Typical application

Stacked voltage cell measurements

Stacked voltage cell measurements illustrate the need for an isolation amplifier.
Stacked voltage cell measurements are common with the growing popularity of solar
cells and fuel cells. In this application the technician wants to profile the performance of
individual series-connected voltages cells, but the need for an isolated amplifier is often
overlooked. That requirement is defined by the fact that each voltage cell (the normal
mode voltage is removed from ground by an amount equal to the sum of the voltage
cells below it (the common mode voltage. !nless the amplifiers used to measure
individual cell voltages are allowed to float at a level equal to the common mode voltage,
measurements are not likely to be accurate for any but the first cell in the string where the
common mode voltage is "ero.
#n e$ception to this premise is allowed for a non-isolated differential amplifier, but only
to the point that the common mode voltage does not e$ceed the amplifier%s common
mode range, and especially its ma$imum measurement range without damage.
Isolation amplifiers provide electrical isolation and an electrical safety barrier. They
protect data acquisition components from common mode voltages, which are potential
differences between instrument ground and signal ground. Instruments without an
isolation barrier that are applied in the presence of a common mode voltage allow ground
currents to circulate, leading in the best case to a noisy representation of the signal under
investigation. In the worst case, assuming that the magnitude of common mode voltage
and&or current is sufficient, instrument destruction is likely.
#mplifiers with an isolation barrier allow the front-end of the amplifier to float with
respect to common mode voltage to the limit of the barrier's breakdown voltage, which is
often (,))) *+,, peak #,, or more. This action serves to protect the amplifier and the
instrument connected to it, while still allowing a reasonably accurate measurement.
These amplifiers are also used for amplifying low-level signals in multi-channel
applications. They can also eliminate measurement errors caused by ground loops.
#mplifiers with internal transformers reduce circuit costs by eliminating the need for
additional isolated power supply. They are usually used as analogue interfaces between
systems with separated grounds. There are two types-
Two ports-
o when the +,-+, is not integrated.
o when there are two isolated parts.
Three ports-
o .hen the +,-+, is integrated.
o the parts are isolated between them.
In most applications, an output voltage is obtained by passing the output current through
a resistor. /ther applications-
0loating pulse amplifier output voltage and current interface.
Instrumentation in high-noise environments.
#nalogue front-end processing.
1edical instrumentation.
Isolation amplifier usage
Isolation amplifiers e$ist only to make the common mode component of a signal source
largely irrelevant to normal mode component measurement. The capacity of an isolation
amplifier to fulfill this ideal is a function of two key isolation amplifier specifications-
The amplifiers isolation breakdown voltage, which defines the absolute
ma$imum common mode voltage that it will tolerate without damage.
Specifications of (,))) volts and more are common.
The amplifiers common mode rejection ratio (often abbreviated ,122.
The ,122 specification defines the degree to which the common mode
voltage will disrupt the normal mode component measurement, and therefore
affect measurement accuracy.
0urthermore, the frequency of the common mode voltage can adversely affect
performance. 3igher frequency common mode voltages create difficulty for many
isolation amplifiers due to the parasitic capacitance of the isolation barrier. This
capacitance appears as a low impedance to higher frequency signals, and allows the
common mode voltage to essentially blow past the barrier and interfere with
measurements, or even damage the amplifier. 3owever, most common mode voltages
are a composite of line voltages, so frequencies generally remain in the 4) to 5) 3"
region with some harmonic content, well within the re6ection range of most isolation
amplifiers.
Function
After the measuring signal has been connected to the terminals and has passed a
protective circuit it will be processed. Subsequently, it is transferred to the secondary
side by opto-electronical methods. Here you can find the voltage and current output
which have been designed to be short-circuit and open-circuit proof.
galvanic isolation between input, output and supply
flexible use due to the possible selection of input and output configurations
signal ranges can be adapted to fit the customers need
extrema accuracy and precision
compact, small si!ed housing
7 no distortion, no falsification of measured signal, protection against erroneous
measurements due to parasitic voltages or ground