5.

4 Capacitive Transducers
Like variable resistance and mutual inductance, variable capacitance also can be used in displacement
Hesuring transducers in various ways. The capacitance of the variable capacitor can be changed by
sational or rotational motion. However, the capacitance transducer is also used for measurement of
otner process parameter like level and
pressure.
5.4.1 Variation of
Capacitance Reetangnla /glidrita dielctie
Paitor consists of two conducting metal plates separated by an insulator. When a voltage is
applied to the metal
plates, equal and opposite electric charges appear on the plates. The ratio of char
 ENT MEASUREMENT

charge to the voltage is the capacitance. The capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor is proportionsl to
the area 'A' of the plates and inversely proportional to their separation 'd. Neglecting fringing, it
can
be expressed as
A
C=E,E, F (5.5)
where E, is the permittivity of free space (a vacuum) with a value of 8.854 x 10 F/m; E, is the dielee
tric constant of the material in the gap (for air E,= 1). A is in (metre) and d is in metre. Thus, capac-
itance is afunction of shape and size, and permittivity and alteration ofA, d, or ¬, causes a change in
capacitance. In Figs. 5.16(a) and (b)principle of the variation of effective area and separation betwen
the plates are used to make the variation of capacitance. f we can measure the change in capacitance
value, it can be utilized to make primarily a displacement transducer. However, the principle of capaci
tancechange can beincorporated to make level and differerntial pressure sensors too. Figures 5.17(a) and
(b) show the scheme of permittivity variation. The plates as well as the dielectric material are semicir
cular in shape in Fig. 5.17(a). Now if dielectric moves on a common axis, there will be variation of
capacitance value formed bétween two semicircular plates. Such a capacitor is used in LC tuned circuit
for varying the tuning frequency. Figure 5.17(b) shows a scheme of level measurement based on the
principle of capacitance variation. Asolid rod is placed in the hollow cylinder which contains the liquid.
Tvo capacitors in parallel are formed: one with air dielectric and otherwith dielectric of liquid. As the

Halio
(a) (b)
Figure 5.16 Capacitance as a displacement sensor by geometrical variation. (a) Effective area between plates
varies (X and Y are cylinders). (b) Distance between plates varies.

Liquid here
is the
dielectric

(i
(a) (b)

Figure 5.]7 Capacitance with dielectric variation.(a) Permittivity variation; (b) liquid level gauge.
 5.4 CAPACITIVE TRANSDUCERS
" 71
the resultant capacitance also changes. For
liquidlevel changes
issatisfactory since theliquid non-conducting liquid the arrangement
resistance is sufficiently high. For conductive
prevent short circuiting of liquids the inner probe must wB.
be insulated to capacitance through liquid.
Eordifferential output, the arrangement shown in Fig. 5.18 can be
used. Here thecylinders X and Y
are fixed and inner concentric cylinder Z can move. If Z moves to left-hand side the effective area and
konce capacitance between A and Zwill increase and that between Y and Z will
decrease and vice versa.
The differential arrangement will provide higher bridge output than
that of single arrangement as
shown in Fig. 5.16(a).
Another differential arrangement is shown in Fig. 5.19 where separation between the plates
varies.
Here plates P and are fixed and plate Mcan move up or down. If plate Mmoves upward the capaci-Ca
rance between plate M and willincrease and that between P and Mwill decrease.
The differential variation of the capacitance is also possible by variation of permittivity. As shown in
Eig 5.20 thedielectric W can change the position and that will lead to differential variation of capacitance.
One or more of the plates are not connected to ground and, therefore, electrostatic screening isk
required to avoid pickup, usually at main supply frequency. The screened cable connection to the capac
itive sensor can be source of error because it might change its capacitance when there is movement
berween the cable conductors and cable dielectric. Variation in area A or separation d requires physical
connection to themoving part,while permittivity 'E, variation does not. Variation in 'A' or '¬ have |*.
linear operating ranges between l mm and 10 mm, although the capacitance transducer is mostly used

Differential output: C t ACand CFAC

Vaitin
VAwaton Caprealias
Z to be
Coidrd
whie

rigure 5.18 X, Y and Z are cvlinders. Area between the plates vary
(geometrical variation). dvcapin

M- -

C, V;

P
(geometrical variation).
5.19 Distance between rhe plates varies
rigure
 72 "
CHAPTER 5/DISPLACEMENT MEASUREME

> W X-2

Figure 5.20 Variable capacitor with differential output. W, X, Yand Z are cylinders
(permittivity variation).
for small displacement, where d varies. The most common form of
variable capacitor
ment transducer is the parallel plate capacitor with a variable air gap. The problem used in displace
of non-linearity
between the distance between the plates 'd' and capacitance ' is resolved by the
as shown in Fig. 5.21.
op-amnp based circuit
Assuming that the op-amp as an ideal device we have

C
where Cf is the fixed capacitor and C, is the variable capacitor or
capacitance sensor. Also
C;d
(5.6)
E¬, A
It is clearly seen that the output voltage is now
direccly
linearity is achieved for both large and small motions. Inproportional to che plate separation 'd'; thus,
commercial instrument e, is 50 kHz sine
wave of fixed amplitude. The output e, is also a 50 kHz
sine wave which is rectified and applied to a
dc voltmeter calibrated directly in distance
units. In a differential-capacitance pressure
(Fig. 5.22), the plates are circular and plate M is a thin transducer
to be measured is applied. The equivalent bridge diaphragm across which the pressure differential
circuit is shown in Fig. 5.23. With equal pressure

iale Cx

the
eex

Figure 5.21 Linearisation of

capacitance sensor.
 5.4 CA
. 73

Stationary plates of capacitor

tlo
Stretched
stainless steel Meaamneent
Pressure Diaphragm
(movable plate
of capacitor)
(Daf!

Pressure
X

Figure 5.22 Differential-capacitor pressure pickup.

X

2.5 kHz M

Figure 5.23 The bridge circuit of differential pressure pickup.

"PPued to borh pressure ports, the diaphragm is in a neutral position; the bridge is balanced and the
Output voltage 'e' from the bridge is zero.
one pressure is greater than the other, the diaphragm deflects in proportion, giving an unbalanced
Output at 'e in proportion to the differential pressure. For the opposite pressure difference, 'e' showS a
180° phase Change. Therefore, a phase-sensitive demodulation is necessary. This method allows meas-
urement of static deflection. Such differential capacitor arrangements also exhibit considerable greater
linearity then do single capacitor types.