CHAPTER 4

AC Bridges

Electrical Measurements (BEF 23903)

Contents

Introduction to AC Bridges
Capacitive comparison bridge
Inductive comparison bridge
Schering bridge
Wien bridge

Electrical Measurements (BEF 23903)

Introduction

Resistance can be measured by DC wheatstone bridge.

Inductances and capacitances can also be measured by
similar four-arm bridge.
Instead of DC, we use AC source.
All the AC bridges are based on the Wheatstone bridge.
An AC bridge consists four bridge arms, AC source and
null detector.

General form of AC bridge

Electrical Measurements (BEF 23903)

Operation of AC Bridge

Electrical Measurements (BEF 23903)

Operation of AC Bridge

In balanced condition, the no current through the

detector (voltage equal to zero).
Voltage across Z1 = Voltage across Z2

I1Z1 I 2 Z 2

Two condition must be met simultaneously when

balancing an AC bridge:
i) Magnitude of the impedances

Z1 Z 4 Z 2 Z 3

or

Z1 Z 3

Z2 Z4

ii) Phase angle of the impedances

1 4 2 3
Electrical Measurements (BEF 23903)

Various AC Bridges

Technically, there are various AC bridges:

Should we memorize everything? NO, just need to know the

derivation.
Electrical Measurements (BEF 23903)

Capacitance Comparison Bridge

Electrical Measurements (BEF 23903)

Capacitance Comparison Bridge

The ratio arms R1, R2 are resistive.

The known standard capacitor C3
is in series with R3.
R3 may also include an added variable
resistance needed to balance the
bridge.
Cx is the unknown capacitor and Rx Is the small leakage
resistance of the capacitor.
In this case an unknown capacitor is compared with a
standard capacitor and the value of the former, along
with its leakage resistance, is obtained.

Electrical Measurements (BEF 23903)

Capacitance Comparison Bridge

Balanced condition of the bridge:

Z1Z x Z2 Z3

j
j
R2 R3

R1 Rx
Cx
C3

Z1 R1

R1 Rx

Z 2 R2
Z 3 R3

j
C3

j
Z x Rx
C x

jR1
jR
R2 R3 2
C x
C 3

Therefore;
R1 Rx R2 R3
Rx

R2 R3
R1

Electrical Measurements (BEF 23903)

jR1
jR2

C x C3
CR
Cx 3 1
R2
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Example 1

A capacitance comparison bridge is used to measure a

capacitive impedance at a frequency of 2 kHz.
The bridge constants at balance are

C3 = 100 F,
R1 = 10 k,
R2 = 50 k,
R3 = 100 k

Find the equivalent series circuit of the unknown

impedance.

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Solution1
Step 1: Find Rx

R2 R3 100k 50k
Rx

500 k
R1
10k

Step 2: Find Cx

Cx

100 10 k
20 F
50 k

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Example:

The impedances of the AC bridge are given as follows,

Z1 200300
Z 2 15000
Z 3 250 400

Z x Z 4 unknown

Determine the constants of the unknown arm.

Solution:

The first condition for bridge balance requires that

Z1Zx=Z2Z3
Zx =(Z2Z3/Z1)
= [(150 * 250)/200]
= 187.5
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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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Inductance Comparison Bridge

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Inductance Comparison Bridge

The unknown inductance Lx and its internal resistance

Rx are obtained by comparing with the standard
inductance L3 and resistance R3.

Balanced condition of the bridge:

Z1Z x Z2 Z3
Therefore;

R2 R3
R1
LR
Lx 3 1
R2

Rx

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Inductance Comparison Bridge

In this bridge R2 is chosen as the inductive balance

control and R3 as the resistance balance control.
Balance is obtained by alternately varying L3 or R3.

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Maxwell Bridge

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Maxwells Bridge

Measures an unknown inductance in term of a known

capacitor.
The capacitor is almost loss-less component.

Balanced condition of the bridge:

Z1Z x Z2 Z3
Z 2Z3
Zx
Z 2 Z 3Y1
Z1
1
Y1 jC1
R1

Z x Rx jLx
Electrical Measurements (BEF 23903)

Z 2 R2
Z 3 R3
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Maxwells Bridge
1
R2 R3
Rx jLx R2 R3 jC1
jC1R2 R3
R1
R1

Lx C1R2 R3

R2 R3
Rx
R1

To obtain the balance bridge, first the R3 is

adjusted for inductive balance and R1 is adjusted
for resistive balance.

The quality factor (Q) of the coil

L x
Rx

C 1R1

Commercial bridges measure from 1 - 1000 H,

with 2% error. If the Q is very large, R1 becomes
excessively large and it is impractical to obtain a
satisfactory variable standard resistance in the
range of values required.
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Maxwells Bridge: Advantages and

Disadvantages
Advantages
The measurement is independent of the excitation of
frequency.
The scale the resistance can be calibrated to read
inductance directly.
Wide range of inductance at power and audio frequency
can be measured.
Disadvantages
Limited to the measurement of low Q (1-10).
The bridge balance equations are independent of
frequency. But practically, the properties of coil under
test vary with frequency which cause error.
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Example
A Maxwell bridge is used to measure an inductive impedance.
The bridge constants at balance are
C1 = 0.01 F, R1 = 470 k, R2 = 5.1 k, and R3 = 100 k .
Find the series equivalent of the unknown impedance.

