Measuring Instruments

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 1

 Measuring Instruments
• The measurement of a given quantity is
essentially an act or the result of comparison
between the quantity (whose magnitude is
unknown) and a predefined standard.
• Since two quantities are compared the result
is expressed in numerical values.
• Measurement generally involves using an
instrument as a physical means of determining
a quantity or variable.

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 2

 Measuring Instruments
• The instrument serves as an extension of
human faculties and enables the man to
determine the value of an unknown quantity
which his unaided human faculties cannot
measure.
• An instrument may be defined as a device for
determining the value or magnitude of a
quantity or variable.

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 3

 Measuring Instruments
The earliest scientific instruments used the
same three essential elements as our modern
instruments do. These elements are:
o a detector
o an intermediate transfer device
o an indicator, recorder or a storage
device.

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 4

 Development Phases of Instruments
The history of development of instruments
encompasses three phases of instruments.
• Mechanical Instruments
o Very reliable for static and stable conditions.
o Have rigid, heavy and bulky moving parts.
o Unable to respond rapidly to measurements of
dynamic and transient conditions.
o A potential source of noise (in most cases) and
cause pollution of silence.

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 5

 Development Phases of Instruments
• Electrical Instruments
o More rapid than mechanical methods.
o Normally depends upon a mechanical
meter movement as indicating device.
o Have a limited time (and hence,
frequency) response due to the inertia of
mechanical movement.

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 6

 Development Phases of Instruments
• Electronic Instruments
o Requires semiconductor devices.
o Very small response time due to the very
small inertia of electron. A CRO is capable
of following dynamic and transient
changes of the order of a few ns (10-9 s).
o Capable of detecting very weak signal.
o Light compact and have a high degree of
reliability.
o Low power consumption.
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 7
 Classification of Instruments
There are many ways in which instruments can
be classified. Broadly, instruments are classified
into two categories :
1. Absolute Instruments:
• Give the magnitude of the quantity under
measurements in terms of physical
constants of the instrument and their
deflection only.
• No previous calibration or comparison is
necessary in their case.
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 8
 Classification of Instruments
2. Secondary Instruments:
• The quantity being measured can only be
measured by observing the output indicated
by the instrument when they have been pre-
calibrated by comparison with an absolute
instrument or another secondary instrument
which has already been calibrated against an
absolute instrument.
• Without calibration, the deflection of such
instruments is meaningless.
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 9
 Deflection and Null Type Instruments
Instruments can be classified into two major
categories - deflection and null types depending
upon the way they present the result of
measurements.
• Deflection Type Instruments: The deflection of
the instrument provides a basis for
determining the quantity under
measurement. In this type of instrument, the
value of measured quantity depends upon the
calibration of the instrument.
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 10
Deflection and Null Type Instruments

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 11

 Deflection and Null Type Instruments
• Null Type Instruments: A zero or null
indication leads to determination of the
magnitude of measured quantity. The null
condition is dependent upon some other
known conditions.
• This type of instrument attempts to maintain
the deflection at zero by suitable application
of an effect opposing that generated by the
measured quantity.

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 12

Deflection and Null Type Instruments

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 13

 Comparison of Deflection and Null
Type Instruments
Comparing the advantages and disadvantages of
the two types instruments.

• The accuracy of null type of instruments is higher

than that of deflection type.
• The sensitivity of null type of instruments is higher
than that of deflection type.
• Deflection type of instruments can follow the
variations of the measured quantity more rapidly
and hence are more suitable for dynamic
measurements on account of their faster response.
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 14
Analog and Digital Modes of Operation
Secondary instruments work in two modes:
• Signals that vary in a continuous fashion and
take on an infinity of values in any given range
are called analog signals. The devices which
produce these signals· are called analog
devices.
• The signals which vary in discrete steps and thus
take up only finite different values in a given
range are called digital signals. The devices that
produce such signals are called digital devices.
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 15
Analog and Digital Modes of Operation
• The majority of present day instruments are
analogue type.
• The importance of digital instruments is
increasing, mainly because of the increasing
use of digital computers.
• It is thus necessary to have both Analog to
Digital (A/D) Converters at the input to the
computer and Digital to Analog (D/A)
Converters at the output of the computer.

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 16

 Functions of Instruments and
Measurement Systems
• Indicating Function
• Recording Function
• Controlling Function

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 17

Elements of a Generalized Measuring
Instrument or Measurement System
• Primary Sensing Element
Detector Transducer
o Sensor/Detector
Stage
o Transducer
• Signal/Data Conditioning Element
Intermediate
o Variable Conversion Element
Stage
o Variable Manipulation Element
• Data Transmission Element
• Data Presentation Element Terminating
Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur Stage 18
Elements of a Generalized Measuring
Instrument or Measurement System

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 19

 THE END

Md. Rafidul Islam, Assistant Professor, EEE, DUET, Gazipur 20