SENSORS and

ACTUATORS
Control Systems
Instrumentation

Lecture notes
Instructor: Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 1 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Lecture 6 (Week 6):
Sensor Based on Electric Field
(Capacitive Sensor)

Main contents
1. General Operational Principle of Capacitive Sensor
2. Load cell
3. Capacitive proximity sensor
4. Capacitive Level sensor
5. Capacitive pressure sensor
6. Capacitive acceleration sensor, Gyroscope
7. Touch sensor, fingerprint sensor

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 2 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 General Principle of Capacitive Sensor
General operational principle of the capacitive sensor
Capacitive sensor is of non-contact type sensor and is primarily used to measure
the linear displacements from few millimeters to hundreds of millimeters.
The linear displacement might take in two forms:
a) One of the plates is moved by the displacement so that the plate separation
changes
b) Area of overlap changes due to the displacement.

Plate separation changes Overlap changes

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 3 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 General Principle of Capacitive Sensor
General operational principle of the capacitive sensor
The plate separation changes
- Keeping one of the plates fixed and associating the
other plate to the object whose displacement is to be
measured, we can have a capacity whose distance
between plates varies with displacement. This
operating principle is illustrated in Figure.

r
where 𝜀𝑟 is the relative permittivity
of the dielectric between the plates
𝜀𝑜 vacuum permittivity (điện môi)
(absolute permittivity), A area of
overlap between two plates and d
the plate separation

 r o  r o
C= A C= A
d dx
Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 4 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.
 General Principle of Capacitive Sensor
General operational principle of the capacitive sensor
Area of overlap changes due to the displacement

 r o
C= wx
d

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 5 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 General Principle of Capacitive Sensor
General operational principle of the capacitive sensor

r o
C A
d

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 6 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Load Cell (Capacitive principle)
Load cell sensor (using capacitive element)

M =0

M ( P = Mg )

d−x
Capacitor change

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 7 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Capacitive Proximity Sensor
Detectable ability
Capacitive proximity sensor detect any
material with or without contact, it can
also adjust the sensitivity to detect liquids
or solids even through non-metallic tanks
or vessels by digital output

liquid
wood

metal

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 8 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Capacitive Proximity Sensor

Operational principle: The external

capacitance between the target and
the internal sensor plate generate a
feedback capacitance in the oscillator
circuit. As the target approaches the
sensors face the oscillations increase
until they reach a threshold level and
activate the output switching device.

Symbol:

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 9 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Capacitive Proximity Sensor
Applications and installation of capacitive proximity sensor
Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4_6yu-GIDU

Capacitive proximity sensor

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 10 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Capacitive Proximity Sensor
Application and installation of capacitive proximity sensor
Video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7yS4ShhfQdQ

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 11 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Capacitive Level Sensor/Transmitter
Operational Principle
- A level sensor is a device that is
designed to monitor, maintain, and
measure liquid (and sometimes solid)
levels. Once the liquid level is detected,
the sensor converts the perceived data
into a standard electrical signal
(transducer and/or transmitter).
- The principle of measurement of liquid
level is based on change of capacitance.
- The capacitance between the central Hollow tube
electrode and the surrounding hollow
tube varies with changing dielectric
r o
constant 𝜀𝑟 brought about by changing C A
liquid level. d
where r (change), is the
relative permittivity

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 12 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Capacitive Level Sensor/Transmitter
Operational Principle

Categories of capacitive
level sensor

Baoquan Jin, Xin Liu,“Design and Implementation of an Intrinsically Safe Liquid-Level Sensor Using Coaxial Cable, ”
Sensors 2015, 15(6), 12613-12634; https://doi.org/10.3390/s150612613

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 13 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Capacitive Level Sensor/Transmitter
video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CTB1l2bfWmU

r is changed when the liquid rises

r o
C A, where r is the relative permittivity
d

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 14 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Capacitive Level Sensor/Transmitter
Characteristic of Transfer Function
Transfer function characteristic is rather linearity depending on type of Liquid and
Temperature (*)

(*) J. Rajesh Hanni, S. K. Venkata “A novel helical electrode type capacitance level
sensor for liquid level measurement” Sensors and Actuators A: Physical, 2020

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 15 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Capacitive Level Sensor/Transmitter
Characteristic of Transfer Function
Transfer function characteristic is rather linearity depending on type of Liquid and
Temperature (*)

