Lecture 11

Resistive Transducer

1 Lecture11:ResistiveTransducer
 Resistive transducer
 The resistance of a transducer varies as the physical quantity
varies (e.g. temperature or displacement)
 As values of R varies, value of V and i also varies
 Two basic devices for measurement of temperatures are RTD
and thermistor

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 Resistive Transducer
a)Thermistor
• Semiconductor device
• The resistance value of the thermistor changes
according to temperature
• Increase in temperature causes a decrease in
resistance

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 • The relation between the temperature and the
resistance
1 1
RT = RT 1 exp( β ( − ))
T T1
• RT: The resistance value at the temperature T
• T: The temperature [K]
• R1: The resistance value at the reference
temperature
• T1: The reference temperature [K] typically, 25°C
is used
• β: The coefficient of thermistor.

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FIGURE 4.5 Thermistor resistance versus temperature is highly
nonlinear and usually has a negativeslope.

Copyright ©2006 by Pearson

Curtis Johnson Education, Inc.
5 Lecture11:ResistiveTransducer
Process Control Instrumentation Upper Saddle River, New
Technology, 8e] Jersey 07458
 Thermistor Characteristics
 Sensitivity – change in resistance 10% per 0C, for
nominal resistance of 10kΩ may change 1 kΩ for 10C
 Construction – semiconductor in various forms discs,
beads, rods
 Range - -200C to 1000C
 Response time – depends on quality of material
 Signal conditioning - bridge

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 Thermistor: Construction and symbols

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 Advantages:
• Low cost, small size
• High output voltage
• Fast response

Disadvantages:
• Highly nonlinear
• Restricted to relatively low temperature

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b) Resistive Temperature Detector (RTD)

• Electrical resistance is a function of metal temperature

• As temperature increases, the resistance increases
• Resistance temperature relationship:
• R = R0(1+ α ∆T )

with R = resistance of the conductor at temperature t0C

R0 = ambience resistance (at reference point)
α = temperature coefficients of resistance
∆T = difference between temperature at t and
ambience

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FIGURE 4.2 Metal resistance increases almost linearly with temperature.

Curtis Johnson
Process Control Instrumentation Technology, 8e]
10 Lecture11:ResistiveTransducer Copyright ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
All rights reserved.
 Common Resistance Materials for RTDs:
• Platinum (most popular and accurate)
• Nickel
• Copper
• Balco (rare)
• Tungsten (rare)

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 Sensitivity
 An estimate of RTD sensitivity is noted by value of α
 Platinum – 0.004/0C Nickel – 0.005/0C
 For 100Ω platinum RTD, a change of 0.4Ω if
temperature is changed by 10C
Range
 Platinum RTD –100 to 6500C
 Nickel RTD – 180 to 3000C
Response time
 0.5 to 5 s or more, slowness due to thermal conductivity

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 • Temperature range (from -200 to 8500 C)
• Advantages:
• relatively immune to electrical noise and
therefore well suited for temperature
measurement in industrial environments
More stable, have an output response that is
more linear, more accurate
• Disadvantages: Expensive
• Very small fractional changes of resistance
with temperature, bridge circuit is needed

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FIGURE 4.4:Note the compensation lines in this typical RTD signal-
conditioning circuit.

Copyright ©2006 by Pearson

Education, Inc.
Curtis Johnson
16 Lecture11:ResistiveTransducer Upper Saddle River, New Jersey
Process Control Instrumentation
07458
Technology, 8e]
 Signal conditioning
 Bridge circuit
 Compensation line in R3 leg is required
 Same resistance change due to RTD leg cause no net shift in the
bridge null

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 Dissipation Constant
 RTD is a resistance, there is an I2R power dissipated by the
device cause a slight heating effect, called self-heating
 Cause erroneous reading, therefore current of RTD must be
kept low and constant to avoid self-heating
 Dissipation constant or PD is usually in the specs of RTD
 It relates power required to raise RTD 100 C
 For PD = 25mW/0C:
 If I2R power loses in RTD equal 25 mW, RTD will be heated
10C

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Dissipation constant (cont.)
 Dissipation constant is specified under 2 conditions: free air
and well-stirred oil bath
 Difference in capacity of medium to carry heat away from
device
 The self-heating temperature rise can be found:
P
∆T =
PD
 ∆T = temp rise of self-heating
 P = power dissipated by RTD from circuit in W
 PD = dissipation constant of RTD in W/0C

