Types of Instruments

Lecture_02
 PMMC
• PMMC used for DC measurements only
• Most accurate
• They are also known as d’Arsonval instruments.
• These instruments works on the
electromagnetic effect of current.
• A permanent magnet used to produce magnetic
flux and coil that carries the current to be
measured moves in this field.
 Basic Meter Movement

• The action of the most commonly dc

meter is based on the fundamental
princi­ple of the motor.

• The motor action is produced by the

flow of a small current through a
moving coil, which is positioned in the
field of a permanent magnet.

• This basic moving coil system is often

called the D’Arsonval galvanometer.
 Basic Meter Movement
• The D’Arsonval movement shown in Fig. 2.1 employs a spring-loaded coil
through which the measured current flows.

• The coil (rotor) is in a nearly homogeneous field of a permanent magnet

and moves in a rotary fashion.

• The amount of rotation is proportional to the amount of current flowing

through the coil.

• A pointer attached to the coil indicates the position of the coil on a scale
calibrated in terms of current or voltage.

• It responds to dc current only, and has an almost linear calibration

PMMC………….
• Principle of Operation: When a current carrying
conductor is placed in a magnetic field, it experiences a
force and tends to move in the direction as per Fleming’s
left hand rule.

Fleming left hand rule: If the first and the second finger and
the thumb of the left hand are held so that they are at right
angle to each other, then the thumb shows the direction of
the force on the conductor, the first finger points towards the
direction of the magnetic field and the second finger shows
the direction of the current in the wire.
 Galvanometer
• The galvanometer is the device used for detecting the
presence of small current and voltage or for measuring their
magnitude.

• The galvanometer is mainly used in the bridges and 

potentiometer where they indicate the null deflection or
zero current.

• The potentiometer is based on the premise that the current

sustaining coil is kept between the magnetic field
experiences a torque
Construction
 Moving Coil
• The moving coil is the current carrying part of the
galvanometer.

• It is rectangular or circular and has the number of turns of fine

copper wire.

• The coil is freely moved about its vertical axis of symmetry

between the poles of a permanent magnet.

• The iron core provides the low reluctance flux path and hence
provides the strong magnetic field for the coil to move in.
 Suspension
• The coil is suspended by a flat ribbon which carries the current
to the coil.

• The other current carrying coil is the lower suspension whose

torque effect is negligible.

• The upper suspension coil is made up of gold or copper wire

which is made in the form of a ribbon.

• The mechanical strength of the wire is not very strong, and

hence the galvanometers handle carefully without any jerks.
• Mirror – The suspension carries a small mirror
which casts the beam of light. The beam of
light placed on the scale on which the
deflection is measured.
• Torsion Head – The torsion head is used for
controlling the position of the coil and for
adjusting the zero setting.
 Working of Galvanometer
• Let, l, d – the length of respective vertical and
horizontal side of the coil in the meter.
N – number of turns in the coil,
B – Flux density in the air gap, wb/m2
i – current through moving coil in Ampere
K – spring constant of suspension, Nm/rad
θf – final steady-state deflection of moving coil in
radiance
When the current flows through the coil, it
experiences a torque which is expressed as
 Td  ( Force)( Dis tan ce)
• When the current flows through the coil, it experiences
a torque which is expressed as
F  NBil
• The force on each side of the coil is given as
Td  NBild
• Hence deflecting torque becomes,
Td  NBiA
• N, B, A  are the constant of the galvanometer
A  ld

• The G is called the displacement constant of the Td  Gi

galvanometer, and their value is equal NBA = NBld.
NBA  NBld
• The controlling torque exerted by the suspension at
deflection θF is Tc  K F
• K is spring constant
Td  Tc
• For final steady deflection
K F  Gi
Gi
F 
K
• When a current flow through the coil, it generates a magnetic
field which is proportional to the current in case of an
ammeter. The deflecting torque is produced by the
electromagnetic action of the current in the coil and the
magnetic field.
• The controlling torque is provided by two phosphorous bronze
flat coiled helical springs. These springs serve as a flexible
connection to the coil conductors.
• Damping is caused by the eddy current set up in the aluminum
coil which prevents the oscillation of the coil.
 Practical PMMC Movement
• Figure 2.2 shows a permanent horse-shoe magnet with soft iron pole
pieces attached to it.