Baoquan Jin, Xin Liu,“Design and Implementation of an Intrinsically Safe Liquid-Level Sensor Using Coaxial
Cable, ” Sensors 2015, 15(6), 12613-12634; https://doi.org/10.3390/s150612613

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 16 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Capacitive Pressure Sensor/Transmitter
Operational Principle
The capacitance pressure sensor/transmitter is a pressure measurement device
which converts an applied pressure into a current signal, or voltage signal
The Capacitive pressure sensor operates on
the principle that, if the sensing diaphragm
between two capacitor plates is deformed
V = ?
by a differential pressure, an imbalance of
capacitance will occur between itself and
the two plates.

This imbalance is detected in a capacitance

• Inaccuracy 0.01 to 0.2%
bridge circuit and converted to a D.C. • Linearity
output current of 4 to 20 mA • Fast response

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 17 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Capacitive Pressure Sensor/Transmitter
Characteristics

Notes: To exactly known a characteristic of

each sensor type, we need to read a real data
of sensor to find out a transfer function curve

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 18 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Capacitive Acceleration Sensor
Capacitive acceleration sensors use to measure the acceleration of a linear movement
(and/or rotational movement)

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 19 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Capacitive Acceleration Sensor
Operational principle
Capacitive acceleration sensors work
intrinsically as displacement sensors in
which the displacement is caused by the
acceleration acting on a body that is free to
move in the direction of the acceleration to
be measured.
Let m is mass that is free to move
a is the acceleration
F=ma
The mass, which is secured by springs on both
ends, suffers a displacement (x) which depends
on the deflection constant of the spring k:
𝑥 = 𝐹Τ𝑘

m
x= a
k
Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 20 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.
 Capacitive Acceleration Sensor
Computation:
C1
oA oA
C1 , C2 ,
d x d x
A Wheatstone bridge is used to produce a C2
voltage proportional to the displacement.
C1
VA V ( ) (student prove this statement )
C1 C2

C1 V
V VA VB V
C1 C2 2
1 C1 C2
V
2 C1 C2
(*) V
Output of sensor : V x
2d
2dk V
a
m V

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 21 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Capacitive Acceleration Sensor
Proof

dv1 dv2
i1 C1 , i2 C2 ,
dt dt
dv1 dv2
Due to i1 i1 C1 C2
dt dt
C2 v1
C 1v1 C 2v2
C1 v2
C1 C2 v1 v2 V
C1 v2 VA
C1
VA V
C1 C2

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 22 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Capacitive Acceleration Sensor
Other configuration of acceleration sensor

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 23 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Angular velocity sensor (Gyroscope)
A gyroscope is a sensor that measures angular
velocity (in radians per second). This is a three-
dimensional vector that contains information about
the axis of angular rate as well as the angle of
rotation.
There are two types of gyroscopes:
a) vibratory, which are based on conservation of
linear momentum
b) rotary, which is based on conservation of angular
momentum.

Yaw rotation
Roll rotation Pitch rotation

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 24 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Angular velocity sensor (Gyroscope)
Vibratory, which are based on conservation of linear momentum.
- A vibrating gyroscope has one (or more) test masses that are vibrated by an actuator
The test mass thus performs a periodic linear movement.
- Between the test masses and the frame, there are springs that serve to balance the
fictitious force that appears when the sensor rotates, as shown below

Illustration of the relative position of the sensor and the vibration axis of the test mass
when the sensor rotates about the y-axis (Pitch angle)

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 25 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Angular velocity sensor (Gyroscope)
Vibratory, which are based on conservation of linear momentum.
- For the measurement of the component according to z of the angular velocity, the same
test masses are used as in the case of the measurement of the component according to
y (masses to vibrate along the x-axis).

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 26 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Touch Sensor
Working principle:

touch

slide

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 27 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 Fingerprint Sensor
Working Principle

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 28 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

 HCMUTE Univ. - FME
https://fme.hcmute.edu.vn/

Lecture notes info

Sensors and Actuators
Fall Semester, 2021
------------------------------------------------

© Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.

Email: thanh.hlnn@hcmute.edu.vn
Sites: https://sites.google.com/view/halenhungocthanh/courses?authuser=0

Mechatronics Engineering - Sensors and Actuators 29 © Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh, Ph.D.