Transducers

Piezoelectric Transducers
Thermo Electric Transducers - Thermocouple
Materials used for Thermocouple:

1. Chromel Copel
2. Iron Constantan
3. Chromel Alumel
4. Platinum 13% Rhodium Platinum
5. Platinum 10% Rhodium Platinum
Advantages:

1. Rugged in construction.
2. Inexpensive.
3. Simpler to use than resistance thermometer.
4. Have extremely wide temperature range of -270 C to 2800 C.
5. Wide variety of design.
6. Have high response speed compared to filled system thermometers.
7. Have good accuracy.
8. There is no need of bridge circuit.

Disadvantages:

1. They need to hold reference junction temperatures constant or compensation for any
deviation.
2. Their temperature – voltage relationship is non-linear.
3. They require amplifiers for many applications.
 Potentiometer (Pot)

Angular Potentiometer
Advantages:

1. Simple in construction.
2. High output.
3. Low cost.
4. Small in size etc.
 Strain Gauge

It converts the mechanical strain or displacement into change in resistance. The strain
gauge works on the principle that the resistance of the wire changes with change in
applied strain.
Gauge Factor:

It is defined as the unit change in

resistance per unit change in length.
Denoted by G. Also called sensitivity of
strain gauge.

G=

∆R = Change in resistance under

stressed condition.
R = Original resistance under unstressed
condition.
∆l = Change in length under stressed
condition.
l = Original length under unstressed
condition.
Application of Strain gauge with Wheatstone bridge:
 Load Cell

It contains two transducers; one is elastic member which works as a primary transducer
while another is strain gauge which works as secondary transducer.

Whole assembly is known as Load cell which is used for measurement of weight or force.
Advantages:

1. They are small & compact in size.

2. They respond rapidly to load variations.
3. They are inexpensive.
4. They are relatively maintenance free & if hermetically sealed, may be installed in
practically any environment.
 RTD or Resistance Thermometer

The resistance of certain material changes with temperature change. RTD utilizes this
characteristics.

With increase in temperature, the electrical resistance of certain metal increases in

direct proportion to the rise of temperature.

Platinum, copper, tungsten & nickel are generally used in RTD

Application of RTD with Wheatstone bridge circuit
Advantages:

1. They possess high accuracy of measurement.

2. They have a wide temperature range from -200 to 650 C
3. They are small in size.
4. They are fast in response.
5. Performance is stable and accurate over many years.
6. Temperature compensation is not required.

Disadvantages:

1. Their cost is high.

2. They need a bridge circuit, power supply.
3. They have large bulb size than thermocouple.
 Thermistor

Thermistor are semiconductor made from a specific mixture of pure oxides of nickel,
manganese, copper, cobalt, iron, magnesium, titanium etc.

They have high temperature coefficient, usually negative, although it can be positive as
well.

They are available in number of configuration as

1. Bead Type
2. Washer Type
3. Disk Type
4. Rod Type etc.
Application of Thermistor with Wheatstone bridge circuit
Advantages:

1. They have small size and fast response.

2. Their cost is low.
3. Compensation is not necessary.
4. They are adaptable to various electrical read out.

Disadvantages:

1. Temperature v/s resistance curve is very non – linear.

2. Stability is doubtful at higher temperature (over 316 C)
Photo Conductive Cell - LDR