GENERALIZED CONFIGURATION

AND FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTIONS

OF MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS
Lecture 3
Instructor : Dr Alivelu M Parimi
OUTLINE
Functional elements of an instrument
Active and passive transducers
Analog and digital modes of operation
Null and deflection methods
Input output configuration of measurement system
Methods of correction of modifying and interfering inputs
Functional elements of an
instrument
Operation of any instrument can be described in generalized
way in terms of functional elements (not physical)
Figure represents possible arrangement of functional
elements in an instrument.
3
Explain the operation of servomechanism system
shown in Figure in terms of the functional elements
and arrange them from measured medium to
observer.
Input voltage ei
Output displacement xo

Solution
Transducers
1. Sensing Element
The physical quantity or its rate of change is sensed and responded to by this part
of the transistor.
2. Transduction Element
The output of the sensing element is passed on to the transduction element. This
element is responsible for converting the non-electrical signal into its proportional
electrical signal.
Example
A transducer changes a signal from one form of energy to another. A
common transducer in anesthesia changes mechanical energy, e.g., an
arterial pulse, into electrical energy.

Microphones and speakers are also examples of transducers
Active and passive transducers
A transducer is a device that converts one type of energy to another.

An active transducer is a transducer whose output is dependent
upon sources of power, apart from that supplied by any of the
actuating signals, which power is controlled by one or more of these
signals.
They produce an electrical signal proportional to the input (physical
quantity). For example, a thermocouple is an active transducer.
While passive transducers are those which does not need an
external source. Passive transducers directly produce electric signals
without an external energy source.
They produce an output signal in the form of some variation in
resistance, capacitance or any other electrical parameter, which than
has to be converted to an equivalent electric current or voltage signal

Under nominal pressure the platform is
made to stay at zero position (midway)
with help of standard weights. Upon
application of pressure, platform moves
up/down and standard weights are
added/subtracted to restore platform at
zero position, the weights put on the
platform to restore balance are an
indication of applied pressure. The
condition of force balance is indicated by
the platform remaining at rest between
the upper and lower stops. Since the
weights and the piston area are all known,
the unknown pressure may be computed.
Is this an active or passive transducer?
Examples
Answers
2.3 a. The incoming light waves have only minuscule power
while it takes significant energy to push the pedal through
some distance, so the driver is functioning as an active
transducer.
b. The cars motion is driven by the full power of the engine,
whereas the energy taken from the human foot is small in
comparison, so the engine is clearly an active transducer with
a very large power amplification.
Conclusion
Functional elements of an instrument
Examples