Contents

1.Definition of Transducer.........................................................................................................2
2.Active and Passive Transducer with Examples and Applications...........................................2
Active transducer...................................................................................................................2
Passive transducer..................................................................................................................3
3.Inductive, Resistive and Capacitive transducer with examples and applications...................3
Inductive.................................................................................................................................3
Resistive.................................................................................................................................4
Capacitive transducer.............................................................................................................5
Three Examples of Temperature Transducers with Principles Operation, Temperature Range,
Advantages, Disadvantages And The Applications Of Each Example Given...........................6
Resistance Temperature Detectors (RTD)..............................................................................7
Thermocouples.......................................................................................................................8
Thermistor............................................................................................................................10
4.Definition of Flowmeter........................................................................................................13
5.Four types of flowmeters with principle operation, advantages, disadvantages and their
applications..............................................................................................................................13
i.Magnetic flowmeter...........................................................................................................13
ii.Turbine flowmeter.............................................................................................................16
iii.Ultrasonic Flowmeter......................................................................................................18
iv.Vortex Flowmeter.............................................................................................................20
6.References.............................................................................................................................21

1.Definition of Transducer
1. Transducer is a measuring device that measures and converts non-electrical variable
into electrical variable.
 2. This means that it can converts one form of energy to another.

3. Commonly, a transducer converts a signal in one form of energy to a signal of another.

4. This process of converting one form of energy to another is known as transduction.

5. Transducers are usually used in automation, measurement, and control systems

because they are where electrical signals are converted to and from other physical
quantities such as energy, force, torque, light, motion, and position.

2.Active and Passive Transducer with Examples and Applications.

Active transducer

1. Active transducer is the type of transducer that does not require any external
excitation or source in its operation.
2. This is because it able to generate their own electrical voltage during conversion
process.
3. They work based on energy conversion principle.
4. They produce an electrical signal proportional to the input of physical quantity.

Active Transducer

Example Application

It is used in light meters.

1. Photo voltaic cell It is used in solar cell.

It is used to measure temperature,

2. Thermocouple
radiation and heat flow.

It is also used in medical diagnostics

3. Piezo electric crystal It is used in electric lighter used in
kitchens
Passive transducer

1. Passive transducer is the type of transducer that requires external excitation or power
source in its operation.
2. This is because this transducer only able to change its parameter due to change in
resistance or capacitance during conversion but cannot provide its output without
external power source.
3. They produce an output signal in the form of whether in resistance, capacitance or any
other electrical parameter.
4. Then, these output has to be converted to an equivalent current or voltage signal.

Passive Transducer

Example Application

It can be used to measure the intensity

1. Photoresistor or light-dependent
resistor( LDR) of light.
It is used for light operated switches

It is used to measure the strain and

2. Strain gauge
stress generated by machinery.

It is used to monitor the temperature of

3. Thermistor battery packs while charging for NTC
type thermistor.
3.Inductive, Resistive and Capacitive transducer with examples and applications.

Inductive

1. Inductive transducer is a transducer that works on the principle of inductance change

due to any changes in the quantity to be measured.
2. The inductance change can be either self-inductance, mutual inductance or production
of eddy current.
3. It can be active or passive type as it depends on the generation of the induced
magnetic field.
4. It is also designed so the quantity to be measured changes the inductance of the
transducers coil to produce either a change in current through the coil or a change in
the voltage across the coil.
5. Commonly, the change is produced by having a movable core which moves back and
forth inside a coil, where a permeability is varied as the core is displaced within the
coil.

Inductive Transducer

Example Application

It is used to measure;
1. Reluctance pick up Pressure
Position and displacement
Vibration
It is used to measure;
2. Magnetostriction gauge Sound.
Force
Pressure

It is used to measure displacement

3. Linear variable differential
transformer (LVDT) and position.

Resistive
 1. Resistive transducer is a transducer that has its measured quantity causes a resistance
change in the sensing element.
2. This means that it works by changing its level of electrical resistance depending on
the condition of another object or process
3. Therefore, it allows any changes to be detected without direct observation of the
condition or object.
4. It is very important in industrial measurement and control work because it able to
sense the position of an object or the moved distance.
5. Furthermore, resistive transducer is used for the measurement of linear and angular,
and used for the temperature mechanical strain measurement.

