Assignment Sheet 1

1. Consider the specifications for a bonded strain gage transducer given below. Identify the
interfering and modifying inputs for the sensor. Give brief reasons for your choice.
What is the practical sense of the statement “Resolution Infinite”, given for the sensor?

Specifications:
Materials Case and electrical fitting-304L and 316L stainless steel.
Pressure fitting and pressure cavity – 17- 4ph stainless steel.
Options available.
Full Scale Output 4-20 mA dc corresponding to 0-FS pressure.
Span 16.00 0.16 mAdc at 24 Vdc. (2% adjustment available as
an option).
Zero Balance 400 0.16 mAdc at 24 Vdc. (5% adjustment available as an
option.)
Accuracy Within 0.25% of span measured by best fit straight line
method to include combined effects of linearity, hysteresis and
repeatability at +70F (+21C).
Within 0.50% of span for 15 PSI units.
Resolution Infinite.
Proof 0-15 thru 0-50 PSI ranges: 5.0 times range.
Pressure Rating 0-100 thru 0-20k PSI ranges: 2.0 times range.
Application of proof pressure will not cause any change in
performance characteristics.
Burst 0-15 thru 0-50 PSI ranges: 10 times range.
Pressure Rating 0-100 thru 0-20k PSI ranges: 4 times range.
Compensated -30F to +170F (-34C to +77C).
Temperature Range
Operating -65F to +200F (-54C to +93C).
Temperature Range
Thermal Less than 0.010% of span per F over compensated
Sensitivity Shift temperature range (0.018% per C).
Thermal Zero Shift Less than 0.010% of span per F over compensated
temperature range (0.018% per C).
Shock 30 G’s for 11 milliseconds will not cause change in transmitter
performance characteristics.
 Excitation 15-40 Vdc unregulated at transmitter with performance
unaffected by power supply reversal. Any loop resistance is
acceptable provided excitation at transmitter is between 15-40
Vdc. Span and zero sensitivity to excitation at the transmitter is
less than 0.05% of span per volt. Calibrated at 24 Vdc.
Insulation 1000 megohms at 50 Vdc between both leads
Resistance in parallel and case at +70F (+21C).
Pressure Connection 1/2-14 NPT internal. Maximum recommended applied
pressure with this fitting is 25.000 PSI. For applications where
higher pressures are expected, the AE F250-C cone is
recommended and is available as an option.
Mounting By pressure fitting. Unit is not position sensitive.

2. Classify the following objects into the major classes of functional components in
instrumentation system. Justify your answer.
a. An alarm for indicating high water level in a tank
b. Extension wires for thermocouples to connect it to the rest of the temperature
measurement system.
c. A dummy strain gage used to compensate for temperature effects for the active strain
gage.
d. A manometer used for differential pressure sensing across an orifice-plate flow meter.

3. Find out examples of measurement systems where

a. the sensor is in contact with the medium
b. the sensor is not in contact with the medium
c. the signal conditioning circuits are at a distance from the sensor
d. the signal conditioning circuits are integrated with the sensor
e. signal conditioning and processing circuits are absent.

4. What is the reason for distinguishing between interfering inputs and modifying inputs
for a measurement system?

5. Would it be correct to say that the effect of interfering inputs are often easier to remove
from a corrupted output than that of modifying inputs? Give reasons.

6. Consider examples of two complete measurement systems. Identify the functional

blocks. Also identify the interfering and modifying inputs to the blocks.
7. It is often said that much more care has to be taken to avoid effects interfering and
modifying inputs acting on components before the signal conditioning/processing block
than on those after it. Can you explain why?

8. Can you suggest the basic method for detecting the existence of interfering and
modifying inputs?

9. Consider the accelerometer specifications given below from the above specifications for
an accelerometer identify the interfering inputs.

10. Following are some of the specifications of a laser displacement sensor: 4

 Measurement span: 20mm (i.e., minimum distance of 30mm and maximum distance
of 50mm)
 Resolution: 6μm
 Linearity: ±1% of span
 Response time: 0.18ms
 Linear output: 4-20mA
Based on the above specification :
a. Suppose the distance between the sensor and the object is 37.5mm. Find the
nominal output in mA.
b. Find the maximum error due to nonlinearity be under the condition mentioned in
Problem 11 above?

