the special features to be incorporated for LPF wattmeter? Pressure coil circuit
Compensation for Pressure coil current Compensation for Pressure coil inductance.
separately is called phantom loading. 19. State the use of phantom loading. Power loss is minimized. 20. Name the methods used in Wattmeter calibration. By comparing with std wattmeter. By using voltmeter ammeter method. By using Potentiometer.
Method by which energizing the pressure coil circuit and current coil circuits
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23. How voltage coil is connected in induction type energy meter. It is connected in parallel to supply and load.
24. How current coil is connected in induction type energy meter. It is connected in series to the load.
25. Why Al disc is used in induction type energy meter. Aluminum is a nonmagnetic metal.
26. What is the purpose of registering mechanism. It gives a valuable number proportional to the rotations. 27. What is the purpose of braking mechanism. It provides necessary braking torque. 28. Define creeping.
Slow but continuous rotation of disc when pc is energized and cc is not energized.
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CONTENTS
D.C & A.C potentiometers D.C & A.C bridges
Ammeter voltmeter method Kelvins double bridge method Potentiometer method Kelvins double bridge
Medium Resistance (1 to 0.1M) Ammeter-voltmeter method Substitution method Wheatstone bridge method Ohmmeter method Wheat stone Bridge
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1. Potentiometers
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Wiens Bridge.
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Frequency
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Inductance Measurement of self Inductance Maxwells Inductance bridge Maxwells Inductance- capacitance bridge Hays bridge Owens bridge Andersons bridge Measurement of mutual Inductance Heaviside mutual Inductance bridge Carey foster bridge Heydweiller bridge Campbells bridge
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AC bridge circuits
bridge can be a very useful way to measure unknown values of resistance. This is true with AC as well, and we can apply the very same principle to the accurate measurement of unknown impedances.
To review, the bridge circuit works as a pair of two-component voltage dividers connected between them to indicate a condition of balance at zero volts: (Figure below)
connected across the same source voltage, with a null-detector meter movement
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voltage of the power source is irrelevant. Practically speaking, the higher the supply voltage, the easier it is to detect a condition of imbalance between the four resistors with the null detector, and thus the more sensitive it will be. A greater supply voltage leads to the possibility of increased measurement precision. However, there will be no fundamental error introduced as a result of a lesser or greater power supply voltage unlike other types of resistance measurement schemes. Impedance bridges work the same, only the balance equation is with complex quantities, as both magnitude and phase across the components of the two dividers must be equal in order for the null detector to indicate zero. The null detector, of course,
One of the advantages of using a bridge circuit to measure resistance is that the
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balanced condition (zero voltage as indicated by the null detector), the ratio works out to
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calibrated, or whose resistances are known to a precise degree. When the bridge is in a
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value, and its value can be determined by a ratio of the other three, which are
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Any one of the four resistors in the above bridge can be the resistor of unknown
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type), I've been able to detect currents of less than 0.1 A with this simple detector circuit. Roughly equal performance was obtained using two different step-down transformers: a small power transformer (120/6 volt ratio), and an audio output transformer (1000:8 ohm impedance ratio). With the pushbutton switch in place to interrupt current, this circuit is usable for detecting signals from DC to over 2 MHz: even if the frequency is far above or below the audio range, a click will be heard from the headphones each time the switch is pressed and released. Connected to a resistive bridge, the whole circuit looks like Figure below.
Using a pair of headphones that completely surround the ears (the closed-cup
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Listening to the headphones as one or more of the resistor arms of the bridge is clicks (or tones, if the bridge's power source frequency is within audio range) as the
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legs in the form of box-shaped components, each one with a certain impedance: (Figure
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must be in proper ratio for balance, it is sometimes helpful to draw the respective bridge
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When describing general AC bridges, where impedances and not just resistances
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adjusted, a condition of balance will be realized when the headphones fail to produce
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Again, it must be stressed that the impedance quantities in the above equation must be complex, accounting for both magnitude and phase angle. It is insufficient that the impedance magnitudes alone be balanced; without phase angles in balance as well, there will still be voltage across the terminals of the null detector and the bridge will not
Bridge circuits can be constructed to measure just about any device value desired, be it capacitance, inductance, resistance, or even Q. As always in bridge measurement circuits, the unknown quantity is always balanced against a known standard, obtained from a high-quality, calibrated component that can be adjusted in value until the null detector device indicates a condition of balance. Depending on how the bridge is set up, the unknown component's value may be determined directly from the setting of the
A couple of simple bridge circuits are shown below, one for inductance (Figure below) and one for capacitance: (Figure below)
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be balanced.
