B.E./B.Tech.

DEGREE EXAMINAT, APRIL / MAY 2017

EI6401 – TRANSDUCER ENGINEERING
(Regulations 2013)
Answer ALL questions.
PART A – (10 X 2 = 20 marks)

1. Why the calibration of measuring instruments is done periodically?

2. Write the significance of Odds.
3. Distinguish between threshold and resolution of an instrument.
4. Draw the time response of a first-order instrument to a unit impulse signal.
5. A thermometer has a time constant of 3.5 sec. If it is taken quickly from a bath
having temperature 0oC and immersed in a water bath having temperature
100oC. What temperature will be indicated after 1.5 sec?
6. What is the operating principle of humidity sensors?
7. What is the need for dummy gauge in strain measurement?
8. What is the function of capacitor microphone?
9. What is working principle of EI pickup transducer?
10. Name three advantages of fibre optic sensors.

PART B – (5 X 16 = 80 marks)
11. (a) A batch of colour coded resistors of value 5.6kΩ were measured and were
found to have the following values: 5.75, 5.60, 5.65, 5.50, 5.70, 5.55, 5.80
and 5.55 kΩ. Determine the mean and standard deviation. Can any
resistor be discarded on the basis of ± 3  limits?
OR
(b) (i) Explain the different classifications of error in the measurement
system.
(ii) A series circuit is having three resistances whose values are given
by R1 = 37Ω±5%, R2 = 75Ω±5% and R3 = 50Ω±5%. Determine the
total resistance and the limiting value.

12. (a) (i) What is meant by zero order instrument? Illustrate with two
examples.
(ii) A first-order thermometer with a time-constant of 5 sec is used to
measure the temperature of a furnace fluctuating between 5400C
and 5800C in a sinusoidal manner. The frequency of fluctuation is
0.04 Hz. Estimate the maximum and minimum readings of the
thermometer and also find the time lag. [7]
OR
(b) (i) Obtain the step response of a second-order instrument. [8]
(ii) Explain the terms sensitivity and linearity of a transducer with an
example. [5]
13. (a) (i) What is Gauge factor? Derive the expression for gauge factor in a
strain gauge.
[8]
(ii) List the different types of strain gauges and their applications. [5]
OR
(b) Explicate the construction and working of hot-wire anemometer with a
neat diagram. Also give its advantages and disadvantages.
14. (a) Describe the principle of operation, construction and characteristics of
variable reluctance transducers.
OR
(b) (i) Explain the different types of capacitive transducers and give its
applications.
[8]
(ii) List the desirable features of capacitive transducers. [5]
15. (a) Define piezoelectric effect. Draw the equivalent circuit of a piezo-electric
crystal and obtain the transfer function of the piezoelectric transducer.
OR
(b) Elucidate the construction and operation of shaft angle encoder and
optical encoder with a neat diagram.

PART C – (1 X 15 = 15 marks)
16. (a) The power factor in a circuit having sinusoidal voltage and current are
determined by measuring current, voltage and power. The voltage is 125V
on a voltmeter of 150V scale. The current is 3A on an ammeter of 5A scale.
The power is 225W on a 500W wattmeter. Ammeter and voltmeter are
guaranteed to be accurate within ±0.25% of full scale.
(i) To what % accuracy, the power factor obtained from the readings
can be guaranteed?
(ii) For the possible error in (i), show the amount of contribution by
each instrument.
OR
(b) A LVDT output is recorded by a self balancing potentiometric recorder
having its natural frequency of 10Hz and a damping ratio of 0.707. The
LVDT is excited by 10V at 50HZ power supply. Calculate the maximum
frequency of the displacement signal that can be recorded with an error
of ±2%.