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 Example 4.7
 An RTD has α0=0.005/0C, R = 500 Ω, and a dissipation
constant of PD = 30mW/0C at 200C. The RTD is used in a
bridge circuit such as that in previous figure, with R1 = R2 =
500 Ω and R3 a variable resister to null the bridge. If the
supply is 10 V and RTD is placed in a bath at 00C, find the
value of R3 to null the bridge

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 Solution
 Find RTD resistance at 00C without dissipation effect
R = R0(1+ α ∆T ) =500(1+ 0.005(0-20))
RRTD = 450 Ω

 Without considering self heating, for the bridge to null

R3 = 450 Ω (from R1R4 = R2R3)

 Self-heating effects??
 Power dissipated from RTD P = I2R
 Calculate the current I from bridge

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 Voltage supply V = 10V, R1
= R2 = 500 Ω and R3 = a
variable resistor to null the
bridge

Current I is calculated:

10
I= = 0.011A
I (500 + 450)

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Solution (cont.)
 Therefore power dissipated in RTD:
P = (0.01)2(450) = 0.054 W
 Find the temperature rise P = ∆TPD
 Temperature rise:
0.054
∆T = = 1.80 C
0.030
 Thus, RTD is not actually at bath temperature of 00C but at 1.80C
 Resistance of RTD
R = R0(1+ α ∆T ) =500(1+ 0.005(1.8-20))
RRTD = 454.5 Ω

 Therefore, bridge will null with R3 = 454.5 Ω

Lecture11:ResistiveTransducer 23
 c)Potentiometer
• Displacement sensor – converts linear or
angular motion into a changing in resistor
• Simple potentiometric displacement sensor
• Voltage divider:

RTH
VD = 10V
(3.5kΩ + RTH )

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FIGURE 5.1 Potentiometric displacement sensor.

Curtis Johnson
Process Control Instrumentation Technology, 8e] Copyright ©2006 by Pearson Education, Inc.
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey 07458
All rights reserved.

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  Voltage E is applied to resistor with length L

 Measure displacement, generate output e (Ohm’s Law)

x
e=E
L

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 Resistive Sensors - Potentiometers
Translational and Rotational
Potentiometers

Translational or angular displacement

is proportional to resistance.

27 Taken from www.fyslab.hut.fi/kurssit/Tfy-3.441/

Lecture11:ResistiveTransducer luennot/Luento3.pdf
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 Advantages:
 Cheap, easy to use, adjustable

Problem:
 Mechanical wear, friction in wiper, high electronic noise

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 Example:
The value of R is 100kΩ and the maximum displacement is
2.0cm. If E = 9V and x is 1.5 cm, determine the value of
output voltage e

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 Solution
x
e=E
L
 The output voltage e = 9V(1.5/2) = 6.75 V

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 Example 4.8:
A thermistor is used to monitor room temperature. It has a
resistance of 3.5kΩ at 20°C with a slope of -10%/°C and the
dissipation constant, PD= 6 mW/°C. The thermistor is used in a
divider to provide a voltage of 5.0 V at 20°C. Evaluate the effects
of self heating.

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 More on potentiometer

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 Potentiometer

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 The potentiometer on the MCBXC866 board connects to port
2, pin 6 (P2.6) for generating analog voltage to the on-chip
ADC. The analog input is AIN6 and the voltage range is 0-5.0
VDC.
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 Rotary Potentiometer

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 100 K Potentiometer
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 Potentiometer Foot Paddle
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 The slide potentiometer changes its resistance linearly
with position. The slide potentiometer has about 60 mm
(2.3 inches) of travel, and a nominal resistance of 10k
ohms ± 20%.
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 System Components:

PIC Microcontroller:
Potentiometer: the potentiometer will control the rpm of the
stepper motor. This setting will be read by the A-to-D on the PIC.
Stepper Motor:
Stepper Motor Controller:

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 Motor Potentiometer Assemblies
Motor Potentiometer Assemblies have become extremely popular
with system designers. Today, Betatronix can supply the complete
motor-pot assembly or mount the potentiometer to the motor at
our facility.

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 End of Lecture 11

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