DAS – Module 2

Sensors
Presented By,
Prasanth Krishnan
 Agenda
• Sensors
• How to select a sensor
• Flow Sensors

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 Sensors
• Another name  Detector
• Reacts/Senses a physical phenomenon
• How is it different from a TRANSDUCER…?
• Transducer involves energy conversion
• Sensor MAY OR MAY NOT involve energy conversion
• Nowadays almost all the sensors are electrical sensors
• i.e. they give electrical o/p
• So the term sensor/transducer is used interchangeably….!

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 Classification of Transducers
1. Passive & Active
• Passive  requires external POWER
• Active  doesn't require external power
2. Primary & Secondary
3. Analog & Digital
4. Sensors & Inverse Sensors

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 Selection criterion

A. Functional Spec. B. Environmental Spec.

1. Nature of measurement • Should withstand the sensing
environment
• Which one for which e.g.
2. Range of operation 1. Wide temp variation  Low temp
coeff.
3. Power requirement
2. Stray EM fields  Shielding
4. Process condition 3. High vibration  Damping
• Use suitable MOC 4. Explosive areas  Ex proof
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 Selection criterion (Contd.)

C. Physical Spec. D. Performance Spec.

1. Size and weight 1. Accuracy
2. Electrical and Process 2. Sensitivity
connections 3. Static Chara
3. Mounting • High Linearity, Low Hysteresis &
Dead zone

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 Selection criterion (Contd.)

D. Performance Spec (Contd.)

4. I/O relationship 6. Insensitivity to unwanted signals
• Maintain TF 7. Less Loading effects
5. Transient and Freq response
• Less overshoot, rise time & dynamic
error
• Flat freq response with good BW
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 Sensors
• Flow/Temperature/Pressure/Level Sensors
• Position/Displacement/Speed/Acceleration Sensors
• Force/Vibration/Humidity/Proximity

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 Flow Meters
Various Types, Features and Applications

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 Flow Meters (Flow Sensors)
All the flow meters can be categorized into any of the 3 groups
A. Inferential Flow Meters
B. Volumetric Flow meters
C. Mass Flow Meters

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 A. Inferential Flow Meters
• Flow rate is inferred from various phenomenon like pressure, velocity etc.
• Different Types are
1. Diff. Pressure Meters  Orifice/Nozzle/Venturi
2. Variable Area Meters  Rotameter
3. Turbine Flow Meter
4. Magnetic Flow Meter
5. Ultrasonic Flow Meter
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 A.1 Differential Pressure Meters
• Also called Variable Head Meters
• Head  Pressure
• Restriction in flow  measure Differential Pressure (DP)
• Flow prop to 𝐷𝑃
Q = K* 𝑃1 − 𝑃2
• So by measuring DP we can infer flow rate

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 A.1.1 Orifice Meter
• Its a plate inserted in the pipeline
DP is measured across it.

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 A.1.1 Orifice Meter (Contd.)
• Types • Concentric
• Most commonly used
• Clean Liquid or Gas applications
• Eccentric
• Fluids with MODERATE foreign
matter
• Segmental
• Fluids with HEAVY foreign matter
(Slurries, fluids with more solids)

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 A.1.2 Flow Nozzle
• DP is measured across the Nozzle

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 A.1.3 Venturi Tube
• DP measured across Venturi tube

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 Why three of them…?

Orifice Meter Flow Nozzle

• Cheapest of the three…! • Moderate Cost
• Installation space is less • Installation space is moderate
• Highest Pressure loss • Moderate Pressure loss
• Used MOSTLY for clean fluids • Used for clean and dirty fluids
(although light slurry application is
possible)
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 Why three of them…?(Contd.)

Venturi Tube
• Slightly costlier than nozzle
• Installation space is more
• Lowest pressure loss of the
three…!
• Can be used for viscous liquids and
slurries
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 A.2 Variable Area Flow meter (Rotameter)
• Cross sectional area varies w.r.t. flow
• Classical example is Rotameter
• Basic construction consists of a float inside a tapered tube
• Flow rate increases  Float rises higher; allowing more area for the fluid to
pass through
• i.e. Annular area increases
• By measuring float position  Flow can be inferred
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A.2 Variable Area Flow meter (Contd.)

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 Features
Advantages
• Cheapest
• Easy construction
• Flow should be from Bottom to Top  Only vertical installation possible…!
Disadvantages
• No electrical output  Chances of Parallax error high
• Cannot be used for dirty fluids
• Low accuracy
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 A.3 Turbine flow meter
• Rotor/Turbine blade  rotates when fluid flows
• More flow  more rotation
• So by measuring speed of rotation  Flow rate is inferred (found out)
• Mainly pickups are used which produces a pulse as each blade passes by
• Pulse Frequency proportional to flow rate

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A.3 Turbine flow meter (Contd.)

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 A.4 Magnetic Flow meter
• Electromagnetic induction principle  when a conductor moves in a
magnetic field, an emf is induced which is proportional to the velocity at
which conductor moves
• Here, a magnetic field is applied to a flow tube and the induced voltage (or
emf) is proportional to the flow velocity proportional to flux
• Points to note
• Flux should be applied perpendicular to the flow of fluid (See the fig on next page)
• Fluid should be conductive
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A.4 Magnetic Flow meter (Contd.)

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 A.5 Ultrasonic Flow meter
• Non invasive type
• Find velocity of a fluid (and hence the flow rate) by ultrasonic sound
• 2 methods
• Time of flight method
• Doppler Effect method

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 B. Volumetric Flow meters
• Measure Volumetric flow rate directly
• i.e. direct readout in m3/h or lph
• Analogous to measuring water with a bucket
• No of buckets * Volume  total water measured
• Examples
• Rotary wane
• Helical gear
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 C. Mass Flow meters
• Measures mass flow directly
• Eg. Coriolis meter
• Works on Coriolis principle

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