Chapter 3

Signal Conditioning and Data Transmission

Outlines

 Introduction to Signal conditioning

 Signal conditioning Instruments
 Wheatstone bridge
 Amplifiers
 Attenuators and Filters
Learning Objective
 Understanding the main goal and objective of Signal conditioning in an industrial metrology and
instrumentation
 Be able to understand advantages and disadvantages Signal conditioning Instruments
 Be able to understanding the Wheatstone bridge
 Be able to understanding advantages of Amplifiers in an industrial metrology and process control
 Understand the roles of Attenuators and Filters in measurements and instrumentation process
 What is Signal Conditioning?
 Signal conditioning circuits are used to process the output signal from sensors of a
measurement system to be suitable for the next stage of operation
 The function of the signal conditioning circuits include the following items:
1. Signal amplification (opamp)
2. Filtering (opamp)
3. Interfacing with µP (ADC)
4. Protection (Zener & photo isolation)
5. Linearization, Current – voltage change circuits
6. Resistance change circuits (Wheatstone bridge)
7. Error compensation
8. Voltage and high-voltage signal conditioners.
9. Current signal conditioners.
10. Charge signal conditioners.
11. Strain gauge signal conditioners.
12. Load cell signal conditioners.
13. Thermocouple signal conditioners.
Operational Amplifiers
Operational Amplifier Circuit Configurations
 Operational Amplifier as Comparator
 The output indicates which of the two voltages is high (V1 or V2). When used with no feedback connection
 Operational Amp as Comparator
 The circuit is designed to control temperature with a certain range. When the temp. The below certain value, the
thermistor R1 is more than R2 and the bridge is out of balance, it gives an output at its lower saturation limit which
keeps the transistor OFF.
 When temperature rises and R1 falls the op-amp switch to +ive saturation value and switch the transistor ON
 Instrumentation Amplifier
 Many sensors develop extremely low-level output signals. The signals are usually too small for applying directly to
low-gain, multiplexed data acquisition system inputs, so some amplification is necessary.
 Two common examples of low-level sensors are thermocouples and strain-gage bridges that typically deliver full-
scale outputs of less than 50 mV.
 Most data acquisition systems use a number of different types of circuits to amplify the signal before processing.
 Integrated OA contain many circuit components, but are typically portrayed on schematic diagrams as a simple logical
functional block.

 The two basic types of operational

amplifiers are called inverting and non-
inverting.
 The stage gain equals the ratio between the
feedback and input resistor values.
 Signal conditioning: Wheatstone Bridge
 One of the most used signal conditioning circuit. It can be used to convert a resistance change to a voltage change as
in the following example:
 Applications Areas of Wheatstone Bridge
o Mainly used in measuring of very low value of unknown resistance having range of milli-ohms.
o If using a varistor with Wheatstone bridge we can also identifies the value of some parameters like capacitance,
inductance and impedance.
o By using Wheatstone bridge with operational amplifier it helps in measuring different parameters like temperature,
strain, light etc.
o The application of Wheatstone bridge is light detector using Wheatstone bridge circuit
 Worked Example on Signal conditioning: Wheatstone
Bridge
A platinum resistance temperature sensor has a resistance of 100 ohm at 0 0C is placed in one arm of a Wheatstone
bridge with each of the other arms also being 100 ohm. If the resistance temperature coefficient of the platinum is
0.0039/K, find the output voltage from the bridge per degree change in temp. if the load across the output can be assumed
to be infinite. Vs=6.0 volt.
The variation of the resistance of the platinum with temperature can be represented as Rt =R0 (1+αT) .
 Signal conditioning: Wheatstone Bridge
 Compensation for leads
Signal Conditioning: Filtering
Signal Conditioning: Filtering
Signal Conditioning: Filtering
Attenuators

o Attenuators are passive devices.

o It used to weaken or attenuate the high level output of a signal generator.
For Example:
to provide a lower level signal for something like the antenna input of a sensitive radio receiver. (figure below).
The attenuator could be built into the signal generator, or be a stand-alone device. It could provide a fixed or adjustable
amount of attenuation.
An attenuator section can also provide isolation between a source and a troublesome load.
Advantages of Attenuators
o Attenuators are used as volume control equipment
o For testing purposes in laboratories, to obtain smaller voltage signals, attenuators are used.
o Fixed attenuators are used to improve the impedance matching in circuits.
o Balance multiple​channels
o Calibrate or adjust amplifiers gain
o Protect the input to an amplifier (Prevent overload)
o Match impedances (Minimum Loss Pad): A Minimum Loss Pad consisting of only two resistors could do the job in a
smaller, more reliable, and less expensive package.
 Usage of Decibels for Attenuators in industrial instrumentation

Voltage ratios, as used in the design of attenuators are often expressed in terms of decibels. The voltage ratio must be derived from
the attenuation in decibels. Power ratios expressed as decibels are additive.
For example, a 10 dB attenuator followed by a 6 dB attenuator provides 16dB of attenuation overall.
10 dB + 6 db = 16 dB
Changing sound levels are perceptible roughly proportional to the logarithm of the power ratio (PI / PO).
sound level = log10(PI / PO)
Examples using the Decibel Equations
Example 1: Power into an attenuator is 10 Watts, the power out is 1 Watt.
Find the attenuation in dB.
solution
10 log10(PI / PO) = 10 log10 (10 /1) = 10 log10 (10) = 10 (1) = 10 dB
Example 2
The input power is 15.5 kW. The power output is 10-15 W.
a. Is this system associated with amplification or attenuation?
b. What is the gain (or attenuation) of this system?
Ap =Pout/ Pin = 10-15 W / 15.5 x 103 W = 6.45 10-20
Since, Ap is < 1.0, this is attenuation
Exercise
1. what is the application areas in industrial metrology and instrumentation of Signal conditioning
2. List the main advantages of signal conditioning Wheatstone Bridge in an industrial process
3. Carefully try to discus the application areas of the following in industrial process
a. Amplifiers
b. Attenuators
c. Filters
End of the Lesson