Alternating

Current Bridge
(Signal conditioning)

Shahid Manzoor 1
AC Bridge.
Introduction to AC Bridge.
Similar-Angle Bridge.
Maxwell-Wein Bridge.
Opposite Angle Bridge.
Wein Bridge.
Scherning Bridge.

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 Introduction to AC Bridge.
 AC bridges are used to measure inductance and capacitance.
 All the AC bridges are based on the Wheatstone bridge.
 In the AC bridge the bridge circuit consists of four impedances
and an ac voltage source.
 The impedances can either be pure resistance or complex
impedance.
 Other than measurement of unknown impedance, AC bridge are
commonly used for shifting phase.

Figure : General AC Bridge Circuit.

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Cont’d…
Operation of AC Bridge:
 When the specific circuit conditions
apply, the detector current
becomes zero, which is known as
null or balance condition.
 Since zero current, it means that
there is no voltage difference
across the detector, Figure .
 Voltage at point b and c are equal.
I1 Z1 = I 2 Z 2
 The same thing at point d.
Figure : Equivalent of Balance
I1 Z 3 = I 2 Z 4 (nulled) AC Bridge.

 From two above equation yield

general bridge equation;

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Cont’d…
 Figure (a) and (b) is a simple AC Bridge circuit.

Figure : (a) and (b) are Simple AC Bridge Circuit.

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Example : AC Bridge.
The impedances of the AC bridge in Figure are given as follows,
Z 1 = 20030 0 
Z 2 = 1500 0 
Z 3 = 250 − 400 
Z x = Z 4 = unknown

Determine the constants of the unknown

arm.
Solution: Figure : Circuit For Example.

The first condition for bridge balance requires that

Z1Zx=Z2Z3
Zx =(Z2Z3/Z1)
= [(150 * 250)/200]
= 187.5 
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Cont’d…
 The second condition for balance requires that the sums of the
phase angles of opposite arms be equal,

 1+  x =  2 +  3
 x = 2 + 3 - 1
= 0 + (-40o) – 30o
= -70o
 The unknown impedance Zx, can be written as,

Zx = 187.5  / -70
= (64.13 – j176.19) 

 This indicate that we are dealing with a capacitive element, possibly

consisting of a series resistor and a capacitor .
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Polar Form Representation of
a Complex Number

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Converting between Rectangular Form and
Polar Form

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 Similar-Angle Bridge
 Figure is a simple form of Similar–Angle Bridge, which is used to
measure the impedance of a capacitive circuit.
 Sometimes called the capacitance comparison bridge or series
resistance capacitance bridge.

Figure : Similar-Angle Bridge.

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Cont’d…
 The impedance of the arm can be
written, Z 1 = R1
Z 2 = R2
Z 3 = R3 − jX c 3
Z 4 = R x − jX cx
 Substitute in the balance equation,
R1 (R x − jX cx ) = (R3 − jX c 3 )R2

 Further simplification, R1 R x − jR1 X cx = R2 R3 − jR2 X c 3

R1 R x = R2 R3
− jR1 X cx = − jR2 X c 3
1 1
− jR1 = − jR 2
C x C 3
R1C 3 = R2 C x
R2
Rx = R3
R1
R1
Cx = C3 22
R2
Example:
Given: A 40 Ω resistor in series with a 79.58 millihenry
inductor. Find the impedance at 60 hertz.

XL = 2πfL
XL = 2π·60·79.58×10-3
XL = 30 Ω
Z = R + jXL
Z = 40 + j30
|Z| = sqrt(402 + 302) = 50 Ω
∠Z = arctangent(30/40) = 36.87o
Z = 40 + j30 = 50∠36.87o

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 Maxwell-Wein Bridge
 It is used to measure unknown inductances with capacitance
standard.
 Because the phase shifts of inductors and capacitors are exactly
opposite each other, a capacitive impedance can balance out an
inductive impedance if they are located in opposite legs of a bridge
 Figure is the Maxwell-Wein Bridge or sometimes called a Maxwell
bridge.

