ECE443 / ECE442 – Instrumentation and Control

CHAPTER 2
INDICATORS and DISPLAY DEVICES

The essential requirements of a measuring instrument:

a. That its introduction into the circuit where measurements are to be

used, should not alter the circuit conditions.
b. The power consumed by it be small.

TYPES OF INSTRUMENTS

1. Permanent Magnet Moving Coil (PMMC) – is the most accurate type of

DC measurement.
The basic moving-coil system, generally referred to as a D’Arsonval
2. Moving Iron – is the most commonly used form of indicating instrument, Meter Movement or a Permanent Magnet Moving Coil (PMMC).
as well as the cheapest, it can be used for both AC and DC measurements
and is very accurate, if properly designed. ELECTROMAGNETIC TORQUE – is counterbalanced by a mechanical torque of
control springs attached to the movable coil.
3. Electrodynamometer – suitable for AC measurements, since their
deflection depends directly upon the heating effect of the AC.

4. Hot Wire
𝝉= 𝑩×𝑨×𝑰×𝑵

5. Thermocouple – consists of a junction of two dissimilar wires, so Where:

chosen that a voltage is generated by heating the junction.
6. Induction Type – is most generally used for Watt-hour meter.
7. Electrostatic – used as voltmeters have the advantage that their power
consumption is exceedingly small.
EXAMPLES:
8. Rectifier
1.
D’ARSONVAL METER MOVEMENT or PERMANENT MAGNET MOVING
COIL (PMMC)
The history of the basic meter movement used in direct-current
measurements can be traced to Hans Oersted’s discovery in 1820 of the 2.
relationship between current and magnetism. Over the next half-century, various
types of devices that made use of Oersted’s discovery were developed. In 1881,
Jacques D’Arsonval is used in meter movements today.
Prepared by: ENGR. MARK JOMMEL S. NASOL
𝝉 = Torque, (Newton-meter)
𝑩 = flux density in the air gap, (Wb/m2)
𝑨 = effective coil area (m2)
𝑰 = current in the movable coil (A)
𝑵 = number of turns of wire of the coil
A moving coil instrument has the ff data: number of turns = 100, width
of the coil = 20 mm, depth of the coil = 30 mm, flux density in the gap =
0.1 Wb/m2. Calculate the deflecting torque when carrying a current of 10
mA. Also calculate the deflection, if the control spring constant is 2 x 10-
6 Nm/°.
A moving coil instrument has the ff data: number of turns = 100, width
of the coil = 20 mm, depth of the coil = 30 mm, flux density in the gap =
0.1 Wb/m2 and the deflection torque = 30 x 10-6 Nm. Calculate the
current through the moving coil.
 ECE443 / ECE442 – Instrumentation and Control

Practical PMMC Movement

The basic PMMC movement offers the largest magnet in a given space, in
the form of a horse-shoe, and is used when a large flux is required in the air gap.
The D’Arsonval movement is based on the principle of a moving electromagnetic
coil pivoted in a uniform air gap between the poles of large fixed permanent
magnet.

• Practical coil areas generally range from 0.5 to 2.5 cm2.

• The flux density for modern instruments usually ranges
from 1500 – 5000 Wb/cm2.
• The power consumption is quite small, typically
from 25 – 200 µW.
• Permanent magnet is made up of Alnico.

Advantages and disadvantages of PMMC:

ADVANTAGES:

1. They can be modified with the help of shunts and resistance to cover a
wide range of currents and voltages.
2. They display no hysteresis.
3. Since operating fields of such instruments are very strong, they are not
significantly affected by stray magnetic fields.

DISADVANTAGES:

1. Some errors may set in due to ageing of control springs and the
permanent magnet.
2. Friction due to jewel-pivot suspension.

Prepared by: ENGR. MARK JOMMEL S. NASOL