Capacitive Transducers

FIG. 20 Differential arrangement of

capacitive transducer
In this type of transducers, a linear
characteristics can be achieved by using a
differential arrangement for the capacitive
displacement transducers. The arrangement
using three plates is shown in Figure 20. P 1
and P 2 are fixed plates and M is the movable
plate to which the displacement to be measured
is applied. Thus, two capacitors are there whose
differential output is taken.
Let the capacitance of these capacitors
be C1 and C2 respectively, when the plate M is
midway between the two fixed plates, under this
condition the capacitances C1 and C2 are equal.
Where ε = Permittivity of the medium between the
plates, A = Cross-sectional area of the plates, D =
Distance between the plates.
An ac voltage E is applied across
plates P1 and P2 and the difference of the voltages
across the two capacitances is measured. When the
movable plate is midway between the two fixed
plates C1 = C2 and therefore E1 = E2 = E/2.
Therefore, differential output when the
movable plate is midway ΔE = E1 - E2 = 0
Let the movable plate be moved up due to
displacement x , therefore the values C1
and C2 become different resulting in a
differential output voltage.
Therefore, the output voltage varies
linearly as the displacement x .
FIG. 2 Capacitive transducer and bridge
circuit
When equal pressures are applied (i.e., P 1 = P 2),
the diaphragm is in the neutral position and the
bridge is balanced.
The output voltage e 0, is zero under this
condition. If one pressure is made greater than
the other, the diaphragm deflects in proportional
to the differential pressure, giving an output
voltage e0 , from the bridge terminals.
This output voltage is proportional to the
differential pressure. For an opposite pressure
difference, the output voltage shows a 180° phase
shift.
The use of capacitive transducers is not
common because of low sensitivity. Also
capacitive transducers require high carrier
frequencies (typically, 2.5 kHz) for dynamic
pressure measurement.
Differential Arrangement Of Capacitors
• A linear characteristic can be achieved by
using a differential arrangement for the
capacitive displacement transducer.
• This arrangement using force plates is shown
in the figure shown before.
• P1 and P2 are fixed plates and m is the movable
plate to which the displacement has to be
measured is applied. Thus we have two
capacitors whose different output is taken.
• Let the capacitance of these capacitors be C1
and C2 respectively. When the plate is midway
between the two fixed plates, under this
condition, capacitance C1 and C2 are equal.
• C1=eA/d
• C2=eA/d
• An alternating current voltage “E” is applied
across the plate P1 and P2 and two different
voltages across the two capacitance is
measured. When a movable plate is midway
between two fixed plates C1 and C2,then
• E1=E2=E/2.
• So, voltage across C1,
• E1=(EC2)/(C1 + C2)=E/2
• So, voltage across C2,
• E2=(EC1)/(C1 + C2)=E/2

• Differential output when the movable plate is midway,

• ∆E=E1 – E2 = 0
• Let the movable plate m be moved up due to displacement
x. Therefore the value C1 and C2 becomes different resulting
in a differential output voltage.
• C1= €A/(d-x)
• C2= € A/(d+x)
• E1= (C2E)/(C1 + C2)= E(d-x)/2d
• E2= (C1E)/(C1 + C2)= E(d+x)/2d
• Differential output voltage
• ∆E=E2 – E1 = E1= (d+x/2d) E - (d-x/2d) E= Ex/d
• So output voltage varies linearily with
displacement x.
• Sensitivity (S)=∆E /x= E/d
 Capacitive Transducer Types:-

• Capacitance thickness transducer

• Capacitance displacement transducer
• Capacitance strain transducer
• Variable area capacitance transducer
• Capacitance level transducer
• Capacitance pressure transducer
Advantages of the Capacitance Transducer:-

• They have good frequency response.

• They are extremely sensitive.
• They have high input impedence.
• A resolution of order of 2.5x10-3mm.
• The force requirement of capacitive
transducer is very small.
 Disadvantages of Capacitance Transducer:-

• They show non-linear behavior.

• They are temperature sensitive.
• Circuits are complex.
• It leads to the loading effect.
 Variable Inductance Transducers
I. The variable inductance transducers work,
generally, upon one of the following three
principles:
•  
• Change of self-inductance
• Change of mutual inductance, and
• Production of eddy currents
 Transducers working on principle of change
of self-inductance
 
Self-inductance of a coil, L=N2/R
Where N= number of turns, and
R= reluctance of magnetic circuit.
where R=L/µA
Therefore Inductance L=N2µ (A/L) =N2µG …. (i)
Where µ= effective permeability in and around of coil; H/m
G=A/L= geometric form factor
A= area of cross section of coil; m2
and L= length of coil; m
It is clear from Equation (i) that the variation in
inductance may be caused by:
Change in number of turns, N,
Change in geometric configurations, G, and
Change in permeability, µ.

