AC bridges

Serosh Karim
 Maxwell Bridge
Maxwell bridge is an ac bridge used to measure an unknown inductance
in terms of a known capacitance. This bridge is sometimes called a
Maxwell-Wien Bridge.

Using capacitance as a standard

has several advantages due to:

Capacitance of capacitor is
influenced by less external
fields.
Capacitor has small size.
Capacitor is low cost.

Fig. 5-15: Maxwell Bridge

 Maxwell Bridge
The impedance of the arms of the bridge can be written as
1
Z1 
1
 j C1
R1
Z 2  R2
Z 3  R3
Z 4  Rx  j X Lx Fig. 5-15: Maxwell Bridge
 Maxwell Bridge
The general equation for bridge balance is

Z1 Z x  Z 2 Z 3
1
1
Rx  j X Lx   R2 R3
 j C1
R1
1
1  j C1
 Rx  j X Lx   R2 R3

R1
Rx  j X Lx R2 R3

1  j C1 R1
Fig. 5-15: Maxwell Bridge
R2 R3
Rx  j X Lx   j R2 R3C1
R1
Equating real terms and imaginary terms we have

R2 R3
Rx  (6.1)
R1

j Lx  jR2 R3C1

Lx  R2 R3C1 (6.2)

Fig. 5-15: Maxwell Bridge

 Hay bridge
Opposite-angle bridge is an AC bridge for measurement of inductance. To
construct this bridge can be done by replacing the standard capacitor of
the similar-angle with an inductor as shown in Figure 5-14.

Opposite-angle bridge is sometimes

known as a Hay Bridge. It differs from
Maxwell bridge by having a resistor R1 in
series with a standard capacitor C1.
The impedance of the arms of the bridge
can be written as

j
Z1  R1  Z 2  R2
 C1
Z 3  R3 Z x  R x  j  Lx Fig. 5-16: Opposite-angle
bridge
At balance: Z1Zx = Z2Z3, and substituting the values in the balance
equation we obtain

 j 
 R1  R x  j Lx   R2 R3
  C1 
Lx jR x
R1 R x    j Lx R1  R2 R3
C1  C1
Equating the real and imaginary terms we have
Lx
R1 R x   R2 R3 (7.1)
C1
and
Rx
  Lx R1 (7.2)
 C1
Solving for Rx we have, Rx = ω2LxC1R1.
Substituting for Rx in Eq.7.2,

Lx
R1 ( R1C1 Lx ) 
2
 R2 R3
C1
Lx
 R C1 Lx 
2
1
2
 R2 R3
C1
Multiplying both sides by C1 we get

 R C Lx  Lx  R2 R3C1
2
1
2
1
2
Therefore,

R 2 R 3 C1
Lx  (7.3)
1   R1 C1
2 2 2

Substituting for Lx in Eq.7.3 into Eq.7.2, we obtain

R1 R2 R3C1 2

Rx  (7.4)
1   R1 C1
2 2 2

The term ω in the expression for both Lx and Rx indicates that the
bridge is frequency sensitive.
 Wein Bridge
The Wien bridge is an ac bridge having a series RC combination in one arm
and a parallel combination in the adjoining arm.

In its basic form, Wien’s bridge is

designed to measure either the
equivalent-parallel components
or the equivalent-series
components of an impedance.

The impedance of the arms of this

bridge can be written as:

Z1 = R1 Z2 = R2

Fig 5-17: Wien Bridge

The impedance of the parallel arm is

1
Z3 
1
 j C 3
R3
The impedance of the series arm is

j
Z 4  R4 
 C4
Fig 5-17: Wien Bridge
Using the bridge balance equation, Z1Z4 = Z2Z3 we obtain:

Equivalent parallel components

R1  1  R  1 
R3   R4   (8.1) C3  2  C 4 (8.2)
R2   2
R C
2  R1  1   2 R 2C 2 
 4 4   4 4 

Equivalent series components

R2  R3  R12  1 1  
R4    C43 
(8.3) C  C 3  2 2 2 2 2 2C4 (8.4)
R1  1   2 R 2C 2  
RR21  1   R4RC3 4C 3 
 3 3 
 Wein bridge
Knowing the equivalent series and parallel components, Wien’s
bridge can also be used for the measurement of a frequency.

1
f  (8.5)

2 R3C3 R4C4
 Schering bridge
Schering bridge is a very important AC bridge used for precision
measurement of capacitors and their insulating properties. Its basic circuit
arrangement given in Figure 5-19 shows that arm 1 contains a parallel
combination of a resistor and a capacitor.

The standard capacitor C3 is a

high quality mica capacitor for
general measurements, or an air
capacitor for insulation
measurements.
A high quality mica capacitor has
very low losses (no resistance)
and an air capacitor has a very
stable value and a very small
electric field.
Fig 5-19: Schering bridge
The impedance of the arms of the Schering bridge can be written as

1
Z1 
1 1

R1  jX C 1
Z 2  R2
Z 3   jX C 3
Z 4  R x  jX x

Fig 5-19: Schering bridge

Substituting these values into general balance equation gives:

Z2Z3
Z4 
Z1
R2 (  jX C 3 )
R x  jX x 
1
1 1

R1  jX C 1
j  1 1 
Rx   R2 (  jX C 3 )  
Cx  R1  jX C 1 
j R2C1 jR2
Rx   
Cx C3  C3 R1
Equating the real and imaginary terms, we find that

C1
R x  R2 (10.1)
C3

R1
C x  C3 (10.2)
R2