Transducers

Temperature Measurement
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EE 2105 : Electronics
Instructor
Abu Syed Md. Jannatul Islam
Assistant Professor, Dept. of EEE,
KUET, BD

Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering

Khulna University of Engineering & Technology
Khulna-9203
 Transducer
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➢A transducer is a device which transforms a non-electrical

physical quantity (temperature, sound or light etc.) into an
electrical signal (voltage, current, frequency).

➢In other word it is a device that is capable of converting the

physical quantity into a proportional electrical quantity
 Transducer Applications
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➢ Pressure ➢ Magnetic Flux

➢ Displacement ➢ Vibration
➢ Force ➢ Velocity
➢ Torque ➢ Light
➢ Temperature ➢ Position
➢ Sound ➢ Humidity
➢…
 Transducer Block Diagram
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Transducer contains two parts that are closely related to each

other
➢ Sensing element and Transduction element.
➢ The sensing element is called as the sensor. It is device
producing measurable response to change in physical
conditions.
➢ The transduction element convert the sensor output to
suitable electrical form.
 Transducer Advantages
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 Transducer Selection Factors
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➢ Sensitivity
➢ Operating Range
➢ Accuracy
➢ Cross sensitivity
➢ Errors
➢ Operating Principle
➢ Transient and frequency response
➢ Loading Effects:
➢ Environmental Compatibility:
➢ Insensitivity to unwanted signals
 Transducer Classification
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Capacitive

Transduction
Resistive
principle

Active/Passive Inductive

Transducers Primary/Secondary

Analog/Digital

Inverse Transducers
 Analog and Digital Transducers
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Transducers, on the basis of nature of output signal, may be

classified into analog and digital transducers.

➢Analog transducers converts input signal into output signal,

which is a continuous function of time such as THERMISTOR, strain
gauge, LVDT , thermocouple etc.

➢Digital transducers converts input signal into the output signal in

the form of pulses e.g. it gives discrete output. These transducers
are becoming more popular nowadays because of advantages
associated with digital measuring instruments and also due to the
fact that digital signals can be transmitted over a long distance
without causing much distortion due to amplitude variation and
phase shift.
 Primary and Secondary Transducers
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➢ Transducer on the basis of methods of applications, may be

classified into primary and secondary transducers.
➢ Some transducers contain the mechanical as well as electrical
device.
➢ The mechanical device converts the physical quantity to be
measured into a mechanical signal. Such mechanical device are
called as the primary transducers, because they deal with the
physical quantity to be measured.
➢ The electrical device then convert this mechanical signal into a
corresponding electrical signal. Such electrical device are known
as secondary transducers.
 Primary and Secondary Transducers
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➢ For example , in case of pressure measurement , bourdon tube

is a primary sensor which converts pressure first into
displacement, then the displacement is converted into an
output voltage by an LVDT. In this case LVDT is a secondary
transducer.
 Primary and Secondary Transducers
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 Transducers & Inverse Transducers
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➢ Transducers as already defined, is a device that converts a non

electrical quantity into an electrical quantity. Normally a
transducer and associated circuit has a non electrical input and
an electrical output.
➢ For example : a thermocouple, photo conductive cell pressure
gauge, strain gauge.
➢ Inverse Transducers is a device that converts an electrical
quantity into a non electrical quantity. It is a precision actuator
having an electrical input and a low power non electrical
output.
➢ For example a piezoelectric crystal and translational and
angular moving coil elements can be employed as inverse
transducers. A most useful application of inverse transducers is
in feed back measuring systems.
 Active and Passive Transducers
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➢ Active transducers: These transducers do not need any external

source of power for their operation. Therefore they are also called as
self generating type transducers. The active transducer are self
generating devices which operate under the energy conversion
principle. As the output of active transducers we get an equivalent
electrical output signal e.g. temperature or strain to electric
potential, without any external source of energy being used.
➢ Passive Transducers: These transducers need external source of
power for their operation. So they are not self generating type
transducers. A DC power supply or an audio frequency generator is
used as an external power source. These transducers produce the
output signal in the form of variation in resistance, capacitance,
inductance or some other electrical parameter in response to the
quantity to be measured
 Temperature Transducers
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Transducers that can be used to measure temperature.