Resistive Transducer

Example Application

It is used to measure;
1. Resistance thermometer Temperature
Radiant heat

It is used to measure;
2. Potentiometer Displacement
Pressure

It is used to measure;
3. Strain gauge Displacement
Pressure
Weight

Capacitive transducer

1. Capacitive transducer is a passive transducer that has its measured quantity causes a
change in the transducers capacitance.
 2. It can be achieved by changing distance, d, effective area of capacitance, A, or
dielectric constant, K.
3. For its operation, it has two parallel conducting plates that are separated by a
dielectric or insulator. The common used dielectric is air other than vacuum, and
semi-conductor.
4. An electric field is developed across the insulator when there is potential difference
across the conductors.
5. So, it causes the positive charges to accumulate on one plate and the negative charges
to accumulate on the other.

Capacitive Transducer

Example Application

It is used to measure;
4. Dielectric gauge Thickness
Liquid level

It is used to measure;
5. Capacitor microphone Noise
Speech
Music

It is used to measure linear

6. Rectilinear Capacitance
displacements from few millimeters
to hundreds of millimeters.
Three Examples of Temperature Transducers with Principles Operation, Temperature
Range, Advantages, Disadvantages And The Applications Of Each Example Given.

Three examples of temperature transducers includes;

1. Resistance temperature detectors (RTD)
2. Thermistor
3. Thermocouple

Resistance Temperature Detectors (RTD)

1. Resistance temperature detectors(RTD) is passive devices, whose resistance changes

with temperature hence need an electrical supply to give output.

Operation

1. RTD use a Wheatstone bridge or its modified version for its operation.
2. Wheatstone bridge is required to act as the signal conditioning circuit for temperature
measurement.
3. It also acts a resistance measuring device that converts the resistance of the RTD into
an electrical signal which is used for monitoring or controlling temperature.
4. RTD and its leads are connected in one of its arms.

Temperature Range

Type of RTD Temperature Range (degree celcius)

Platinum -184 to 815

-73 to 149
Nickel
Copper -51 to 149

-73 to 276
Tungsten

RTD

Advantages Disadvantages

Low sensitivity.
4. Linearity over a wide operating range.

It can be affected by contact resistance, shock

5. Wide operating range
and vibration.

Requires no point sensing.

6. Higher temperature operation

Higher cost than other temperature

7. Better stability at high temperature
transducer.

Requires 3 or 4 wire for its operation and

8.
associated instrumentation to eliminates
errors due to lead resistance.
Application of resistance temperature detector (RTD) includes;

1. Plenum mounting, duct mounting, and direct mounting onto sheet metal duct systems in
building air-conditioning system.
2. Immersion wells in piping system.
3. Remote temperature sensing in building automation systems
4. Boilers and tanks in industrial equipments.

Thermocouples

1. Thermocouple is a temperature transducer that consists of two different metals, joined

together at one end, which produce a small unique voltage at a given temperature.
2. This voltage is measured and interpreted by the thermocouple.

Operation
1. Thermocouple works using phenomenon called Seebeck effect.
2. This phenomenon happens when a pairs of wires made of different metals are joined
together at one end which causes a temperature difference between this end and the
other end of the wires producing a voltage between the wires.
3. One end is called as hot junction while the other end is called cold or reference
junction.
4. The cold or reference junction is connected to a known junction while the hot junction
is connected to unknown or to be measured temperature.

Temperature range

ISA Temperature Range

E
-270 ~1000
J -210 ~1200
K -270 ~1350
T -270 ~400
R -50~1750
S -50~1750

Thermocouple

Advantages Disadvantages

Signal disposal complex

1. Wide operating range

2. Durable Low accuracy

Vulnerable to corrosion
3. Fast response

4. Capable of being used to directly Poor noise immunity

measure temperatures up to 2600C
The process temperature and the
5.
thermocouple signal (millivolt) is not linear.

