Scribd
Upload
18 views5 pages

Sensors and Transducers Tutorial Guide

The document outlines a tutorial on sensors and transducers, presenting various problems related to their specifications, errors, and applications. It includes questions on non-linearity errors, response times, and the suitability of different sensors for specific measurement tasks. Additionally, it suggests sensors for monitoring flow rates, liquid levels, and thickness in control systems.

Uploaded by

xiaobai1510
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
18 views5 pages

Sensors and Transducers Tutorial Guide

The document outlines a tutorial on sensors and transducers, presenting various problems related to their specifications, errors, and applications. It includes questions on non-linearity errors, response times, and the suitability of different sensors for specific measurement tasks. Additionally, it suggests sensors for monitoring flow rates, liquid levels, and thickness in control systems.

Uploaded by

xiaobai1510
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Mechatronics and Systems module [EG2202]

Tutorial 2: Sensors and Transducers

Problem 1

Explain the significance of the following information given in the specification of


transducers.

a) A piezoelectric accelerometer.

Non-linearity: ±0.5% of full range.

b) A capacitive linear displacement transducer.

Non-linearity and hysteresis: ±0.01% of full range.

c) A resistance strain gauge force measurement transducer.

Temperature sensitivity: ± 1% of full range over normal environmental temperatures.

d) A capacitance fluid pressure transducer.

Accuracy: ± 1% of displayed reading.

e) Thermocouple.

Sensitivity: nickel chromium/nickel aluminium thermocouple: 0.039 mV/°C when the


cold junction is at 0°C.

f) Gyroscope for angular velocity measurement.

Repeatability: ±0.01% of full range.

g) Inductive displacement transducer.

Linearity: ± 1% of rated load.

h) Load cell.

Total error due to non-linearity, hysteresis and non-repeatability: ±0.1%.

Page 1 of 5
Problem 2

A copper-constantan thermocouple is to be used to measure temperatures between 0


and 200°C. The e.m.f. at 0°C is 0 mV, at 100°C it is 4.277 mV and at 200°C it is 9.286 mV.
What will be the non-linearity error at 100°C as a percentage of the full range output if a
linear relationship is assumed between e.m.f. and temperature over the full range?

Problem 3

A thermocouple element when taken from a liquid at 50°C and plunged into a liquid at
100°C at time = 0 gave the following e.m.f. values. Determine the 95% response time.

Time (s) 0 20 40 60 80 100 120


e.m.f (mV) 2.5 3.8 4.5 4.8 4.9 5.0 5.0

Problem 4

What is the non-linearity error, as a percentage of full range, produced when a 1 kΩ


potentiometer has a load of 10 kΩ and is at one-third of its maximum displacement?

Problem 5

What will be the change in resistance of an electrical resistance strain gauge with a
gauge factor of 2.1 and resistance 50 Ω if it is subject to a strain of 0.001?

Problem 6

You are offered a choice of an incremental shaft encoder or an absolute shaft encoder
for the measurement of an angular displacement. What is the principal difference
between the results that can be obtained by these methods?

Problem 7

A shaft encoder is to be used with a 50 mm radius tracking wheel to monitor linear


displacement. If the encoder produces 256 pulses per revolution, what will be the
number of pulses produced by a linear displacement of 200 mm?

Problem 8

A rotary variable differential transformer has a specification which includes the


following information:
Page 2 of 5
Ranges:

±30°, linearity error ±0.5% full range

±60°, linearity error ±2.0% full range

Sensitivity: 1.1 (mV/V input)/degree

Impedance: primary 750 Ω, secondary 2000 Ω

What will be

a) the error in a reading of 40° due to non-linearity when the RDVT is used on the
±60° range, and
b) the output voltage change that occurs per degree if there is an input voltage of 3
V?

Problem 9

What are the advantages and disadvantages of the plastic film type of potentiometer
when compared with the wire-wound potentiometer?

Problem 10

A pressure sensor consisting of a diaphragm with strain gauges bonded to its surface
has the following information in its specification:

Ranges: 0 to 1400 kPa, 0 to 35 000 kPa

Non-linearity error: ±0.15% of full range

Hysteresis error: ±0.05% of full range

What is the total error due to non-linearity and hysteresis for a reading of 1000 kPa on
the 0 to 1400 kPa range?