Simple symmetrical bridges such as these are so named because they exhibit
standard impedance to balance out an unknown series capacitor-resistor combination. (Figure below) All capacitors have some amount of internal resistance, be it literal or equivalent (in the form of dielectric heating losses) which tend to spoil their otherwise perfectly reactive natures. This internal resistance may be of interest to measure, and so the Wien bridge attempts to do so by providing a balancing impedance that isn't pure either:
effects can be found in the so-called Wien bridge, which uses a parallel capacitor-resistor
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of perfect components, these simple bridge circuits do just fine to illustrate the basic
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to balance out stray resistance in the unknown component. But, in the hypothetical world
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often have a calibrated, variable resistor in series or parallel with the reactive component
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bit simplified from their real-life counterparts, as practical symmetrical bridge circuits
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above are balanced by adjusting the calibrated reactive component (Ls or Cs). They are a
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symmetry (mirror-image similarity) from left to right. The two bridge circuits shown
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far. The combined effect of R s and Cs is to alter the magnitude and phase angle until the and Cs can be read from their calibrated knobs, the parallel impedance of the two
negligible internal resistance, or at least that resistance is already known so that it can be factored into the balance equation. Wien bridges are useful for determining the values of lossy capacitor designs like electrolytics, where the internal resistance is relatively high. They are also used as frequency meters, because the balance of the bridge is frequency-dependent. When used in this fashion, the capacitors are made fixed (and usually of equal value) and the top two resistors are made variable and are adjusted by means of the same knob.
It is assumed in the operation of the Wien bridge that the standard capacitor has
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bridge achieves a condition of balance. Once that balance is achieved, the settings of R s
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capacitor) this bridge will take a little more time to balance than the others we've seen so
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Being that there are two standard components to be adjusted (a resistor and a
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known plainly as the Maxwell bridge), and is used to measure unknown inductances in
Another advantage of using a Maxwell bridge to measure inductance rather than a symmetrical inductance bridge is the elimination of measurement error due to mutual inductance between two inductors. Magnetic fields can be difficult to shield, and even a small amount of coupling between coils in a bridge can introduce substantial errors in certain conditions. With no second inductor to react with in the Maxwell bridge, this problem is eliminated.
balance out an inductive impedance if they are located in opposite legs of a bridge, as
of inductors and capacitors are exactly opposite each other, a capacitive impedance can
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simple symmetrical inductance bridge is not always practical. Because the phase shifts
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are more difficult to manufacture than capacitors of similar precision, and so the use of a
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There are more variations beyond these designs, but a full discussion is not warranted here. General-purpose impedance bridge circuits are manufactured which can be switched into more than one configuration for maximum flexibility of use. A potential problem in sensitive AC bridge circuits is that of stray capacitance between either end of the null detector unit and ground (earth) potential. Because
stray current paths to the AC voltage source which may affect bridge balance: (Figure below)
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capacitances can conduct alternating current by charging and discharging, they form
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meter using an inductor and capacitor in the form of a tank circuit (parallel inductor and
then read in a manner similar to a bridge circuit (which must be balanced for a null condition and then read). The problem is worsened if the AC voltage source is firmly grounded at one end, the total stray impedance for leakage currents made far less and any leakage currents through these stray capacitances made greater as a result: (Figure below)
indication on the meter. Essentially, this is a tunable filter circuit which is adjusted and
the frequency is read from them after the device has been adjusted for maximum
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adjustment knob(s) are calibrated to show resonant frequency for any given setting, and
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circuit to indicate maximum amplitude of voltage across the two components. The
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capacitor). One or both components are made adjustable, and a meter is placed in the
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While reed-type meters are imprecise, their operational principle is not. In lieu of
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Stray capacitance errors are more severe if one side of the AC supply is grounded.
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without the need for a direct connection to the null detector. (Figure below)
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ground or Wagner earth may be used to maintain the null detector at ground potential
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worse than any capacitive path. Instead, a special voltage divider circuit called a Wagner
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not an option, as it would create a direct current path for stray currents, which would be
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through stray capacitances. However, directly connecting the null detector to ground is
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potential, so there will be no AC voltage between it and the ground, and thus no current
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One way of greatly reducing this effect is to keep the null detector at ground
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Wagner ground for AC supply minimizes the effects of stray capacitance to ground on the bridge.
The Wagner earth circuit is nothing more than a voltage divider, designed to have the voltage ratio and phase shift as each side of the bridge. Because the midpoint of the Wagner divider is directly grounded, any other divider circuit (including either side of the bridge) having the same voltage proportions and phases as the Wagner divider, and
Wagner earth divider forces the null detector to be at ground potential, without a direct
There is often a provision made in the null detector connection to confirm proper setting of the Wagner earth divider circuit: a two-position switch, (Figure below) so that one end of the null detector may be connected to either the bridge or the Wagner earth. When the null detector registers zero signal in both switch positions, the bridge is not only guaranteed to be balanced, but the null detector is also guaranteed to be at zero potential with respect to ground, thus eliminating any errors due to leakage currents through stray detector-to-ground capacitances:
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powered by the same AC voltage source, will be at ground potential as well. Thus, the
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AC bridge circuits work on the same basic principle as DC bridge circuits: that a balanced ratio of impedances (rather than resistances) will result in a balanced condition as indicated by the null-detector device.
any other device capable of registering very small AC voltage levels. Like DC null detectors, its only required point of calibration accuracy is at zero.
