EP 320

Process Instrumentation
and Instrumental Analysis
January April, 2015
1a. Introduction - Basic concepts in instrumentation.

Teaching Plan: EP320

(W1 to W4)

Typical application

Measurement of system parameters

Control of a certain operation/process
Simulation of system condition
Experimental design studies
To perform various manipulation
Testing materials, maintenance of standard and
specification
Verification of physical phenomenal scientific theories
Quality control in industry

Functional Elements
In general:
1. Basic functional Elements
Transducer element
Signal conditioning or intermediate modifying element
Data presentation element

2. Auxiliary Functional Elements

Calibration element
External Power element
Feedback Element
Microprocessor element

Basic functional Elements

In general:
1. Basic functional Elements
Transducer element
Signal conditioning or intermediate modifying element
Data presentation element

Transducer Element
It sense the desired input in one physical form and
convert it to an output in other physical form.
Example:
Input

Output

Pressure

Displacement

Acceleration

Voltage

Temperature

Current

Flowrate

Resistance

Force

Pressure

Humidity

Liquid movement

Blood flow

Inductance change

Example 1 Manometer
Input: Pressure
Output: Movement of a liquid column
Operation The impressed pressure is balanced by
the pressure generated by a column of liquid.

Example 2: Thermocouple
Input: Temperature
Output: Voltage
Operation An emf is generated across the junctions
of two dissimilar metals when that junction is
heated.
Junction

Small voltage

Example 3 Electrodynamic
generator
Input: Motion
Output: Voltage
Operation Relative motion of a coil with respect to
a magnetic field generates a voltage

Signal Conditioning element

The output from transducer is TOO SMALL to acquire
and tend to be influenced by unwanted noise.
Type of Signal conditioning
1. Amplification
2. Signal filtration
Note: Other signal conditioning operators are such as:
Signal compensation/ linearization, differentiation/integration, Analog-to-Digital
conversion, averaging/sampling, and etc.

Type of Signal conditioning

1. Amplification
Mechanical such as levers, gear or combination of both.
Hydraulic/Pneumatic valve or orifice (constrictions items)
etc .
Optical lenses, mirror or combination of both
Electrical transistor circuits or integrated circuits.

2. Filtration
Mechanical mechanical element to protect from external
factor. i.e. Water bath
Pneumatic to avoid fluctuation during measurement. i.e
small orifice
Electrical remove stray signal due to magnetic and electrical
fields. i.e. R-C curcuits

Data Presentation Element

This element gather the output of the signal
conditioning element and PRESENT to be read or
seen by operator.

Criteria of the Data Presentation Element:

Fast response
Impose little drag on the system
Small inertia

Data Presentation
Elements
Displays

Analogue

Pointer- scale
indicator

Recorder/ Printer

Digital

LED

CRT

LCD

EL

Chart

Paperless

Laser

recorder

recorder

printer

Displays

Recorder/ Printer

Measuring Device: Analog Multi-meter

Permanent magnet moving coil

galvanometer

PMMC

Pointer
Scale

galvanometer
Upper control
spring

Permanent
magnet

Voltage, V
or
Current, I
Permanent
magnet
Lower
control
spring

Block diagram
PMMC galvanometer
DC source:
Voltage or
Current

Input
variable

Current
carrying
coil
Transducer element

Transduced
Torque

Control
spring
Signal conditioning
element

Output:
angle

Pointer
and
scale

Scale
deflection

q0

Data presentation
element

Measurement Process flow:

1. The transducer element converts the
current I in amperes (A) into a torque T
(N.m) with a transfer function gain KT
(N.m/A)
2. The signal conditioning element
converts the torque T (N.m) into
angular displacement ) with transfer
function gain Ks /(N.m).
3. The
data-presentation
element
converts the angular displacement
4. into scale deflection q0 with transfer
function gain KD (/mm)

Block diagram
PMMC galvanometer
DC source:
Voltage or
Current

Input
variable

Current
carrying
coil

Transduced
Torque

Transducer element

Control
spring

Output:
angle

Signal conditioning
element

Pointer
and
scale

Scale
deflection

q0

Data presentation
element

The transfer function gain can be express as:

Measurement element calculation:

0 =
Note: The measurement is assumed operate for a steady-state system. Transfer function gain also
known as sensitivity or amplification of respective functional element.

Overall sensitivity function

0 / =

OR

Exercise 1
An elastic type of pressure-measuring instrument is of
diaphragm type. The central deflection of the diaphragm
was found to be 0.25 mm of an applied pressure of 106
Pa. The output displacement of diaphragm has been fed
to an LVDT (linear variable transducer) with a built-in
amplifier having a sensitivity of 40 V/mm. Finally, the
output is displayed on an analog voltmeter which has a
radius of scale line as 60 mm and has a voltage range
from zero to 10 volts in an arc of 150o.
Determine the sensitivity of the given diaphragm gauge
in terms of mm/bar.
Given: 1 bar = 105 Pa
[10 Marks]

Exercise 1 - Solution
Determine the sensitivity of the given diaphragm gauge in
terms of mm/bar.
The central deflection of the diaphragm was found to be
0.25 mm of an applied pressure of 106 Pa.
The output displacement of diaphragm has been fed to an
LVDT (linear variable transducer) with a built-in amplifier
having a sensitivity of 40 V/mm.
Finally, the output is displayed on an analog voltmeter
which has a radius of scale line as 60 mm and has a voltage
range from zero to 10 volts in an arc of 150o.
Pressure, Pa

Diaphragm
type of pressure
transducer
Transducer element

Displacement
mm

dx

LVDT with
built-in
amplifier

Signal conditioning
element

Voltage, V

Analog
voltmeter
Data presentation
element

Pointer & scale

q0

Exercise 1 - Solution
Pressure, Pa

P = 106 Pa

Diaphragm
type of pressure
transducer
Transducer element
KT = ? mm/Pa

Displacement
mm

LVDT with
built-in
amplifier

dx = 0.25 mm

Voltage, V

V = ? volt

Analog
voltmeter

Signal conditioning
element

Data presentation
element

Ks = 40 Volt/mm

KD = ? mm/Volt

Pointer & scale

q0 = ?
scale line as 60 mm

Since the deflection of diaphragm gauge is 0.25 mm for an applied pressure of 106 Pa,
thus the gain, KT is
0.25
=
=
= 2.5 107 /
6

10
The output for signal conditioning element can be calculated as:
= = 40 0.25 = 10
Therefore, Gain KD for data presentation element is computed by:
2
60

150
0
360 = 15.7 /
=
=

10
Finally, the sensitivity (Overall gain) Koverall of the measurement element is determined
as:

= = 15.7 /

Homework exercise
Textbook Q1.6

A thermocouple having a sensitivity of 4.8 mV/oC has

been used for the measurement of temperature. Its
output is connected to a moving coil milivoltmeter
which has sensitivity of 1o/mV.
If the length of the pointer of the instrument is 30
mm, determine the overall sensitivity of
temperature-sensing system in mm/oC.
[10 Marks]
Answer: 2.5 105 /2

To be continued
Classification of instruments