Real Time Applications of Recorders

Applications of Strip Chart Recorders:

Temperature Recording
Sound Level Recording
Recorder Amplifier Drift
Seismic Waves Recording
ECG Waves Recording

1.Temperature Recording:
A strip chart recorder may be used to provide a graphical record of temperature
as a function of time. Two methods are used for recording temperature:
a. Thermocouple Method
b. Resistance Method

What is Thermo couple?

It is made by joining two dissimilar metals. A potential difference proportional to
the temperature exists across the junctions. The potential difference has almost
linear relationship with temperature. The measured voltage is in fact independent
of the composition of the measurement leads and the cold junctions, J2 and J3.

Thermocouple Method for Temperature Measurement:

It utilizes commercially available thermocouples that cover a wide range of
temperature. They serve very well as temperature-sensing elements and are
readily compatible with Strip Chart Recorders. Elaborate tables of temperature
versus potential difference have been developed for certain pairs of metals that
are used for commercial thermocouples. These tables allow one to determine the
hot junction temperature when the cold junction or reference junction is at 0o C.
Correction factors are used when temperature is not 0o C. It is usually convenient
to maintain the reference junction at 0o C. An artificial reference junction emf can
be generated as shown below. Thermocouple TC2 is maintained at 70o C by the
oven. The emf developed by the voltage drop across R, due to current flowing
from the regulated dc power supply until the total emf is equal to the emf of TC2
at 0o C. The two metals connected to the recorder are of the same metal.

2.Sound Level Recording:

It is frequently desirable to obtain a record of the sound level over a period of
time near highways, airports, hospitals, schools or residence. This is achieved
using a microphone and a strip chart recorder, provided the output signal from
the microphone is of sufficient amplitude to drive the recorder.

3.Recording Amplifier Drift:

Q point of transistor is sensitive to temperature change. Temperature changes
causes the bias voltage of the transistor to change, thereby changing the operating
point or quiescent point. This change is called drift. This is a slow process so a
strip chart recorder may be used to monitor and record the drift by connecting the
recorder to the output of the amplifier as shown below:

4.Richter Scale:
It is used to measure the magnitude of earthquakes using Wood-Anderson
torsion seismograph.

5.ECG:
Electrocardiography is the recording of the electrical activity of the heart.
Traditionally this is in the form of a transthoracic (across the thorax or chest)
interpretation of the electrical activity of the heart over a period of time, as
detected by electrodes attached to the surface of the skin and recorded or
displayed by a device external to the body.

6.Some Other Applications:

Recorders are also used in:
In Drug Storage Rooms, Cold rooms, Stability chambers etc.
In Tire and Rubber Processing.
To measure Low or Ultra Low Temperatures.
In Humidity Chambers or Ovens.
Heat Treatment Furnaces.

7.Real Time Applications of XY Recorders:

Plotting Speed Torque Characteristics of motors.

Plotting characteristics of vaccum tubes, zener diodes and transistors.
Plotting Regulation Curves of Power supplies.
Plotting hysteresis curves.
Plotting vibrations amplitude against swept frequency