Inductive transducers are mainly used for

displacement measurement.
1.Self-Generating Type

In this type voltage is generated because of the relative

motion between a conductor and a magnetic field.

These may be further classified as follows:

(A)Electromagnetic type

(B)Electrodynamic type

(C)Eddy current type

• It consists of a permanent magnet core on which a coil is
directly wound.

• When a plate of iron or other ferromagnetic material is

moved with respect to the magnet, the flux field expands
or collapses and a voltage is induced in the coil.

• This device is used for indication of angular speed. The

measurements of speed can be made with great accuracy
when the pickup is placed near the teeth of a rotating gear.
 Electrodynamic Type
This type of transducer(linear and rotational) is shown in Below figure 2.
In this type coil moves within the field of the
magnet.The turns of the coil are perpendicular to
the intersecting lines of force.

When the coil moves it induces a voltage which at

any moment is proportional to the velocity of the
coil.

The principle of these transducers is used in the

magnetic flow meters.
 Mutual Inductance Transducer
A two-coil mutual inductance transducer is
shown in Fig.
It consists of an energising circuit coil X and
a pickup coil Y. A change in the position of
the armature by a mechanical input
changes the airgap.

This causes a change in the output from coil

Y,
which may be used as a measure of the
displacement of the armature, such that the
mechanical input.
 Linear Variable Differential Transformer (LVDT)

Definition: The Linear Variable Inductive Transformer

converts the linear displacement into an electrical
signal. It works on the principle of mutual induction,
i.e., the flux of the primary winding is induced to the
secondary winding. The output of the transformer is
obtained because of the difference of the secondary
voltages, and hence it is called a differential
transformer.
 Construction of LVDT

The basic construction of the LVDT is shown below

in the figure. The P is the primary winding of the
LVDT and S1 and S2 are the secondary winding of
the transformer. The secondary winding is wound
on the cylindrical former. The secondary winding
has an equal number of turns, and it is placed
identically on both the side of the primary winding.
The alternating current source is applied to
the primary winding. The soft iron core is
placed inside the iron core. The displacement
which is to be measured is attached to the
arm of the iron core. The high permeability
metal is used for the core so that the
harmonics are less and null voltage is easily
obtained. The displacement measured
longitudinally, which reduces the eddy
current losses.
The whole of the arrangement is placed inside
the stainless steel housing, and their ends
provide the electrostatic and electromagnetic
shielding. The frequency of the alternating
current applied to the primary winding lies
between 50 to 20 kHz. The LVDT works on
mutual induction principle. The current is
applied to the primary winding which produces
the magnetic field, and this field induces the
current in the secondary windings.
The output voltage of the secondary
winding S1 is ES1 and that of the S2 is
ES2 . The secondary voltage signal is
converted into an electrical signal by
connecting the secondary winding in
series opposition as shown in the figure
below. The output voltage of the
transducer is determined by subtracting
the voltage of the secondary windings
When the soft core moved towards left the flux linked
in S1 is more as compared to S2 . The output voltage
of the winding S1 is more than the S2 but it is in phase
with the primary voltage.
Similarly, when the soft iron core move towards
right the magnitude of the flux linked S2 is more
than S 1. The output voltage is -180ºC out of phase
with the primary winding.
Advantages of Eddy current
sensors
(i) It is compact in size
(ii) Cost is low.
(iii) Reliability is high.
(iv) It produces high frequency
response.
(v) Sensitivity for small displacement
is high.
(vi) It is insensitive to material in the
gap between transducer and
conductor.
Disadvantages of Eddy current sensors
(i) The result will be precise only if the gap
between transducer and conductor is small.
(ii) The device cannot be used for finding
the position of non-conductive materials.
(iii) There always occurs a non-linear
relationship between distance and
impedance of the active coil of the device.
(iv) The device is highly temperature
sensitive.
Potential applications for eddy current sensor
Due to its resistance and stability to measure under
extreme environment, eddy current sensors are used in
a wide range of industrial applications. Some examples
include:
•Measure vibrations of actuators in steel galvanising
plants
•Cylinder movements in an internal combustion engine
•Measure thickness of sheet metals in roller gap
•Measure movement of hydraulic cylinders
•Used in airplanes to measure movement of door lock
switches and landing gear flaps