GENERALIZED CONFIGURATION

AND FUNCTIONAL DESCRIPTIONS

OF MEASUREMENT SYSTEMS
Lecture 2
Instructor : Dr Alivelu M Parimi
OUTLINE
Functional elements of an instrument
Active and passive transducers
Analog and digital modes of operation
Null and deflection methods
Input output configuration of measurement system
Methods of correction of modifying and interfering inputs
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Introduction
Rapid development in instrumentation techniques is certain
because of the increasing demand for the measurement and
control of physical variables in the wide variety of applications.

To ensure precise control of processes to deliver consistent
quality.

To meet this demand the engineer must be familiar with
constituent elements of instruments and their functioning.
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Functional elements of an
instrument
Operation of any instrument can be described in generalized
way in terms of functional elements (not physical)
Figure represents possible arrangement of functional
elements in an instrument.
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Functional elements of an
instrument
Primary Sensing Element (PSE)
PSE first receives energy from the measured medium and
produces an output depending on some way on the measured
quantity (measurand) e.g. the bulb of a mercury thermometer,
temperature sensor in air-conditioners.
Variable Conversion Element (VCE)
VCE converts the signal from one form to another without
changing the information content of the signal. Bourdon tube,
bellows, proving ring and other elastic members convert force
to displacement.

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Functional elements of an
instrument
Variable Manipulation Element (VME)
The element that operates on the signal according to some
mathematical rule without changing the physical form of
signal is VME. For example: amplifier which accepts small level
of signal at input and outputs the signal which is a constant
multiplied by input.
Data transmission element (DTE)
When the functional elements are physically separated, it
becomes necessary to transmit data from one element to
another. Data transmission element transmits the signal from
one location to another without changing its information
content. Ex. Shaft, gears, fiber optic cables, coaxial cables,
radio
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Functional elements of an
instrument
Data Presentation Element (DPE)
This element provides a display/record of the output by
moving a pointer over the graduated scale, or displays
waveform on CRO, gives digital readouts or records the signal
in analog /digital fashion.

A given instrument may involve the basic functions in any
number and combination. Also there may be certain
instruments which lack some of these functional elements but
the Primary Sensing Element is always the first element and
the last element is always the Data Presentation Element. A
given hardware component may serve as several of the basic
functional element.

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Functional elements of an
instrument
For the pressure gage shown in Figure, describe the operation
of the instrument in terms of functional elements and
arrange them from measured medium to observer.

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Functional elements of an
instrument
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