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Solution 2

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Example

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Example

R2=1.36

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Hay Bridge

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Hay Bridge

Used for measuring inductance with high Q coils.

For Q = 10, the error is 1%, and for Q = 30, the error is
0.1%. Hence Hay's bridge is preferred for coils with a
high Q, and Maxwell's bridge for coils with a low Q.

2C12 R1R2 R3
Rx
1 2 R 2C 2
1

R2 R3C1
Lx
1 2 R12C12
Hay Bridge

The term appears in the expression for

both Lx and Rx. This indicates that the
bridge is frequency sensitive.
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In class exercise
Derive Rx and Lx for the Hay Bridge given below:

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Extra exercise

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Extra exercise

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Scherings Bridge

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Schering Bridge

Very important bridge used for the precision measurement

of capacitors and their insulating properties.
The standard capacitor C3 is a high quality mica capacitor
(low-loss) for general measurements or an air capacitor
(having a very stable value and a very small electric field)
for insulation measurement.

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Electrical Measurements (BEF 23903)

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Schering Bridge
The general equation for balance condition;

Z1Z x Z 2 Z 3
Z2 Z3
Zx
Z 2 Z 3Y1
Z1
where,

j
Z x Rx
C x
Z 2 R2

j
Z3
C 3

1
Y1
jC1
R1
j 1

j
jC1
Rx
R2
C x

C3 R1

R2 C1 jR2
j
Rx

C x
C3
R1C3
R2 C1
Rx
C3
R1C3
Cx
R2

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Schering Bridge: Dissipation factor (D)

The dial of capacitor C1 can be calibrated directly to give

the dissipation factor at a particular frequency.
The dissipation factor, D of a series RC circuit is defined
as the cotangent of the phase angle.

Rx
D
C x Rx R1C1
Xx

D indicates the quality of the capacitor.

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Applications

Commercial units measure from 100 pf - 1 f, with 2%

accuracy. The dial of C3 is graduated in terms of direct
readings for Cx, if the resistance ratio is maintained at a
fixed value.

This bridge is widely used for testing small capacitors at

low voltages with very high precision.

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Example 3
An Schering bridge has the following constants.
Arm AB - capacitor of 0.5 F in parallel with 1 k resistance
Arm BC - resistance of 2 k
Arm AD - capacitor of 0.5 F
Arm CD - unknown capacitor Cx and Rx in series
B
Frequency - 1 kHz
A

Determine the unknown capacitance and dissipation factor.

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Solution 3
B

Rx

2k 0.5
2 k
0.5

1k 0.5
Cx
0.25 F
2k

Dissipation factor

D Cx Rx 2 1k 2k 0.25 3.1416

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Example

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Example

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Wein Bridge

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Wien Bridge

The Wien bridge is primarily known as a frequency

determining bridge.
It also can used for the measurement of an unknown
capacitor with great accuracy.
It has a series R-C combination one arm and a parallel
combination in the adjoining arm.

j
Z1 R1
C1

Z 2 R2

1
Y3
j C 3
R3

Z 4 R4

Electrical Measurements (BEF 23903)

Wien Bridge

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Wien Bridge

The Wein bridge has a series RC

combination in one arm and a
parallel combination in the
adjoining arm.

It is designed to measure
frequency.
It can also be used for
measurement of an unknown capacitor with great
accuracy.

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Wien Bridge
Bridge balance equation:

1
Z1 Z 4 Z 2 Z 3 Z 2
Y3

Z 2 Z1Z 4Y3
R1R4 R4C3

R2

C1
R3

R4

j
C3 R1R4
C1R3

Equating the real terms:

R1 R4 R4C3
R2

R3
C1

or

R2 R1 C3

R4 R3 C1

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Wien Bridge
Equating the imaginary terms:

R4

j
C3 R1R4 0
C1R3

R4
C3 R1 R4
C1 R3

Since,

2f

1
2 C1C3 R1 R3

1

C1C3 R1 R3
2

1
C1C3 R1 R3
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Wien Bridge

In most Wien bridge circuits, the components are chosen

such that R1=R3=R and C1=C3=C.
In a practical bridge, capacitors C1 and C2 are fixed
capacitors. The resistors R1 and R3 are variable
resistors. This control may be calibrated directly in terms
of frequency.
An accuracy of 0.5% - 1% can be readily obtained using
this bridge. Because it is frequency sensitive, it is
difficult to balance unless the waveform of the applied
voltage is purely sinusoidal.

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Wien Bridge: Applications

The audio range is normally divided into 20 - 200 - 2k

20 kHz ranges. In this case, the resistances can be used
for range changing and capacitors C1 and C3 for fine
frequency control within the range.
The bridge can also be used for measuring capacitances.
In that case, the frequency of operation must be known.
The bridge is also used in a harmonic distortion analyzer,
as a Notch filter, and in audio frequency and radio
frequency oscillators as a frequency determining
element.

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Example

Find the equivalent parallel resistance (R3) and

capacitance (C3) that causes a Wien bridge to null
with the following component values.

Wien bridge
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Example

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Summary

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END

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