Applications
1. It is used to monitor temperatures and chemistry throughout the steel making process
in steel industry.
 2. It used in the testing of prototype electrical and mechanical apparatus in
manufacturing industry.

Thermistor

1. Thermister is a temperature transducer that consists of semi-conductor material that

changes its resistances due to temperature.
2. The materials resistances decreases as the temperature increases for negative
temperature coefficient (NTC) type while vice versa for positive temperature
coefficient (PTC) type.
3. The thermistor acts as the temperature sensor and it is placed on the body whose
temperature is to be measured. It is also connected in the electric circuit.
4. When the temperature of the body changes, the resistance of the thermistor also
changes, which is indicated by the circuit directly as the temperature
since resistance is calibrated against the temperature.

Operation
 1. Thermocouple works using the principal of which its semi-conductor material
changes its resistance due to the temperature.
2. Therefore, it acts as temperature sensor and it is placed on a body whose temperature
is to be measured.
3. It is used by connected to an electric circuit.

Temperature range

The resistance at room temperature (250C) for typical unit ranges is from 100 to 10M.
Therefore, it is suitable for use only up to 8000C.

Thermocouple

Advantages Disadvantages

Non-linearity for relationship between

resistance and temperature characteristics.
1. Small size and low cost

2. Good sensitivity in the NTC region Not suitable for wide temperature range
application.

3. Fast response over narrow Very low excitation current to avoid self-
temperature range. heating.

4. Cold junction compensation not Need of shielded power lines and filter due to
 required due to dependence of high resistance.
resistance on absolute temperature.

5. Contact and lead resistance problems

not encountered due to large Rth
(resistance).

Application:

1. Bead thermistor can be used to measure temperature of liquids as its resistance range
between 300 to 100M.
2. Disn thermistor can be used for temperature control as its resistance range between
1 to 1M.
3. Washer thermistor can be used as mounting on bolt as its resistance range between 1
to 1M.

4. NTC thermistors are commonly used in modern digital thermostats.

5. NTC thermistors are also used to monitor the temperature of battery packs while

charging.

6. PTC thermistors can be used as current limiting devices or fuse in electronic circuits.

4.Definition of Flowmeter

1. Flowmeter is a device that measures the amount of liquid, gas or vapor that passes
through it.
2. It consists of two primary devices, transducer and transmitter.
3. The transducer senses the fluid that passes through the primary device.
 4. The transmitter produces a usable flow signal from the raw transducer signal.
5. Commonly, these two components are combined, so the actual flowmeter may be one
or more physical devices.
6. The type of flowmeters includes velocity flowmeter, mass flowmeter, volumetric
flowmeter and differential pressure flowmeter.

5.Four types of flowmeters with principle operation, advantages, disadvantages and

their applications.

There are four common types of velocity flowmeters which are magnetic, turbine, ultrasonic
and vortex flowmeters.

i.Magnetic flowmeter

Operation
 1. The operation of a magnetic flowmeter is based upon Faraday's Law, which has its
voltages induced across any conductor as it moves at right angles through a magnetic
field is proportional to the velocity of that conductor.
2. A magnetic field is applied to the metering tube, which results in a potential difference
proportional to the flow velocity perpendicular to the flux lines. The physical
principle at work is electromagnetic induction.
3. The magnetic flow meter requires a conducting fluid, for example, water that contains
ions, and an electrical insulating pipe surface, for example, a rubber-lined steel tube.
4. To apply this principle to flow measurement with a magnetic flowmeter, it is
necessary first to state that the fluid being measured must be electrically conductive
for the Faraday principle to apply.

Magnetic Flowmeter

Advantages Disadvantages

Its only effective on conductive fluids.

1. Power usage is relatively low
2. They are mechanically
Hydrodynamic effects can alter the normal
obstructionless and can be equipped
flow pattern and disturb the velocity rate
with abrasion-resistant liners, making enough to interfere with operations.
them effective for measuring slurries
and other erosive fluids.
3. They are capable of dealing with
Magnetic flowmeters can be relatively heavy.
acids and bases, water and water-
based solutions as their lining
materials that are both insulators and
have corrosion resistance.