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Figure : Maxwell-Wein Bridge.
Cont’d…
 The impedance of the arm can be written as,
1
Z1 =
1 / Rc + jC1
Z 2 = R2
Z 3 = R3
 Substitute in the balance equation, Z 4 = R x + jX LX

 Set real and imaginary part

to zero, 1
( R x + jX LX ) = R2 R3
1 / R1 + jC1
R2 R3
R x + jX LX = + jR2 R3C1
R1
Lx = R2 R3C1
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 Opposite-Angle Bridge
 This bridge is from Similar-Angle
Bridge but the capacitance is
replace with the inductance, Figure
.
 It is used to measure inductance.
 Sometimes called a Hay bridge.

Figure Opposite-Angle Bridge.

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Cont’d…
 Equivalent series of inductance,

R2 R3C1
Lx =
1 +  R1 C1
2 2 2

 Equivalent series of resistance,

 R1 R2 R3C1
2 2

Rx =
1 +  R1 C1
2 2 2

 For the opposite angle bridge, it can be seen that the balance
conditions depend on the frequency at which the measurement is
made. 27
Example (T2 2005): Opposite Angle Bridge.
Given the Opposite-Angle bridge of Figure . Find,
(i) The equivalent series resistance, Rx.
(ii) The inductance, Lx.
Z1 Z x = Z 2 Z 3
Solution: Z2Z3 R2 R3
Zx = =
Z1  j 
 R1 − 
  C 1 

100 * 100
=
 j 
1K − 
 2 *  * 1KHz * 1F  or
Z x = 9.75 + j1.552 − − − − − (1) Lx =
R2 R3 C1
1 +  2 R1 C1
2 2
R x = 9.75
100 * 100 * 1F
Lx =
1 + (2 * 1K ) 2 * (1K) 2 (1F ) 2
X Lx = 1.552
= 247.045L
X Lx = L x
X Lx  2 R1 R2 R3 C1 2
Lx = Rx =
 1 +  2 R1 C1
2 2

1.552 (2 * 1K ) 2 * 1K * 100 * 100 * (1F ) 2

= Rx =
2 *  * 1KHz 1 + (2 * 1K ) 2 * (1K) 2 (1F ) 2 28
L x = 247.04 H = 9.75
 Schering Bridge.
 The Scherning Bridge is useful for measuring insulating
properties, that is for phase angles of very nearly 90o.
 Figure is the Scherning Bridge.
 Arm 1 contains only a capacitor C3. This capacitor has very low
losses (no resistance) and therefore the phase angle of approximately
90o.

Figure : Scherning Bridge. 29

Cont’d… 1
Z1 =
 The impedance of the arm of the 1 / R1 + 1 / − jX c1
Schering bridge is, Z 2 = R2
Z 3 = − jX c 3
 Substitute the value,
Z 4 = R x − jX x
Z2Z3 R2 (− jX c 3 )
Z4 = =
Z1 1
 Expand, 1 / R1 + 1 / − jX c1
 1 1 
= R2 (− jX c 3 ) − 
 R1 jX c1 
 − j  1 
= R2   − jC1 
 C 3  R1 
j RC jR 2
Rx − = 2 1−
C 3 C3 C 3 R1
C1
 Equating the real and imaginary terms, R x = R2
C2
R1
C x = C3 30
R2
Example : Schering Bridge.
Find the equivalent series element for the unknown impedance of the
Schering bridge network whose impedance measurements are to be
made at null.
R1 = 470 k C1 = 0.01 mF
R2 = 100 k C3 = 0.1 mF

Solution:

Find Rx and Cx ,
C1 (100 *10 3 ) * (0.01 *10 −6 )
R x = R2 = −6
= 10 K
C2 0.01 *10
R1 (0.01 *10 −6 ) * (470 *10 3 )
C x = C3 = 3
= 0.47 * 10 −6
F = 0.47 F
R2 100 *10

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