MEASUREMENT AND

INSTRUMENTATION
ME 202

FALL 2022

Instructor: Sadia Bakhtiar

LECTURE NO: 2

Faculty of Mechanical Engineering

1
 Active & Passive instruments

 The quantity being measured  Instrument output is

simply modulates the produced entirely by
magnitude of some external the quantity being
power source. measured.

Petrol-tank level indicator Passive pressure gauge

2
 Comparison and Difference between Active and
Passive Instruments
1. In the active instruments, the quantity to be measured activates some external power input source, which in turn produces
the output. In passive instruments, the output is produced entirely by the quantity being measured.

2. In the active instruments, additional external energy input source is required whereas in passive, additional energy input
source not required.

3. Active instruments have a high resolution as compared to passive instruments.

4. In the active instrument, the resolution can be adjusted by adjusting the magnitude of the external energy input. In the
passive instrument, the resolution cannot be easily adjusted.

5. Active instruments are complicated to design while passive instruments are simple to design.

6. Due to complex design and a higher number of elements, active instruments are costlier. The passive instrument is cheaper
hence economical.

7. Examples of Active Instruments are a liquid level indicator, flow indicator. Examples of Passive Instruments are pressure
gauge, voltmeter, ammeter.
3
 Null-Type and Deflection-Type Instruments

 Weights are put on top of the  The value of the quantity being
piston until the downward measured is displayed in terms of
force balances the fluid the amount of movement of a
pressure pointer
 More accurate  More convenient to use
 Used for calibration  In workplace

4
 Analog and Digital Instruments

Analog Signal:
Is continuously changing
An analog signal is a continuous signal that represents physical measurements.

Analog voltage continuously changes

Having infinite number of different values

5
https://www.diffen.com/difference/Analog_vs_Digital
 Analog and Digital Instruments
Digital Signal:

• Digital signal uses discrete 0 and 1 to represent information.

• Having finite number of different values

6
 Analog and Digital Instruments

Analog Instruments
 An analogue instrument gives an output
that varies continuously as the quantity
being measured changes.

 The output can have an infinite number of

values within the range that the instrument
is designed to measure

Deflection-type of pressure gauge

As the input value changes, the pointer moves with a smooth continuous motion. While the
pointer can therefore be in an infinite number of positions within its range of movement. 7
 Digital Instruments
A digital instrument has an output that varies in discrete steps and so can only have a finite number of values.

Revolution counter
This system can only count whole revolutions and cannot discriminate any motion that is less than a full
revolution.

8
https://youtu.be/vyejpfe72rA
 Static Characteristics of Instruments
Accuracy and measurement uncertainty
The accuracy of an instrument is a measure of how close the output reading of the instrument is to the correct
value. Measurement uncertainty is the result of imprecision in measuring instruments.
All instruments have some imprecision and uncertainty.

𝑈𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑦=0.5
Length = 4.8 ~3.8

𝑈𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑦=0.2
Error = Estimated Value –Actual Value
Voltage

9
 Static Characteristics
Precision
How persistent our results are i.e., the closeness of a measured output to each other.

Accurate Precise, but

Not Precise, Not accurate
precise Not accurate

10
EXAMPLE

11
Measurement Uncertainty (Accuracy)

Example :
A pressure gauge with a range between
0-1 bar with an accuracy of ± 5% fs
(full-scale) has a maximum error of:
5 x 1 bar = ± 0.05 bar
100
Notes: It is essential to choose an
equipment which has a suitable operating
range.

12
 Measurement Uncertainty (Accuracy)

Example :
A pressure gauge with a range between
0 - 10 bar is found to have an error of
± 0.15 bar when calibrated by the
manufacturer.
Calculate :
a. The error percentage of the gauge.
b. The error percentage when the
reading obtained is 2.0 bar.

13
Measurement Uncertainty (Accuracy)

Answer :
a. Error Percentage = ± 0.15 bar x 100 = ± 1.5%
10.0 bar
b. Error Percentage = ± 0.15 bar x 100 = ± 7.5 %
2.0 bar

• The gauge is not suitable for use for low range

reading.
• Alternative : use gauge with a suitable range.

14
 Measurement Uncertainty (Accuracy)

Example :
Two pressure gauges (pressure gauge A and B) have a
full scale accuracy of ± 5%. Sensor A has a range of
0-1 bar and Sensor B 0-10 bar. Which gauge is more
suitable to be used if the reading is 0.9 bar?

Answer :
Sensor A :
Equipment max error = ± 5 x 1 bar = ± 0.05 bar
100
Equipment accuracy
@ 0.9 bar ( in %) = ± 0.05 bar x 100 = ± 5.6%
0.9 bar

15
 Measurement Uncertainty (Accuracy)

Sensor B :
Equipment max error = ± 5 x 10 bar = ± 0.5 bar
100
Equipment accuracy
@ 0.9 bar ( in %) = ± 0.5 bar x 100 = ± 55%
0.9 bar
Conclusion :
Sensor A is more suitable to use at a reading of 0.9 bar
because the error percentage (± 5.6%) is smaller compared
to the percentage error of Sensor B (± 55%).

16
Reading Assignment
• Chapter 2:

Review of Instrument Types

Static Characteristics of Instruments