AC bridge circuits can be of the symmetrical type where an unknown impedance is balanced by a standard impedance of similar type on the same side (top or bottom) of the bridge. Or, they can be nonsymmetrical, using parallel impedances to balance series impedances, or even capacitances balancing out inductances.
AC bridge circuits often have more than one adjustment, since both impedance magnitude and phase angle must be properly matched to balance.
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Some impedance bridge circuits are frequency-sensitive while others are not. The frequency-sensitive types may be used as frequency measurement devices if all component values are accurately known.
A Wagner earth or Wagner ground is a voltage divider circuit added to AC bridges to help reduce errors due to stray capacitance coupling the null detector to ground.
Two Marks
emf. 2. Name the potentiometer material used. German silver Manganin wire 3. Define standardization.
It is the process by which adjusting the current flows through the potentiometer
5. State the advantages of crompton potentiometer. More accurate Easy to adjust 6. What are the practical difficulties in ac potentiometers. More complicated Accuracy is seriously affected Difficulty is experienced in standardization. 7. Classify ac potentiometers. Polar potentiometer
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12. State the advantages of instrument transformers. Used for extension of range Power loss is minimum
High voltage and currents can be measured. 13. State the disadvantage of instrument transformers. Cannot be used for dc measurements.
Secondary winding Magnetic core. 15. Name the errors caused in current transformer. Ratio error Phase angle error 16. Define ratio error. The ratio of energy component current and secondary current is known as the ratio error.
Primary winding
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19. Name the errors caused in potential transformer. Ratio error Phase angle error. 20. How the CT and PT are connected in the circuits. CT is connected in series and PT is connected in parallel. 21. Classify resistance. Low resistance Medium resistance High resistance
Resistance of about 1 ohm to 100 kilo ohms are called medium resistance. 23. Name the methods used for low resistance measurement. Ammeter voltmeter method Potentiometer method
Ammeter voltmeter method Substitution method Wheatstone bridge method Carey foster bridge method. 25. Where high resistance m/s is required? Insulation resistance of cables High resistance circuit elements Volume resistivity of a material
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27. State the advantages of Kelvin double bridge method. Errors owing to contact resistance, resistance of leads can be eliminated by using this Kelvin double bridge. 28. What are the constructional features of doctor ohmmeter? Permanent magnet Current coil Pressure coil Battery Pointer with graduated scale. 29. Define megger.
The megger is an instrument used for the measurement of high resistance and insulation resistance. 30. Name the parts of megger.
It consists of a hand driven dc generator and a direct reading true ohm meter. 31. What is the range of low resistance?
Resistance of 100 kilo ohms and above are usually termed as high resistance. 33. What ranges of resistance can be measured by using doctor ohmmeter. 0 to 500 micro ohms 0 to 5 milli ohms 0 to 50 milli ohms 0 to 500 milli ohms 0 to 5 ohms. 34. How resistance is measured in direct deflection method.
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In this method a capacitor is charged and discharged for a specific time period and from this resistance is measured.
39. State the balance equation used in bridge methods. The product of opposite branch resistances are equal. 40. State the advantages of prices guard wire method. In this method leakage current does not flows through the meter and therefore it gives accurate reading.
AC bridges are used for the m/s of self and mutual inductance and capacitance. 43. State the balance equation used in ac bridges. The product of opposite branch impedances are equal. 44. Name the bridge circuits used for the m/s of self inductance. Maxwells bridge Maxwell-Wein Bridge Anderson bridge Hays bridge.
By using earth megger the value of surface earth resistance can be measured.
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49. In which cases audio frequency oscillators are used as ac source. For high frequency ac requirement audio frequency oscillators are used. 50. Name the sources of errors in ac bridge m/s. Errors due to stray magnetic fields Leakage errors Eddy current errors Residual errors
52. State the disadvantage of Maxwell-wein bridge. This method needs a std variable capacitor. Variable Capacitor is costliest. 53. State the disadvantages of Hays bridge. The balance equation is dependent of frequency and therefore any changes in frequency will affect the m/s. 54. State the use of Wein bridge. It is used for the m/s of unknown capacitance and frequency.
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60. Name the loop test methods used in location of fault. Murray loop test Varley loop test.
61. How leakage errors are minimized in ac bridge circuits. By using high grade insulation.
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