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On The Use of Anderson's Bridge for the Measurement of the Variations of the Capacity and
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ABSTRACT.
An analysis of the effect of residuals and earth capacities in Anderson’s Inductance-
capacity bridge is made, and it is shown that if balances are obtained
( n ) by balancing the bridge with direct currents ;
( b ) by making the altemating current adjustments by means of a small series
resistance (s’) and parallel condenser (C’) in the condenser arm ;
then the changes required in s’ and C’ to hold the balance a t different frequencies are
equal and opposite to the variations of the effective (series) resistance and capacity of
the condenser with frequency.
The assumptions made in obtaining the above conclusions are that the residual induc-
tances and resistances of the ‘‘ non-inductive ” arms of the bridge are invariable with
frequency and that the resistance of the inductive arm vanes SLS the square of the frequenc y
S o knowledge of the absolute values of the residuals, &c., is required for the method.
The Inethod is illustrated by resnlts obtained with a condenser of capacity 0.5,u.F,
ancl details are given showing how the chief experimental trouble, viz., drift in D.C.
balanw owing to temperature rariations, may be overcome.
I.-Introdztction.
ALTHOCGH Anderson’s bridge has been used frequently in precision measurements
of inductance and capacity and the effects of the residual inductances of the arms
have been discussed,” a valuable property of this bridge seems t o have been over-
looked. -411 examination of the equations of balance of this bridge in which t h e
effects of residuals are included shows that if the balancing adjustments are carried
out in a particular manner, the only factors which necessitate a readjustment of
balance a t various frequencies of current are :
(a) the variation of the capacity of the condenser with frequency,
( b ) the variation of the effective resistance of the condenser with frequency,
(c) the variation of the inductance with frequency.
The assumptions upon which the above conclusions are based are t h a t t h e
resistances and residual inductances (or capacities) of the “ non-inductive ” arms.
are invariable with frequency a n d that the resistance of the inductive arm has a term
varying as the square of the frequency.
The observed variations of adjustment with frequency may therefore be used
t o determine the frequency variations of capacity and effective resistance of a con-
denser, the frequency coefficient of the inductance being supposed given. This
frequency coefficient may be determined b y a measurement of the self capacity of
the inductive coil if the coil is of stranded wire. The absolute magnitudes of t h e
residuals need not be known if the only quantities required are the variations of
capacity and effective resistance of the condenser.
11.
Andexson’s bridge is shown in Fig. l a in which XI, X,, X,,X , are resistances
having small inductances, X, is an inductive coil and X , is the condenser under test.
* Rosa and Grover, Bull. Bureau of Standards, Vol. I., p. “91 (1905).
VOL. S S S I Y . 13
2 MY. S. Butterworth o n
If X, is zero the bridge becomes Maxwell’s inductance-capacity bridge (Fig. l ( b ) ).
The latter bridge may also be derived from Anderson’s bridge by converting the
“ star ” conibination X I , X 2 , X , to its equivalent “ mesh,”* X’l, X f 2 , X’3=
U
FIG. l.-(cZ) ANDERSOS’S
BRIDGE. ( b ) MAXWELL’SBRIDGE.
Hence if r1,r2,l’, are the residual inductances of the equivalent arms x”,,XI2, X‘,
1’1=11(1 +R,/Rz) + 1 3 ( 1 +Rl/Rz)-1zRlR,;Rp2
1’2=12(1 +R,/R,) +1,(1 +Rz/Rl)-llR2R,,’R12
1’3=11(1+R2/R3) +12(1+R1/R,)-13R1Rz/R32j
‘1 . . . . . . (2)
If I,, 1,, I , are invariable with frequency, then to the first order of small quantities
Y1,rZ,,Z’ are also invariable.
For analytical simplicity it is convenient in certain cases to replace residual
inductances by residual capacities. Thus if 1 is the residual inductance of a resistance
R, the equivalent residual capacity acting as a shunt is
c=--IIR2 . . . . . . . . . . . (3)
111.-Conditions of Balance in Maxwell’s Bridge.
Maxwell’s bridge is redrawn in Fig. 2 with the residuals included.
R I is a resistance having residual inductance 1 ; R , is an inductive coil of in-
ductance L ; G, is a conductance with residual capacity c ; G, is a conductance
* G. A. Campbell, Trans. Am.I.E.E., Vol. XXX., p. 851 (1911).
T h e U s e o f . Andersoffi’s Bridge. 3
shunting the ‘condenser C, its residual capacity being included in C . The condenser
C has leakage conductance g.
If the bridge is earthed at the point E the earth capacities (assumed t o be
sufficiently represented by condensers connecting the branch points t o earth) are
either included in c, C or are thrown across the whole bridge.
