B.E. DEGREE EXAMINATION.

Fourth Semester
Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering
EI 235/IT 237 — TRANSDUCER ENGINEERING
(Common to Instrumentation and Control Engineering and
Instrumentation Engineering)
Time : Three hours Maximum : 100 marks
Answer ALL questions.
PART A — (10 ? 2 = 20 marks)

1. Why is periodical calibration of measuring instrument necessary?

2. List any two sources of systematic error in a measuring instrument.
3. What is the difference between accuracy and precision?
4. What is the 5% settling time in the step response of a first–order instrument
with a time–constant of 12 sec.?
5. What is meant by self–heating error in a resistance thermometer?
6. Why is dynamic compensation network used with hot–wire anemometers?
7. Mention the problem that occurs when phase insensitive demodulator is used
with LVDT.
8. Sketch the desired frequency response of a capacitor microphone.
9. Give the material and sensitivity of IC temperature sensor.
10. Mention two advantages of smart sensor.

PART B — (5 ? 16 = 80 marks)
11. (i) Define standard. How are standards classified? Give the international
standards used for mass, length, and time. (8)

(ii) Ten measurements of a pressure made by an instrument at different time

intervals give the following readings in kg/cm2 : (8)
7.92, 8.03, 8.10, 7.95, 8.01, 7.98, 7.95, 8.07, 7.94 and 7.97.
Find arithmetic mean, standard deviation, and most probable error.

12. (a) (i) Define sensitivity and resolution of a measuring instrument. (4)
(ii) What are the three ways of specifying the non–linearity of an instrument? (4)
(iii) A first–order thermometer with a time–constant of 5 sec is used to measure
the temperature of a furnace fluctuating between 540?C and 580?C in a
sinusoidal manner. The frequency of fluctuation is 0.04 Hz. Find the maximum
and minimum readings of the thermometer. (8)

Or

(b) (i) Derive an expression for the output of a first–order instrument when
subjected to unit impulse input. Also sketch the response. (8)
(ii) The gas pressure inside a vessel starts increasing from the initial value of 100
kPa at the rate of 2000 Pa/sec. The pressure is measured by a second–order
instrument with a damping ratio of 0.7 and a natural frequency of 30 Hz. Sketch
the input and output variation with time and find the steady–state error in
instrument reading after transient in output has vanished. (8)

13. (a) (i) Give the construction details of bonded and unbonded strain gauges.
Explain any two applications of bonded strain gauges. (8)
(ii) A resistance potentiometer with a 20 mm travel has a resistance of 10,000
Ohms. It is connected to a 10 V d.c. source with negligible internal resistance.
Calculate the actual displacement when the output of the potentiometer is 5 V.
The resistance of the voltmeter is 20,000 Ohms. (8)

Or

(b) (i) Explain with a sketch the construction details and characteristics of a piezo
resistive pressure transducer. (8)
(ii) Describe the temperature Vs resistance characteristic of a thermistor with
equation. Explain any one method of linearizing thermistor characteristic. (8)
14. (a) (i) Explain with a sketch the principle of operation of a variable reluctance
accelerometer. (8)
(ii) Five square plates of area 16 cm2 (each) are arranged as shown in Fig.
14(a). The plate spacings are 0.2 mm (each). The arrangement is to be used as
a displacement transducer by observing change in capacitance with distance x.
Calculate the sensitivity of this device in . (8)

Fig. 14(a)

Or

(b) (i) Draw the input–output characteristic of LVDT. Explain the phase
adjustment circuits and null–reduction technique used for LVDT. (8)
(ii) Explain with a sketch the construction details, principle of operation and signal
conditioning circuits of a capacitive transducer used for differential pressure
measurement. (8)

15. (a) (i) Define the two sensitivity constants of piezo electric transducer. Derive
the relation between the two constants. Also draw the equivalent circuit of
piezoelectric transducer. (8)
(ii) Explain with a sketch the working of an encoder that gives 4–bit digital output
proportional to linear displacement. Mention the advantages of digital
transducers. (8)

Or

(b) (i) Define magnetostrictive effect. Name two materials used in

magnetostrictive transducers. Describe any one application of magnetostrictive
transducer. (8)
(ii) Explain with a sketch the working of a fiber–optic displacement transducer.
Draw its input–output characteristic. (8)
———————
 B.E/B.Tech. DEGREE EXAMINATION, MAY/JUNE 2007
Fourth semester
Instrumentation and Control Engineering.
EI 1252-TRANSDUCER ENGINEERING
(Common to Electrical and Instrumentation Engineering)
(Regulation 2004)
PART –A(10*2=20)
1. State the classification of standards.
2. What is need for calibration?
3. What is the value of damping ratio consideration for transducers meant to
measure temperature?
4. How is linearity of a transducer specified?
5. Define gauge factor.
6. State the principle of operation of hotwire anemometer.
7. How to minimize null voltage in LVDT?
8. Name the transducer used for angular position telemetry.
9. State the principle of operation of Fiber optic sensor.
10. What is charge amplifier?

PART-B-(5*16=80)

11.(a) (i) explain the classification of transducers. (8)

(ii) one hundred temperature reading were taken at small intervals of time and recorded to
the nearest 0.5°C. The frequency of occurrences of the reading is given below:

Temperature
reading °C 98.5 99 99.5 100 100.5 101.0 101.5

Frequency 4 13 19 35 17 10 02
Calculate:
(1) Arithmetic mean
(2) Average deviation
(3) Standard deviation
(4) Probable error
Or

(b) (i) write the significance of odds and uncertainty. (6)

(ii) Write the causes and methods to minimize the different classes of errors. (10)

12.(a) (i) a measure system has an exponential response to step input. The time constant of the
system is 3 seconds. What is the time required to reach (1) 60 percent and (2) 80 percent of final
steady state reading? (8)
(ii) Derive the transfer function of first order instrument. Obtain the output of the first order
transducer for a given unit impulse input. (8)

Or
(b) Distinguish the following static characteristics of transducers:
(i) Input impedance vs. output impedance
(ii) Resolution vs. accuracy
(iii) Accuracy vs. precision
(iv) Threshold vs. resolution (16)

13. (a) (i) derive the expression for gauge factor. (6)
(ii) A strain gauge has a gauge factor of 4.if the strain gauge is attached to a metal bar
that stretches from 0.28 m to 0.285m when strained, what is the percentage change in
resistance? If the unstrained value of gauge is 350 ohms, what is the resistance value of gauge
after the application of the strain? (6)
(iii) Distinguish metal wire and semiconductor strain gauges. (4)

Or

(b) Explain the construction and working and signal conditioning circuits of resistance
thermometers with temperature compensation. (16)

14. (a) explain the construction and operation of:

(i) A variable reluctance transducer (8)
(ii) Synchros (8)

Or

(b) Explain the construction and operation of

(i) A capacitance transducer used for measurement of displacement (8)
(ii) Capacitance microphone (8)

15.(a) write short notes on:

(i) Piezoelectric accelerometer (8)
(ii) Digital encoder (8)

Or

(b) Write short notes on:

(i) Smart sensor (8)
(ii)IC sensor of measurement (8)