Electrical Measurement and Measuring

Instrumentations
Measurement of Resistance inductance and
Capacitance

Dr. Saumendra Sarangi

Electrical Engineering
Faculty of EED, MNNIT, Allahabad

Dr. Haitham El-

Introduction
Types of Bridges
Wheatstone Bridge

• The Wheatstone Bridge is an

Electrical Circuit to measure
resistance
• The bridge consists of
Galvanometer and Two
parallel branches containing
Four Resistors
• One unknown resistance in
one branch and other branch
resistances are known
• The voltage source is
connected in two terminals of
Wheat Stone Bridge
The Bridge is balanced when current flowing through branch BD
(Galvanometer) is zero
During this period potential of B and D are equal

Since ,
=

Hence=

Similarly, voltage drops across and are also equal

Wheat Stone Bridge
Wheat Stone Bridge
AC
BRIDGES
Application of AC Bridges

• Measurement of Unknown Impedance

Also applicable in Communication system and

complex electronic circuit

• Phase shifting, i.e oscillator

• or Amplifiers
• Filters
• Measuring the frequency of the audio signal
AC Bridge Equation
The Bridge is balanced when current flowing through branch BD
(Galvanometer) is zero
During this period potential of B and D are equal

Since ,
=V

Hence =

Similarly, voltage drops across and are also equal

Hence, =
AC Bridge

Impedances

=
Balance Equation

Which can be written as: =

=
The above equation has two conditions

• Magnitude : =

• Angle: =
Maxwell’s Bridge
Unknow Inductance is computed
in terms of known inductance

• Branch AB has unknown coil

of
Resistance and inductance
• Branch AD has variable
inductance and resistance
• Magnitude of and
should be same order

Resistances and are connected

in BC and CD branches

The Bridge can be balanced by

varying
Basic equation during Balance
condition
Let say Potential difference is (PD)
PD across AB= PD across AD=
=
+j)= +j ……….. (Eq.1)

PD across CD= PD across BC=

= (Eq.2)

Since during the balance condition =

= , Eq.2 can be written as = ……(Eq.3)

Dividing Eq.(1)/Eq.(3)
Maxwell Bridge Balanced
Condition
 Maxwell Bridge Phasor
Diagram
during the balance condition
PD across AB= PD across
AD==
PD across BC= PD across
CD==
= =
V= + = +
+j)= = +j V
Maxwell Wien Bridge

• Maxwell Bridge is n bridge used to measure

an unknown inductance in terms of a known
capacitance. This bridge is sometimes called
Maxwell-Wien Bridge
• Using capacitance as standard has several
advantages due to
Capacitance of capacitor is not
influenced by less external fields
• Capacitor has small Size
• Capacitor is low cost
Maxwell Wien Bridge
Unknow Inductance is computed
in terms of Capacitance

• Branch AB has unknown coil

of
Resistance and inductance
• Branch AD has a resistance

• Resistances is connected in BC
• is connected in CD branches
the which is variable. This has a
parallel resistance

The Bridge can be balanced by

varying

one of the resistance and

Basic Equation
Impedance

=
=
Quality Factor
 Maxwell Bridge Phasor
During the balance condition
Diagram
PD across AB= PD across AD==
PD across BC= PD across CD==
= =
V= + = +
+j)= =

𝐼𝐶
V
Advantages
Fixed Capacitor is Used instead of Variable capacitor
in WEIN Bridge
Convergence is easier for Low Q-Coils
• Balance condition is independent of frequency
• Can be used for heavy current carrying coil
provided resistors are capable of carrying the
current balance condition is affected

Disadvantages:
1. It is complicated than the MAXWELL Bridge as
variable capacitor is difficult to get.
2. As parameters changes with temperature

3. The Balance equation is more tedious

4. Shielding of Bridge is Difficult due to additional
Junction
Anderson Bridge
In this Bridge unknown inductance is measured in terms
of capacitance and resistance. It is preferred for
measurement of low Q inductance
Unknow Inductance is computed
in terms of known inductance

• Branch AB has a coil of

Resistance and
inductance which is not known
• Branch CE has resistance
• fixed capacitance C in CD
branch is a standard
capacitance
• Magnitude is low
• Resistances and are
connected in BC and CD
branches

The Bridge can be balanced by

Modified Ckt Diagram
• At E three resistances are connected , r
and which looks as a star connection
• Equivalent Delta is computed by applying
Star–Delta transformation with resistances
and
• In CD terminal C is also connected which
is shown in Fig. 13.10 below
• Using the star-delta transformation
Balance condition
Equation
During the balance condition
PD across AB= PD across AD==
PD across BC= PD across CD==
= =,=
V= + = +
+j)= + r=
+ r=
 Maxwell Bridge Phasor Diagram
During the balance condition
PD across AB= =
PD across BC= PD across CD=
= =
V= + = + )
+j)= + and =

𝑉1 V
¿ 𝐼 3 𝑅3
𝐼 3
𝑟 𝐼𝐶
𝐼𝐶 𝐼4
Advantages
Fixed Capacitor is Used instead of Variable capacitor
in WEIN Bridge
Convergence is easier for Low Q-Coils
• Balance condition is independent of frequency
• Can be used for heavy current carrying coil
provided resistors are capable of carrying the
current balance condition is affected

Disadvantages:
1. It is complicated than the MAXWELL Bridge as
variable capacitor is difficult to get.
2. The Balance equation is more tedious
3. Shielding of Bridge is Difficult due to additional
Junction
4. Applicable for measurement of medium quality
factor 1<Q
 Hays Bridge Balanced
Condition
Unknow Inductance is computed
in terms of known capacitance