The vector equation of balance when using currents of frequency w/2n is
(Gi+g+joC)/(G,+joc)=(R,+jwL)/(R,+jol) . . . . . (4)
from which the two conditions of balance are
(GI +g)Ri --o’LC =G2R2 -W’LC . . . . . . . . . . . (6)
CRl+I(Gl+g)=cR2+LG2 . . . . . . . . . . . . (6)
has been satisfied by balancing with direct currents. Then, using (11) and (12)
and ignoring products of small quantities, (9) and (10) become
C~SR,-~C+L~C=G~R,/~ . . . . . . . . . . . (1 3)
CR,(1 - a d ) =L,G,--IG,+cR, . . . . . . . . - (14)
If, therefore, the alternating current balance is secured by having a small
adjustable air condenser C' in parallel with C and a small adjustable resistance s'
in series, equations (13)and (14) show that foy all frequencies,s+s' and C(1-aaw2)+C'
aye constant.
The variations required in s' and C' to restore balance at the various frequencies
will therefore be equal and opposite t o the variations of s and C ( l - - a d ) .
I?----
* I
FIG.3.--AxDERSOK'.S OE 3 p F
BRIDGEFOR E l T E C T I V C RESIS'~'ASCE COSDESSERS.
VI1.-Temperat w e Variations.
The chief source of trouble in the effective resistance measurements was the
difficulty experienced in holding the direct-current balance throughout the alter-
nating-currcnt adjustments, the balance tending t o drift because of the large tem-
perature coefficient of the resistance of the inductive coil in R,. This difficulty
was largely overcome by the use of the balancing coil R I of Fig. 3, both R I and
R, being shielded from stray temperature variations by enclosing them together.
I t was found necessary also to shield the leads to these coils. For similar reasons
the current supplied to the bridge, whether direct or alternating, was made to
have the same R.R.I.S. value. Even with these precautions a small drift in balance
often occurred SO that observations were taken in a definite order, and a correction
applied for mant of D.C. balance. An examination of equation (9) shows that a
departure from condition (12) introduces a n error in s proportional to 1/(02, and is
thus more serious a t the lower frequencies. For this reason it was found advisable
to take the lower frequency observations immediately after securing the D.C. balance.
Also by deliberately throwing the D.C. balance out of adjustment and observing
the change in s’ required to re-balance with alternating currents of known frequency,
the correction for a given want of balance could be determined. The method is
illustrated by the follo\~ingexample.
I 1
__
’
___-
D.C. observations. A.C. observations.
-
1 .-
_____.___
Deduced.
I
I
z::
...
-5.0 I
...
...
...
500
...
1
...
...
...
0.520*
...
+2.S
...
...
...
...
...
...
-1.8
...
-7.5
7 +10.0 ... ... +2.5 ...
8 +
T~ -5.0 1 ... I
I
... ,.. .*.
I
c--c1000 Correction I c--c,o,,
Uncorrected I Corrected
N per sec. PPF. P[LF.
VPF. IZV.
c
The correction in the fourth column is for the variation of the inductive coil L
* Mean of source and telephone reversals.
Buttenvorth, Proc. Phys. Soc., Vol. S S X I I I , p. 346, 1921.
The Use of Anderson's Bridge. 7
with frequency and for the residual inductance of the leads t o the condenser. As
regards the latter, if 1. is the inductance of the leads, the effective capacity of the
whole condenser arm is C ( l +w"C). I n the above observations 1.=0.38 microhenry,
SO that using C=+pF,
o21C=3O x
at a frequency of 2,000 cycles per second. Now the correction due to L (section 5)
~ (equation 14) acts oppositely to the 3. correction, so that the whole
is 3 x ~ O -and
+ 50
.c-c,ow
LVF
-50 1000 2 90
Frequency N per Second.
FIG. 4.-cH.4SGE O F CAPACITY OF 4pF CONDEKSER WITH FREQUENCY.
DISCCSSION.
Prof. FORTESCUE, referring to t h e typical results for t h e change in effective resistance of a
condenser given in section IX. of t h e Paper, remarked t h a t telephone engineers usually assume t h a t
t h e power factor of a condenser is constant, and mould be specially interested t o see t h a t this
assumption is incorrect. H e enquired as t o t h e type of condenser used.
Dr. D. OWES congratulated the author on his valuable contribution, and expressed a belief
t h a t his methods would be adopted as the standard practice. It would be of interest t o apply
them t o types of bridge other than t h a t of Anderson. H e asked if a sufficient number of con-
densers had been tested t o determine whether the frequency coefficient of mica condensers is a
definite quantity, or varies from one condenser t o another like t h e temperature coefficient.
Mr. S. BTTTER~VORTH, in reply t o t h e discussion, stated t h a t the results quoted in illustration
of t h e method were obtained with a standard mica condenser. The power factors of four other
mica condensers were also obtained, and t h e results varied between 0.0001 and 0.0007. Only
one condenser was tested in regard t o variation of capacity with frequency. However, a large
number of mica condensers h a r e been measured by H . L.Curtis (Bureau of Standards Circular.
S . L 3 i ) , and his results are regarded as standard. The results of Curtis depend on the perfection
of an air condenser of 0.1 yfd. capacity.