Problem 11

An iron–constantan thermocouple is to be used to measure temperatures between 0


and 400°C. What will be the non-linearity error as a percentage of the full-scale reading
at 100°C if a linear relationship is assumed between e.m.f. and temperature?

e.m.f. at 100°C = 5.268 mV; e.m.f. at 400°C = 21.846 mV

Page 3 of 5
Problem 12

A platinum resistance temperature detector has a resistance of 100.00 Ω at 0°C, 138.50


Ω at 100°C and 175.83 Ω at 200°C. What will be the non-linearity error in °C at 100°C if
the detector is assumed to have a linear relationship between 0 and 200°C?

Problem 13

A strain gauge pressure sensor has the following specification. Will it be suitable for the
measurement of pressure of the order of 100 kPa to an accuracy of ± 5 kPa in an
environment where the temperature is reasonably constant at about 20°C?

Ranges: 2 to 70 MPa, 70 kPa to 1 MPa

Excitation: 10 V d.c. or a.c. (r.m.s.)

Full range output: 40 mV

Non-linearity and hysteresis errors: ±0.5%

Temperature range: –54 to + 120°C

Thermal shift zero: 0.030% full range output/°C

Thermal shift sensitivity: 0.030% full range output/°C

Problem 14

Suggest a sensor that could be used as part of the control system for a furnace to
monitor the rate at which the heating oil flows along a pipe. The output from the
measurement system is to be an electrical signal which can be used to adjust the speed
of the oil pump. The system must be capable of operating continuously and
automatically, without adjustment, for long periods of time.

Problem 15

Suggest a sensor that could be used, as part of a control system, to determine the
difference in levels between liquids in two containers. The output is to provide an
electrical signal for the control system.

Problem 16

Suggest a sensor that could be used as part of a system to control the thickness of
rolled sheet by monitoring its thickness as it emerges from rollers. The sheet metal is in

Page 4 of 5
continuous motion and the measurement needs to be made quickly to enable
corrective action to be taken quickly. The measurement system has to supply an
electrical signal.

Page 5 of 5

Common questions

Powered by AI

The suitability is determined by the range (70 kPa to 1 MPa) and the non-linearity and hysteresis errors (±0.5%). The sensor's full range output errors should not exceed the required precision of ±5 kPa. Given the intrinsic error percentage, maintaining accuracy in the 100 kPa region within ±5 kPa may be challenging without precise calibration .

A laser displacement sensor would be suitable for controlling the thickness of rolled metal sheets. It provides non-contact, high-speed measurement capabilities essential for real-time monitoring and adjustment, ensuring the final product meets required thickness specifications .

The non-linearity of ±0.5% of full range in a piezoelectric accelerometer's specification indicates the extent to which the accelerometer's output deviates from an ideal linear response over its rated range. This deviation affects the accuracy of the measurements obtained, especially when precise detection of acceleration changes is crucial .

The circumference of the wheel is 2π × 50 = 314.16 mm. For 200 mm displacement, the wheel turns 200/314.16 = 0.636 revolutions. Therefore, the number of pulses generated is 0.636 × 256 = 162.84, approximately 163 pulses .

Temperature sensitivity of ±1% of full range in a resistance strain gauge affects its performance by causing the reading to vary with temperature changes instead of solely responding to strain. This can result in errors in force or displacement measurements if not compensated for, particularly when environmental temperatures fluctuate significantly .

Assuming a linear relationship for a copper-constantan thermocouple, the e.m.f. at 100°C should be halfway between 0°C and 200°C, which is 6.7815 mV. The actual e.m.f. is 4.277 mV, so the non-linearity error = (6.7815 - 4.277) / (9.286) × 100% = 27.00% of full range .

The incremental shaft encoder provides relative position information by counting pulses from a known reference position, whereas the absolute shaft encoder provides a unique position value based on multiple coded tracks. This makes absolute encoders preferable for applications requiring precise position tracking and recovery after power loss .

The total error due to non-linearity and hysteresis for a reading of 1000 kPa is calculated by adding the two error percentages: ±0.15% for non-linearity and ±0.05% for hysteresis. Thus, the total error is ±0.20% of full range, which is ±2.8 kPa .

A flow measurement sensor such as a turbine flow meter or an electromagnetic flow meter would be suitable, as it can provide an electrical signal proportional to flow rate, allowing for continuous and automated operation without the need for frequent adjustments .

Plastic film potentiometers offer advantages such as lower manufacturing cost, lighter weight, and smoother operation without the steps associated with wire-wound construction. However, they may have limitations in terms of long-term durability and resistance to high-temperature environments compared to the robust build of wire-wound counterparts .

You might also like