BME 3302 Homework #5

BME 3302 Homework

Franz Baudenbacher

Biomedical Instrumentation
Fall 2024
Due Friday October 4th

1. You may work together but each person should turn in their own work
in their own handwriting.

2. You should transcribe all final answers onto these sheets but show
all work on attached sheets.

3. Partial Credit is important! If you have a wrong answer and show no

work you will lose points in a hurry.

4. Unless otherwise told you may assume ideal op amps.

Problem

#5.1 (25 pts) ___________________

#5.2 (25 pts) ___________________

#5.3 (25 pts) ___________________

#5.4 (25 pts) ___________________

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 AN
BME 3302 Homework #5
RTD CURRENT EXCITATION CIRCUIT EQUATION 3:
For best linearity, the RTD sensing element requires a V OUTA1 = V REF G A1 + V OUTA2
5.1. Constant current source
stable current reference for excitation. This can be
Where:
implemented in a number of ways, one of which is
The circuit below showsshown
the design
in Figureof4.aInconstant current
this circuit, source
a voltage to operate
reference, a PT100
VOUTA1 = A1’s output voltage
resistor (shown as RTDalong
in thewith two operational
circuit) amplifiers,
as temperature are used to
transducer. VOUTA2 = A2’s output voltage
generate a floating 1 mA current source.
VREF = Reference voltage at th
GA1 = Differential Gain
R2 R1
25 kΩ 25 kΩ = 1 V/V

+
RREF Now it is easy to derive the voltage (VRREF) a
VRREF
2.5 kΩ resistor RREF, assuming VOUT2 = V2; see Eq
– A1
IRREF VREF EQUATION 4:
1 mA 2.5V V RREF = V OUTA1 – V 2

Veve V2 A2 V RREF = V REF

R3 R4
r RW1 A
25 kΩ 25 kΩ Where:
-

.
OA
RW2 V2 = Voltage at A2’s input
Va(r) t
Rul
OA
VRREF = Voltage across RREF
>
-

() Vm() Vr()
+
-
=

RTD
-

~
Vr(n)) vm() A1 = A2 = ½ MCP602
Vm(d) Vr(d)
+
+

(i) Vm(r)
-

:
-

v.

ve(-- +) Un The current used to bias the RTD assembly

(i)
=

RW3 constant and independent of the voltage V2

across the RTD element); see Equation 5.
FIGURE 4: A current source for the RTD
element can be constructed in a single-supply EQUATION 5:
environment from two op amps and a precision I RREF = V RREF ⁄ R REF
voltage reference. I RREF = 1 mA
a) Compute the currentThis
through the RTD.as follows. The op amp A1 and
is accomplished
the resistors R1 through R4 form a difference amplifier
Nodal Analysis (Above) This current is ratio-metric to the voltage
with a differential gain (GA1) of 1 V/V (since the resis- The same voltage reference should be use
tors are all equal). A 2.5V precision voltage reference portions of the circuit, such as the analog
Vis (VREF) is applied to the input of this difference amplifier.
The output of op amp A2 (VOUT2 ≈ V2) serves as the
(A/D) converter reference.

difference amplifier’s reference voltage. The voltage at Absolute errors in the circuit will occ
b) How would you modify to circuit
the output of A1to make inthe
is shown current
Equation 3. through the RTD consequence of the reference voltage, the
adjustable.
offset voltages, the output swing of A1, m
could be added in between thethe
series with resistors and the errors in RRE
To make the current through the RTD adjustable a potentiometer
RTD element. The temperature drift of the
,

elements also causes errors; primarily du

RTD
voltage reference, op amp offset drift and
element.

© 2008 Microchip Technology Inc. DS0068

BME 3302 Homework #5

5.2. Position Sensor:

Bubba is using a potentiometer as position sensor with the following output characteristics.
B

250

200
Resistance W

150

100

50

0
0 10 20 30 40 50
Postion [cm]

a) Determine the sensitivity of the transducer?

5m em

b) Design a circuit which provides a circuit sensitivity of 0.1V/cm and an output of 2.5 V at
a distance of 25 cm based on the transducer output shown in the figure above.
difamp
comparator
>
-

5V

+2 5V
.

4
Born Se
3R
1
+
Vort

r R

F Ov

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BME 3302 Homework #5

c) The output of the transducer circuit is digitized with an A/D converter with an input
range from 0 – 5 V. What is the required resolution [in bits] to sense a difference in
distance of 1 mm?
[050cm] Imm :
0 1
. cm

: 500 steps

24 =
500

nu9 bit

9 bit resolution

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BME 3302 Homework #5

5.3. One more Bubba story

Uncle Al’s scale broke and he needs to weigh his piglets before he brings them to the
market. Bubba feels around in his pocket and discovers a strain gauge left over from
gigging in Brazil. In order to rig up a scale he screws a piece of plywood to the back of his
truck and glues a strain gauge at the top as shown below.

He did a careful calibration of the scale and determines the resistance changes as
R s (kg)=S ×W +10kW with S=0.1 kW/kg and W is the weight in kg. Bubba goes through his
old note books and rigs up the circuit below with R1=R2=R3=Ri=10kW, Rf=100kW and
Vs=5V.

Vs
Rf

R1 R2 Ri
V out

R3 Rs Ri
Rf

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BME 3302 Homework #5

a) Determine the output voltage of the bridge circuit if the piglet weighs 10 kg?
R(kg) =
S W 10km- +

R(10ng) :
1 + 1015

R(10kg) =
Ilk2

Yong() 5 = 2 62V .

Vort(l0kg) = 12
.

Vong
:
(0) ·
5 2 5
:
.

XV = 0 1ZV .

Vout
:
(10)V : 1 2
.

b) Determine the circuit output if Uncle Al would put 30 kg piglets on the scale.

R(30kg) =
3 + 10k2

R(30kg) =
13k -2

Vort (30kg) =
3 3
(3)
.

52 :
2 83
v(30ng)
·
.
:

XV = 0 33V
.

Voot
: (00)V :
3 3
.

c) Bubba puts the 30 kg piglet on the scale and watches the output voltage to increase
to a value far less than he expected. He cannot believe this and gives the scale a
kick. Simulate the output of Bubba’s circuit with your favorite simulation tool.

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BME 3302 Homework #5

d) Can you explain why the circuit does not live up to expectations and re-design it to
improve functionality/linearity?

The circuit does not live up

to expectations due to loading. To solve this ,
a
voltage
follower can be added after the wheatstone bridge

>

e) Bubba bets it is related to the poor sensitivity of the strain gauge and digs 3 more
strain gauges out of his pockets. How would you arrange the strain gauges on the
plywood board and in the bridge circuit to increase the sensitivity?
with strain
Bubba could replace R .,
Ra and Rs
, gauges

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BME 3302 Homework #5

5.4 Thermocouple

Thermocouples are the gold standard for sensing high temperatures and over a
large range. A thermocouple generates a voltage of 40µV/°C at the terminals.

40(!
!(#) = ∙#
°C

a) Design an Analog Front end based on the AD620 data sheet (Fig. 47) to map
the output of the thermocouple in the temperature range from [0,1000°C] to the
input of an A/D converter with an input range of [0,3V].

b) What resolution of the A/D converter (number of bits) do you need to resolve a
change in temperature of 1 °C.
1000 steps between O and 3V to create IC resolution

24 =
1000

n 10 10 bit resolution

c) What CMRR do you need if the common mode noise at the input is 0.25V and
you need a SNR of better than 5.
Noise<m
=
0 25.
SNRout
CMRR
-
:

SNRin
SNRout > 5

SNRin : Or 31 250
CMRR :