• Branch AB has a coil of

Resistance and
inductance which is not known
• Branch CD has resistance
and
• Magnitude is low
• Resistances and are
connected in BC and CD
branches

The Bridge can be balanced by

varying and which connected
between CD

• Preferred for fixed

Hays Bridge Balanced
Condition
Hays Bridge Balanced Condition
During the balance condition
PD across AB= PD across AD==
PD across BC= PD across CD==
= =
V= + = +
+j)= =
Hays Bridge Balanced
Condition
Hays Bridge Balanced
Condition
 Hays Bridge Balanced Condition
Putting the values of in the above equation
= and Then can be derived as
=
The Quality Factor of the coil
=
Hence, =
For Q>10 the term is < 1/100 so can be neglected
Advantages

Fixed Capacitor is Used instead of Variable capacitor

in WEIN Bridge
Convergence is easier for high Q-Coils
• The R4 should be very low . However in WEIN Bridge
this is very high

Disadvantages:
1. It is not suitable for measurement of Low Q coil.
2. For Low Q coil poor convergence is observed
De Sauty BRIDGE

• This bridge used for the

measurement of unknown
capacitance
• If both the capacitor are free
from Dielectric Loss then this
bridge is the easiest Bridge
• A perfect balance is obtained if
air capacitor is used
CKT
DIAGRAM
Unknow Inductance is computed in
terms of known capacitance

• Branch AB has a
Resistance and
which is not known is connected
in BC
• Branch CD has should be
known
• Resistances AD branches .
• Both resistances non inductive in
nature

The Bridge can be balanced by

varying and which is connected
between CD

• Both the capacitor should be free

Basic Equations During Balanced
Condition
Eq(1)

Eq(2)

𝑅1 𝑅2
Dividing both Equations (1) and (2) =
− 𝑗 − 𝑗
𝜔 𝐶1 𝜔 𝐶2

𝑅2
From the above relation 𝐶 1=𝐶 2
𝑅1

The Bridge balanced when the bridges are having ideal capacitor means No Losses

But the capacitors are not free from the Dielectric Losses Hence the De-Sauty’s Bridge is modified to Improve
the accuracy
MODIFIED CKT DIAGRAM
Unknow capacitance is computed in
terms of known capacitance

• Branch AB has a
Resistance
• which is not
known is connected in BC with
should be known and has small
• Branch CD has should be
known and has small
• Resistances is connected AD
branches .
• Both resistances non inductive in
nature

The Bridge can be balanced by

varying and which is connected
between CD
Equation during balanced
condition
During the balance condition
PD across AB= PD across AD==
PD across BC= PD across CD==

= =
(1)

V= + = +
(2)

= =, = (3)

And
Since,
= (4)

= (5)
 Phasor Diagram

𝐼 1 𝑟 1 𝐼 2 𝑅4 𝐼 𝑅 =
1 3

𝑉 𝐶 1

V
𝑉 𝑐2
𝐼2/ 𝑗𝜔𝐶2¿𝐼1𝑉/ 𝑗𝜔𝐶1
𝑐1 𝑉 4 =𝑉 3
Basic Equations
= (3)

= (5)

Dividing, (3) and (5)

=
Equating real and imaginary parts,
=, (6)

=, =
Balanced Condition and Loss Angles
=, (6)

=, =

Then ==
the angles = =

==
SCHERING BRIDGE
Unknow capacitance is computed in
terms of known capacitance

• Branch AB has a
Resistance and
which are unknown
• Branch AD has should be
known
• Variable Resistances is connected
BC branches .
• Branch CD has and variable
capacitor
• Both resistances non inductive in
nature

The Bridge can be balanced by

varying and which is connected
between BC and CD
respectively
SCHERING BRIDGE

= (1)

(2)
(3)
= (4)
Equation during balanced
condition
During the balance condition
PD across AB= PD across AD==
PD across BC= PD across CD==

= =
(5)

V= + = +
(6)

=,
(7)

And (8)
Since,
(9)
Balanced Equation
 Phasor Diagram
𝐼 1𝐶=¿𝑉 𝜔𝐶 ¿
𝐼 4𝐶 𝐼 4=𝐼 3
1

=
𝛿𝐼 4 𝑅 =

𝐼 1𝑅
=V/
𝑉 1=𝑉 3=
is the angle between
Calculation of Loss Angle
SCHERING BRIDGE
WIEN
BRIDGE
Unknow capacitance is computed in
terms of known capacitance

• Branch AB has a
Resistance
which is unknown
• Branch AD has with variable
should be known
• Resistances is connected BC
branches .
• Branch CD has
• Both resistances non inductive in
nature

The Bridge can be balanced by

varying and which is connected
between BC and CD
respectively
Iimpedances in The
branches
(1)

(2)
= (3)

= (4)
Equation during balanced
condition
During the balance condition
PD across AB= PD across AD==
PD across BC= PD across CD==

= =
(5)

V= + = +
(6)

=,
(7)
= ()
(8)
And (9)
Since,

(10)
Under balanced condition
Under balanced condition

The Bridge is useful for measurement of Frequency in

audio range ( 20-200-2k-20kHz) ranges
At higher Frequency loss effects in the capacitors and stray
capacitance will affect the accuracy of frequency measuerement
Uses
• Measurement of Frequency
• Measurement of capacitance if
the frequency is known
• Used as a Harmonic distortion
analyzer, as Notch Filter
• Used in Oscillators to determine
the frequency

Since it is sensitive to Frequency it is difficult to balance the bridge if

the waveforms are not balanced