4. Relatively small amounts of electrode

It also can be quite expensive especially
metals are needed for magnetic
those with higher corrosion and abrasion
flowmeters. resistance
 5. They can measure both very low
flows and very high volume flow
rates

Application:

1. Magnetic flowmeter can be highly effective for applications involving corrosive

conditions.
2. It is also used for measuring the flow rate of corrosive materials, such as abrasives or
slurries
3. It is also commonly employed in measuring paper stock or pulp waste.
4. It is also used to measure low flow rates and pipe networks with relatively short inside
diameters.

ii.Turbine flowmeter
 1. The turbine flow meter is a flowmeter that translates the mechanical action of the
turbine rotating in the liquid flow around an axis into a user-readable rate of flow.

Operation

1. This flowmeter consists of a multiple-bladed rotor mounted with a pipe, perpendicular

to the liquid flow.
2. The rotor spins as the liquid passes through the blades.
3. The rotational speed is a direct function of flow rate and can be sensed by magnetic
pick-up, photoelectric cell, or gears.
4. Therefore, electrical pulses can be counted and totalized.
5. The number of electrical pulses counted for a given period of time is directly
proportional to flow volume.
6. A tachometer can be added to measure the turbine's rotational speed and to determine
the liquid flow rate.

Turbine Flowmeter

Advantages Disadvantages

Requires constant backpressure to prevent

1. Wide flow rangeability including low
cavitation
flow rates
2. Good level of accuracy at an
Accuracy adversely affected by bubbles in
economic price
liquids

3. Simple, durable construction Turbine meters can be used with clean liquids
and gases only
4. Easy to install and maintain
Not applicable for measuring corrosive fluids

5. Provides a convenient signal output Sensitive to changes in fluid viscosity

6. It can operate over a wide range of May not function properly with high
temperatures and pressures viscosity fluids where the flow profile is
laminar
Applications

1. Turbine flow meters find use in monitoring of clean liquid flows in chemical,
petroleum and water industries.
2. The custody transfer of hydrocarbons is one of the petroleum applications of turbine
flow meters.
3. In the water industry, turbine flow meters are used in distribution systems between
and within water districts.
4. Turbine flow meters are also employed in the food and beverage industries.

iii.Ultrasonic Flowmeter

An ultrasonic flow meter is a type of flow meter that measures the velocity of a fluid with
ultrasound to calculate volume flow.

Operation

1. Ultrasonic flow meters has can operate by using two methods which are Transit time
(time of travel) method and Doppler shift method.
2. Transit time method measures the difference of the transit time of ultrasonic pulses
propagating in and against flow direction.
3. This time difference is a measure for the average velocity of the fluid along the path
of the ultrasonic beam. By using the absolute transit times both the averaged fluid
velocity and the speed of sound can be calculated.
4. Meanwhile the Doppler shift method employs the frequency shift (Doppler Effect) of
an ultrasonic signal when it is reflected by suspended particles or gas bubbles
(discontinuities) in motion.
5. This method utilizes the physical phenomenon of a sound wave that changes
frequency when it is reflected by moving discontinuities in a flowing liquid.
6. Ultrasonic sound is transmitted into a pipe with flowing liquids, and the
discontinuities reflect the ultrasonic wave with a slightly different frequency that is
directly proportional to the rate of flow of the liquid

Ultrasonic Flowmeter
Advantages Disadvantages

1. High accuracy High initial cost

2. High rangeability, can measure both Dirt and fluids impact performance and
low and high pressure flow.
measurement accuracy.

Noise even beyond human hearing range

3. Repeatable
4. Can clamp on to a pipe with no
penetration.
5. Tolerate extreme temperatures
interferes with detection of sonic pulses
Pipe walls can interfere with ultrasonic
signals
for clamp-on meters
Build-up on the inside pipe walls can reduce
inside diameter of pipe and affect
measurement
accuracy.

6. Low maintenance as no moving parts

to replace or lubricate.