11. Consider the worst case error specifications (as percentage of full scale output) of each
subsystem of a temperature measurement system. What is the nearest approximation
to the overall worst case error of the total system, assuming the errors are
independent and zero mean. 2

Thermocouple Amplifier Indicator

TiC ToC
+E1 = 1% -E2 = 3% PE3 = 1%

12. A temperature measurement system with a linear temperature sensor for the
temperature range 0-100C has an output sensitivity of 5 mV/C. A 6 bit AD
converter (no sign bit) with a 10 V reference voltage converts the sensor output into
a 6 bit digital data which is read by the computer and displayed on screen.

Physical
Process Sensor Amplifier ADC Compute
r
Fig. Q2
 Calculate the gain of the amplifier, approximated to an integer value, to be used
between the sensor and the ADC to achieve maximum possible resolution of the
temperature reading on the computer display.

13. A first-order instrument has to measure amplitudes of sinusoidal signals with

frequency from dc to 100 rad/s with a maximum amplitude inaccuracy of 2.5% of
reading. Calculate the range of possible values of its time constant in milliseconds,
approximated to the first decimal place to satisfy the requirement.

14.The accuracy specified for a pressure gauge of range 0-25kPa is 5%of full scale. Find
the range within which the true value of pressure lies in kPa if it gives a reading of
20 kPa.
2
15. Consider the temperature measurement system shown below.
0-10V
Amplifier
Thermocoupl
T=? e I
K1 = 25µV/oC 4-20mA current
K2 = 500V/V transmitter

Fig. Simple Temperature measurement

System.
If the output current I is 12mA, find the estimated value of the temperature T based
on the nominal values of sensitivity and ranges given.

16. Find the resolution of an 8-bit ADC, if it has an analog voltage reference of 10V.

17. A temperature sensor has an output sensitivity of 6.5 mv/c. A 6 bit AD converter
(no sign bit) with a 10v reference is to store the data maximum upto 100c. Find (i)
the gain of the amplifier to be used between the sensor and the ADC; and (ii) the
resolution of the measurement system interms of temperature.

18. Given below in the left column are the target boards of three shooters. The shooters
aim for the bull’s eye which is located at the centre of the board. Match the shooters’
correct characteristics given in the right column with their corresponding target
boards.
 I. High Precision and High Accuracy

II. Low Precision and Low Accuracy

III. High Precision and Low Accuracy

(a) A-III, B-II, C-I

(b) A-I, B-III, C-II
(c) A-II, B-I, C-III
(d) A-II, B-III, C-I

19. A pressure gauge with a measurement range of 0-15 bar has an accuracy of ±0.2% of
full scale or ±0.4% of reading whichever is greater. The gauge reads 5 bars while
measuring pressure in a boiler. The true pressure may lie between

(a) 4.98 and 5.02 bar

(b) 4.91 and 5.03 bar
(c) 4.97 and 5.03 bar
(d) 4.97 and 5.09 bar

20. For the same pressure gauge given in Q.2 , if the gauge reads 10 bars the true
pressure may lie between

(a) 9.96 and 10.04 bar

(b) 9.97 and 10.03 bar
 (c) 9.96 and 10.03 bar
(d) 9.97 and 10.04 bar

21. A thermometer has a measurement range of -85 to 1615 oC with a resolution of 1

oC and meter accuracy of ±0.4% of span. The meter span and maximum error due

to inaccuracy are
(a) 1615 oC and ±6.46 oC
(b) 1615 oC and ±6.80 oC
(c) 1700 oC and ±6.80 oC
(d) 1700 oC and ±6.46 oC

22. A permanent magnet moving coil voltmeter has voltage range of 0-350 V having
a meter accuracy of ±0.5% of reading. The meter reads 150 V across the resistor in
a series RLC circuit. The true value of voltage lies between
(a) 148.50 and 151.50 V
(b) 149.25 and 150.75 V
(c) 148.25 and 151.75 V
(d) 149.25 and 151.75 V

23. A pressure transducer has an output voltage range of 0 to 20 V. For a pressure of

5 bars, the output voltage for decreasing pressure value is 5.05 V and for
increasing pressure 4.95 V. Find the hysteresis as a percentage of span.
(a) 0.5 %
(b) 0.25 %
(c) 1 %
(d) 1.2 %

4. Figure below shows a block diagram of a force transducer using negative feedback.
The elastic force sensor gives a displacement output for a force input; the displacement
sensor gives a voltage output for a displacement input. VS is the supply voltage for the
displacement sensor.

