TRANSDUCERS

What is a transducer?
 A transducer is a device that converts energy from one form to another. Usually
a transducer converts a signal in one form of energy to a signal in another.

 Transducers are often employed at the boundaries of automation, measurement,

and control systems, where electrical signals are converted to and from other
physical quantities (energy, force, torque, light, motion, position, etc.).

 The process of converting one form of energy to another is known as

transduction.
 EXAMPLES:
 Microphones,loudspeakers,thermometers,pressure sensors,LED’s and even the common bulb can
be considered to be the transducers.
 CHARACTERISTICS:
 Some specifications that are used to rate transducers

 Dynamic range: This is the ratio between the largest amplitude signal and the
smallest amplitude signal the transducer can effectively translate.[2] Transducers with
larger dynamic range are more "sensitive" and precise.

 Repeatability: This is the ability of the transducer to produce an identical

output when stimulated by the same input.

 Noise: All transducers add some random noise to their output. In electrical
transducers this may be electrical noise due to thermal motion of charges in circuits.
Noise corrupts small signals more than large ones.
RESISTIVE TRANSDUCER
 DEFINITION:
 The transducer whose resistance varies because of the environmental
effects such type of transducer is known as the resistive transducer. The change
in resistance is measured by the ac or dc measuring devices. The resistive
transducer is used for measuring the physical quantities like temperature,
displacement, vibration etc.

 The measurement of the physical quantity is quite difficult.The resistive

transducer converts the physical quantities into variable resistance which is easily
measured by the meters. The process of variation in resistance is widely used in the
industrial applications.
 Working principle
 The resistive transducer element works on the principle that the
resistance of the element is directly proportional to the length of the
conductor and inversely proportional to the area of the conductor.

Where R – resistance in ohms.

A – cross-section area of the conductor in meter square.
L – Length of the conductor in meter square.
ρ – the resistivity of the conductor in materials in ohm meter.

 The resistive transducer is designed by considering the variation of the length, area
and resistivity of the metal.
 SCHEMATIC DIAGRAM:

The circuit of the sliding resistive transducer is shown in the figure below. The sliding
contacts are placed on the resistive element. The slider moves horizontally. The movement
of the slider changes the value of the resistive element of the transducer which is measured
by the voltage source E
 ADVANTAGES:
 Both the AC and DC, current or voltage is appropriate for the
measurement of variable resistance.

 The resistive transducer gives the fast response.

 It is available in various sizes and having a high range of resistance.

 Output can be indicated and recorded remotely from the sensing

element.

 Electrical amplification and attenuation can be easily done.

 DISADVANTAGES:
 They produce mechanical vibrations.

 High cost

 Resistive transducer are unsuitable for wide temperature

 Relative large displacement is required for

appreciable output
 applications
 Potentiometer – The translation and rotatory potentiometer are the examples
of the resistive transducers. The resistance of their conductor varies with the
variation in their lengths which is used for the measurement of displacement.
 Strain gauges – The resistance of their semiconductor material changes when
the strain occurs on it. This property of metals is used for the measurement of the
pressure, force-displacement etc.
 Resistance Thermometer – The resistance of the metals changes because
of changes in temperature. This property of conductor is used for measuring
the temperature.
 Thermistor – It works on the principle that the temperature coefficient of
the thermistor material varies with the temperature. The thermistor has the
negative temperature coefficient.The Negative temperature coefficient means
the temperature is inversely proportional to resistance.
Capacitive Transducer
What is capacitive transducer?
 The capacitive transducer is used for
measuring the displacement, pressure and
other physical quantities. It is a passive
transducer that means it requires
external power for operation. The
capacitive transducer works on the
principle of variable capacitances.
Construction
 The capacitive
transducer contains two
parallel metal plates.
These plates are
separated by the
dielectric medium which
is either air, material, gas
or liquid. In the normal
capacitor the distance
between the plates are
fixed, but in capacitive
transducer the distance
between them are vary.
Working Principle
 Capacitive transducer measure the displacement
by measuring the change in capacitance.
 Where capacitance is given by :-

 Where A – overlapping area of plates in m2

d – the distance between two plates in meter
ε – permittivity of the medium in F/m
εr – relative permittivity
ε0 – the permittivity of free space
Change in capacitance
occur due to
 Change in overlapped area
of plates.
 Change in distance between
the two plates.
 Change in dielectric
medium.
Forms of Capacitance Transducers

Rectilinear Capacitance
Rotary plate capacitor Transducer

Thin diaphragm

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Rotary plate capacitor

The capacitance of this unit

proportional to the amount of
the fixed plate that is covered,
that shaded by moving plate.
This type of transducer will
give sign proportional to
curvilinear displacement or
angular velocity.

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Rectilinear capacitance
transducer:

It consists of a fixed cylinder and

a moving cylinder. These
pieces are configured so the
moving piece fits inside the
fixed piece but insulated from
it.

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Thin diaphragm
A transducer that varies the
spacing between surfaces. The
dielectric is either air or vacuum.
Often used as Capacitance
microphones.

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Advantages
 Construction is very simple.
 Cost of the transducer is low.
 Has very high sensitivity.
 It requires an external force for operation
and hence very useful for small systems.
 It requires small output power for
operation.
Disadvantages
 High impedance output.
 High temperature sensitivity.
 Need for complex electronics.
 The metallic parts of the transducers
require insulation.
 The cable connecting across the
transducer causes an error.
Applications
 Used in touch Screen mobile, Smart bed.
 Used in water level detection.
 The humidity in gases is measured
through the capacitive transducer.
 The capacitive transducer uses for
measurement of both the linear and
angular displacement.
PIEZOELECTRIC TRANSDUCERS
There are mainly two groups of
Piezoelectric crystals:-
 Natural Crystals  Synthetic Crystals
Quartz and tourmaline Rocholle Salt,lithium
sulphate,dipottasium tartrate

Low electrical leakage when Give high output for applied

used with very high impedence stress and more sensitive.
amplifier.
Can withstand high temperature Usually unable to withstand high
and sustain shocks. strain without fracture.
 Q=KF
(Where Q is charge in columb and F is force in Newtons , K is the
crystal sensitivity in C/N).

Y=(F/A)/( t/t)

The change at the electrode give rise to voltage such that

V =Q/C
Where Capacitance,C= A/t farads

Combining the above equations we obtain

V=K t F =g t P
A
g is the crystal voltage sensitivity in Vm/N and P is the
applied pressure in N/m
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THANK YOU