Application

1. Ultrasonic flowmeters are very promising instruments for pipe flow measurement in
process control, flow survey, and custody transfer.
2. Ultrasonic flowmeters are commonly applied to measure the velocity of liquids that
allow ultrasonic waves to pass, such as water, molten sulfur, cryogenic liquids, and
chemicals.
3. It also available to measure gas and vapor flow by using transit time method.
4. The list of industries that use ultrasonic flowmeter are oil and gas, water and
wastewater, power, chemical, food and beverage, pharmaceutical, metals and mining,
and pulp and paper.
iv.Vortex Flowmeter

1. Vortex flowmeters is a flowmeter that make use of a natural phenomenon that occurs
when a liquid flows around a bluff object to measure flowrates.
2. Its measurement is done by measuring the vibrations of the downstream vortexes
caused by a barrier in the moving stream.

Operation
1. Vortex flowmeters make use of a principle called the von Krmn effect.
2. Based on this principle, flow will alternately generate vortices when passing by a
bluff body.
3. A bluff body has a broad, flat front. In a vortex meter, the bluff body is a piece of
material with a broad, flat front that extends vertically into the flowstream.
4. Flow velocity is proportional to the frequency of the vortices. Flowrate is calculated
by multiplying the area of the pipe times the velocity of the flow.

Vortex Flowmeter

Advantages Disadvantages

1. Have no moving parts.
2. Can be installed vertically,
horizontally, or in any position (for
liquids, the line should be kept full
and gas bubbles avoided)
3. Does not experience zero drift like a
DP device.
Vortex meters bluff body obstructs the pipes
centre
Meter should not be used where fluid
viscosity may vary so much
It should also not be used where viscosity is
greater than 30 cp, where the application
produces an on-off flow, where the Rd is less
than 20,000 (since as the Rd drops so does
the accuracy), or where solids particles are
more than 2% of the total flow.

4. Requires minimal maintenance. Not suitable for very low flow rates

5. Suitable for many types of fluids. Minimum length of straight pipe is required
upstream and downstream of the vortex
meter
6. Excellent price-to-performance ratio.
Application

1. Vortex flowmeter is used best with clean, low-viscosity, medium to high speed fluids.
2. It commonly used for custody transfer of natural gas metering.
3. It is also used for steam measurement.
4. It even used for measurement for flow of liquid suspensions, general water
applications and liquid chemicals & pharmaceuticals.
6.References

1. http://www.azom.com/article.aspx?ArticleID=11999
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flow_measurement#Turbine_flow_meter
3. http://instrumentationtools.com/turbine-flow-meter-working-principle/
4. http://www.coleparmer.com/Category/Magnetic_Flow_meters/15839
5. http://www.omega.com/prodinfo/magmeter.html
6. http://www.thomasnet.com/articles/instruments-controls/magnetic-flowmeter-
principles
7. http://www.thomasnet.com/articles/instruments-controls/magnetic-flowmeter-
applications
8. http://cadillacmeter.com/ultrasonic-vs-magnetic-flow-meters/
9. http://www.omega.com/prodinfo/ultrasonicflowmeters.html
10. http://www.brighthubengineering.com/manufacturing-technology/66827-measuring-
pipe-flow-rate-with-an-ultrasonic-flow-meter/
11. http://www.brighthubengineering.com/mechanical/
12. http://www.flowcontrolnetwork.com/part-i-pros-cons-of-gas-flowmeters/
13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultrasonic_flow_meter
14. http://theultrasonicflowmeters.com/
15. http://www.sensorsmag.com/sensors/acoustic-ultrasound/ultrasonic-flowmeter-basics-
842
16. http://www.flowmeters.com/ultrasonic-technology
17. http://www.omega.com/literature/transactions/volume4/T9904-09-ELEC.html#elec_3
18. http://krohne.com/en/products/flow-measurement/vortex-flowmeters/measuring-
principle/
19. http://www.flowcontrolnetwork.com/understanding-vortex-flow-measurement/
20. http://www.icenta.co.uk/knowledge-base/vortex/