Calculate the output voltage V0 when

A.VS =1.0 V, F=50 N
B. VS =1.5 V, F=50 N.

Inpu Output
t + voltage
10-5 10 × Vs 103 V0
forceF -
Elastic force Displacemen Amplifie
Balancin
sendor t sensor r
g force
 10
Coil and
magnet
a) A.Vo=4.93 V , B.Vo= 4.90
b) A.Vo=4.93 V , B.Vo= 4.93
c) A.Vo=4.93 V , B.Vo= 4.96
d) A.Vo=4.90 V , B.Vo= 4.93

5. A level transducer has an output range of 0 to 10 V. For a 3 metre level, the output
voltage for a falling level is 3.05 V and for a rising level 2.95 V. Find the hysteresis as
a percentage of span. (John P. Bentley,2.17)
a) 1%
b) 2%
c) 4%
d) 7%

24. A tungsten resistance thermometer has a measurement range of -270 to +1100 oC has a
quoted linearity of ±1.5% of full scale reading. What is the likely measurement error due
to non-linearity when it is reading a temperature of 950 oC?
(a) ±14.50 oC
(b) ±14.25 oC
(c) ±16.50 oC
(d) ±20.55 oC

25. A Platinum Resistance Thermometer (PT100) has a measurement range of 10 - 100 oC

with a linear output of 90 - 170 ohms. Suppose the thermometer gives an output of 140
ohms. What is the corresponding temperature value in oC?
(a) 62.50
(b) 66.25
(c) 50.00
(d) 70.00

26. For the same specifications as in Question 8, what is the sensitivity of the thermometer?
(a) 1.125 ohms/ oC
(b) 0.650 ohms/ oC
(c) 0.888 ohms/ oC
(d) 0.785 ohms/ oC

5. Compute the differential gain of the resistive transducer–based measurement system  V0  

shown below. Let R x = R 0 1   . 15
+V
nR0
R0 R0
- Vout

R0 Rx ++
Two instruments are used in tandem for a measurement expt. The full scale input ranges of
the instrument are R1 and R2. Their nominal sensitivies are K1 and K2. Each has an accuracy
figure quoted as xi% of f.s. Give specs for ranges sensitivity and accuracy of the composite
instrument. 3+2+3

1. Below find the resistance characteristics of a silicon temperature sensor. For the
temperature measurement circuit shown below, and using the characteristics
provided, answer the following.
(a) Compute the range of voltage across Vx –Vy and Vo-GND for a temperature range of
0-100C and a supply voltage VB = 5V. 8+8
(b) Comment on the nature of non-linearity of the sensor, the sensor –R2 combination
and its impact on the non linearity of the voltage Vx – Vy. 3+4+4
(c) For a given sample of the KTY-31 sensor describe a method of adjusting zero and
sensitivity in the circuit so that the output signal varies over a given fixed range for
temperature variation of 0-100C. compute the range of adjustment possible with the
given components in the circuit. 2½+2½+4+4
+VB

R3 R6
68 k or fixed 1.8 k
4 k
R1 RS resistor
3.3 k Vx 33 k P2
P1 IC1 4.7 k
- Vo
220 
+
NE532
Vy

KTY R2 R4
81-110 22 k 1 k

GND
 Tamb Resistance
C 
-55 490
-50 515
-40 567
-30 624
-20 684
-10 747
0 815
10 886
20 961
25 1000
30 1040
40 1122
Tamb Resistance
C 
50 1209
60 1299
70 1392
80 1490
90 1591
100 1696
110 1805
120 1915
130 2023
140 2124
150 2211

Ambient temperature and corresponding average resistance values of sensor (IC = 1 mA).

R
(k)
150C

125C
2.0
100C
75C

50C

25C

1.0 0C
-25C

-50C