DEE10013

MEASUREMENT DEVICES
 TOPIC 2

DC METERS (10:00)
 LEARNING OUTCOME

At the end of this topic, students should be able to :

1. Describe the basic construction and operating
principle of PMMC
2. Identify the equation deflection torque (Td)
3. Define damping curve in analogue indicating
instrument
a. Critical damping
b. Over damping
c. Under damping
 INTRODUCTION

• In electrical analog instruments, uses different types of principle

such as PMMC/D’Arsonval, Moving Iron, Electrodynamometer,
Hot Wire, Thermocouple, Induction Type and Electrostatic.

• A permanent magnet moving coil (PMMC) is one such

instrument which is popularly used and has various applications.

• Moving Coil Instruments are used for measuring DC quantities

but can be used on AC systems when fed through bridge
rectifiers.
CONSTRUCTION OF PERMANENT MAGNET MOVING COIL
(PMMC)
 PRINCIPLE OPERATION OF PMMC
Working of Moving Coil Electrical.mp4
 PRINCIPLE OPERATION OF PMMC
• When a current flow through the coil, it generates a
magnetic field which is proportional to the current.
• The deflecting torque (Td) is produced by the
electromagnetic action of the current in the coil and the
magnetic field.
• The controlling torque (Tc) is provided by spiral 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.
• The PMMC has a variety of uses such as ammeter,
voltmeter, ohmmeter and galvanometer
 PRINCIPLE OPERATION OF PMMC
PMMC Instrument
Forces

Deflecting Controlling Damping

Spiral Aluminium
Magnet
Spring former

Deflects Minimizes
Retains coil at
pointer from oscillation
zero
zero position
 PRINCIPLE OPERATION OF PMMC
• Deflecting System – This system provides the deflecting
torque proportional to the quantity to be measured and
moves the pointer from its zero position when a current
flows.

• Controlling System – The controlling force is equal and

opposite to the deflecting torque in order to make the
deflection of the pointer proportional to the magnitude
of the quantity to be measured. The force also brings the
pointer back to zero position when the force is removed.

• Damping System –provides the damping torque so that

the pointer quickly comes to the final steady state
position without any swing or oscillations.
DEFLECTING & CONTROLLING TORQUE
DEFLECTING TORQUE , Td
 DEFLECTING TORQUE EQUATION
Td  BANI

Where Td  deflecting Torque  Nm

Wb 
  B  flux density in air gap   / T
m2 

N  number of turns of the coil

A  m 2 
 effective coil area ( wxl )
 
I  Current in the moving coil  A
 EXAMPLE 1
A PMMC instrument with a 100 turns coil has a
magnetic flux density in its air gaps of B=0.2 T. The
coil dimension are w=1 cm and l=1.5 cm. Calculate
the torque on the coil for a current of 1 mA.

Solution

T  BANI   0.2T  1.5  10 2 1  10 2 100 1  10 3 

d     
 3  10 6 Nm
 3Nm
 DAMPING
• A problem that is created by the use of a rectifier and
d’Arsonval meter movement is that the pointer will
vibrate (oscillate) around the average value indication.
In physics, damping is any effect that tends to reduce
the amplitude of oscillations in an oscillatory system,
particularly the harmonic oscillator.

• This oscillation will make the meter difficult to read.

The process of "smoothing out" the oscillation of the
pointer is known as DAMPING.
 DAMPING TORQUE

Lack of damping causes Damping curve

the pointer to oscillate
 DAMPING
1. Underdamped :
The pointer oscillates for a long time with decreasing amplitude
before coming to its final position. A user will have difficulty
reading the measured value accurately.

2. Overdamped:
The pointer rises very slowly from its zero position to its final
position. The measured value will be less than the expected value
and not accurate.

3. Critically-damped:
The pointer moves quickly without any oscillation. The measured
value is accurate.
 Tutorial
1.A PMMC instrument has 200 turns and is suspended in a
uniform magnetic field of 0.5W/m2. The coil dimension is 1cm
wide and 2cm high. Calculate the deflecting torque on the coil
if the current is 2mA. (40µNm)
2.In moving coil instrument consists of 110 turns wound on a
square former length 1cm and 1.5cm wide. The flux density in
the air gap is 0.07T. Determine the deflecting torque on the
coil when carrying a current of 13mA. ( 15µNm)
3.A moving coil voltmeter gives full scale deflection with a
current of 5mA. The coil has 100 turns, effective depth of
1.5cm and width of 2cm, the controlling torque of the spring is
4.9 µNm for full scale deflection. Calculate the flux density in
the gap. (3.26T)