• Between the pole pieces is a cylinder of soft iron which serves to provide
a uniform magnetic field in the air gap between the pole pieces and the
cylindrical core.

• The coil is wound on a light metal frame and is mounted so that it can
rotate freely in the air gap.

• The pointer attached to the coil moves over a graduated scale and
indicates the angular deflection of the coil, which is proportional to the
current flowing through it.
 Practical PMMC Movement
• The Y-shaped member shown in Fig. 2.3 is the zero adjust control,
and is connected to the fixed end of the front control spring.

• An eccentric pin through the instrument case engages the Y-

shaped member so that the zero position of the pointer can be
adjusted from outside.

• The calibrated force opposing the moving torque is provided by

two phosphor-bronze conductive springs, nor­mally equal in
strength. (This also provides the necessary torque to bring the
pointer back to its original position after the measurement is over.)
Advantages:

•  The PMMC consumes less power and has great

accuracy.
•  It has uniformly divided scale and can cover arc of 270
degree.
•  It can be modified as ammeter or voltmeter with
suitable resistance.
•   It produces no losses due to hysteresis.
Disadvantage:

• The moving coil instrument can only be used on D.C

supply as the reversal of current produces reversal of
torque on the coil.
• It’s very delicate and sometimes uses ac circuit with a
rectifier.
• It’s costly as compared to moving coil iron instruments.
• It may show error due to loss of magnetism of
permanent magnet.
 Problem 01
•• A  moving coil instrument has the following data
– Number of turns=100
– Width of coil= 20mm
– Depth of coil=30mm
– Flux density in the gap=0.1W/
• Calculate deflecting torque when carrying a current of 10mA.
Also calculate the deflection, if the control spring constant is
Nm/degree

• Td= Nm
• Θ=
 Problem 02
• A  moving coil instrument has the following data
– Number of turns=100
– Width of coil= 20mm
– Depth of coil=30mm
– Flux density in the gap=0.1W/
– Deflecting Torque= Nm
• Calculate the current through the moving coil
• Td= Nm
• Θ=
 Problem 03
• A
  moving coil instrument has the following data
– Number of turns=200
– Width of coil= 30mm
– Depth of coil=30mm
– Flux density in the gap=0.2W/
• Calculate deflecting torque when carrying a
current of 10mA. Also calculate the deflection,
if the control spring constant is Nm/degree
 Problem 04
• A
  moving coil instrument has the following
data
– Number of turns=300
– Width of coil= 20mm
– Depth of coil=10mm
– Flux density in the gap=0.4W/
– Deflecting Torque= Nm
• Calculate the current through the moving coil
 D’Ársonval Meter Movement
Used In A DC Ammeter
• Since the windings of the moving coil are very fine
wire, the basic d’Arsonval meter movement has only
limited usefulness without modification.
• One desirable modification is to increase the range of
current that can be measured with the basic meter
movement.
• This done by placing a low resistance called a shunt
(Rsh), and its function is to provide an alternate path for
the total metered current I around the meter
movement.

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 Basic DC Ammeter Circuit
Ammeter

Where

Rsh = resistance of the shunt

Rm = internal resistance of the meter
movement (resistance of the
moving coil)
Ish = current through the shunt
Im = full-scale deflection current of
the meter movement Fig. 1-2 D’Ársonval meter movement
I = full-scale deflection current for used in ammeter circuit
the ammeter

In most circuits, Ish >> Im

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• The voltage drop across the meter movement is

Vm  I m Rm
• The shunt resistor is parallel with the meter movement, thus
the voltage drop for both is equal
Vsh  Vm
• Then the current through the shunt is,
I sh  I  I m
• By using Ohm’s law

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 Cont.
Then we can get shunt resistor as
Vsh I m Rm I m Im
Rsh    Rm  Rm..............1.0 Ohm
I sh I sh I sh  I  Im 

Example 1-1
Calculate the value of the shunt resistance
required to convert a 1-mA meter movement,
with a 100-ohm internal resistance, into a 0- to
10-mA ammeter.

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Solution:
Vm  I m Rm  1mA 100  0.1V

Vsh  Vm  0.1V

I sh  I  I m  10mA  1mA  9mA

Vsh 0.1V
Rsh    11 .11
I sh 9mA

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