➢ Resistance Temperature Detectors (RTD)
➢ Thermocouples
➢ Thermistors
➢ Other temperature transducers
 Resistance Temperature Detectors (RTD)
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➢ Usually make use of platinum, nickel or resistance wire

elements.
➢ Resistance varies with the change of temperature.
➢ Almost all metals give high resistance when temperature
increases.
➢ High value of temperature coefficient is required to sense a
small changes in the temperature.
 Resistance Temperature Detectors (RTD)
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Expression below relate the resistance of the conductors and the

temperature;
Rt = Rref (1 + t )
Rt is resistance of the conductor at temperature t°C
Rref is resistance of the reference temperature (typically 0°C)
α is temperature coefficient of resistance
Δt is the difference between operating and reference
temperature
 Resistance Temperature Detectors (RTD)
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➢ Platinum RTD is the most widely used.

➢ Advantages:
Wide operating temperature range.
Stability at high temperature.
Linearity.
➢ Disadvantages:
Low sensitivity.
Expensive.
Easily affected by contact resistance.
 THERMISTOR
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➢ A THERMISTOR is a type
of resistor whose resistance varies
significantly with temperature.
➢ Semi-conductor thermistor have a
Negative Temperature Coefficient
i.e. as temperature increases, the
resistance decreases.
➢ The word is a contraction
Resistance

of thermal and resistor.

➢ Thermistors are widely used
as inrush current limiters,
temperature sensors, self-resetting
over current protectors, and self-
Temperature regulating heating elements.
 THERMISTOR
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➢ Also called thermal resistors as the resistance varies as a

function of temperature.
➢ Manufactured in the form of beads, discs and rods.
➢ Most thermistors have a negative coefficient (NTC) of
temperature resistance.
➢ Three important characteristics:
➢ Resistance-Temperature
➢ Voltage-Current
➢ Current-Time
 THERMISTOR
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➢ The thermistor may be in the form of beads, rods and discs.

➢ The thermistor provide a large change in resistance for small change
in temperature. In some cases the resistance of thermistor at room
temperature may decreases as much as 6% for each 1ºC rise in
temperature.
 THERMISTOR
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• Major applications of thermistors are measurement and control of

temperature.
• Other applications of thermistors:
– Measurement of power at high frequencies.
– Measurement of thermal conductivity.
– Measurement of level, flow and pressure of liquids.
– Measurement of composition of gases.
– Vacuum measurement.
 THERMISTOR
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• Advantages • Limitations
– High sensitivity especially – Characteristics of resistance
in NTC region. and temperature are non-
– Fast response over linear.
narrow temperature – Not recommended for wide
range. temperature range
– Cold junction applications.
compensation is not – Need a shielded power lines
required. or filters and low excitation
– No problems on contact current.
and lead resistance.
– Low cost and small size.
 THERMOCOUPLE
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As the junction temperature increases a small voltage is created in the loop.

The voltage produced at the junction of the dissimilar metals is due to a
phenomenon called the “Seebeck Effect”.

• The higher the temperature at the junction, the greater the voltage produced
by that junction.

• The relationship between voltage and temperature is constant and therefore

will graph as a linear line.
 THERMOCOUPLE
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See beck Effect

➢ When a pair of dissimilar metals are joined at one end, and there is a
temperature difference between the joined ends and the open ends,
thermal emf is generated, which can be measured in the open ends.
➢ This forms the basis of thermocouples.
 THERMOCOUPLE
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• Advantages:
– High speed.
– Cheap.
– Rugged.
• Disadvantages:
– Low accuracy.
– Placed remote from measuring devices.
– Reference junctions compensation.
 PROS AND CONS
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Pros
• They are inexpensive.
• They are rugged and reliable.
• They can be used over a wide temperature range.
Cons
• low output voltage
• low sensitivity
• non-linearity
• electrical connections
 Difference in performance
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