TRANSDUCER

WHAT IS A TRANSDUCER ?

A transducer is a device which transforms a nonelectrical physical quantity

(i.e. temperature, sound or light) into an electrical signal (i.e. voltage,
current, capacity)

In other word it is a device that is capable of converting the physical quantity

into a proportional electrical quantity such as voltage or current.

Transducer contains two parts that are closely related to each other i.e. the
sensing element and transduction element.

Parameter e.g.
pressure, Transduction
Sensing Elements Electrical Signal
temperature, force Element
etc.

Fig.: Block diagram of transducer

 TRANSDUCER SELECTION FACTOR

1. Sensitivity: Sensitive enough to produce detectable output.

2. Operating Range: Maintain the range requirement and good resolution
over the entire range.
3. Accuracy: High accuracy is assured.
4. Cross sensitivity: Actual quantity is being measured is in one plane and the
transducer is subjected to variation in another plan.
5. Errors: The transducer should maintain the expected input-output
relationship as described by the transfer function so as to avoid errors.
6. Operating Principle: Operating principle used may be resistive, inductive,
capacitive , optoelectronic, piezo electric etc.

Analog / Digital
Analog: Output continuous
Function of time.
Digital: Output signal is in the
form of pulse.
e.g. Thermistor, strain gauges,
thermocouple, etc.
CLASSIFICATION OF TRANSDUCER
Transducer
Primary / Secondary
Primary: Physical
phenomenon is directly
converted into electrical form.
Secondary: Input signal 1st
sensed by sensor & output is
used as input to transducer.
e.g. Bourdon tube, LVDT, etc.
Active / Passive
Active: Transducers
which develop their output
without any auxiliary source.
Passive: Electrical parameters
changes with the change in
input signal.
e.g. Thermo-electric, photo-
electric, strain gauges, hall
effect type etc.
Transducer / Inverse
Inverse Transducer:
Converts electrical quantity
(input) in non electrical
quantity (output).
Used to measure feedback.
e.g. piezoelectric crystals,
analog ammeter, etc.