Q1.

A Linear Resistance potentiometer is 50mm long & is

uniformly wound with a wire having a resistance of 10,000.
Under normal conditions, the slider is at the center of the
potentiometer. Find the linear displacement when the resistances
of the potentiometer as measured by Wheatstone bridge for two
cases are; (1).3850 (2).7560.
Are the two displacements in same direction
If it is possible to measure a minimum value of 10 resistance
with the above arrangement, find the resolution.
10000
Ans. The resistance at normal position = = 5000
2
10000
Resistance of potentiometer per unit length = = 200/mm
50

(1) Change of resistance form normal position = 5000

3850 =1150
Therefore, Displacement of slider from its normal
1150
position = = 5.75mm
200

75605000
(2) Displacement = = 12.8mm
200
1
Resolution = minimum 200 = 0.05mm
Q2. In a proximity inductive transducer, the coil has an
inductance of 2mH (Henry) = (Kgm2s-2A-2) when the target
mode of Ferro-magnetic material is 1mm away from the core.
Calculate the value of inductance when a displacement of
0.02mm is applied to the target in a direction moving it towards
the core. Show that the change in inductance is linearly
proportional to the displacement?
Ans. Inductance with air gap length 1m, L=2mH
Length when 0.05mm displacement is done = 1-0.02 = 0.98mm
Now inductance is inversely proportional to the length of air
gap. L is increase in inductance
1
L+L = 20.98 = 2.04mH

L = 2.04 2.00 = 0.04mH

Ratio
0.04
= = 0.02 &
2

= 0.02

Example 3.The output voltage of a LVDT is 1.5 V at minimum

displacement. At a load of 0.5 M , the deviation from linearity is
maximum and it is 0.003 V from a straight line through origin. Find
the linearity at the given load.
0.003
Solution Linearity = 100 = 0.2%.
1.5
Example 4 A steel cantilever is 0.25mm long, 20mm wide and 4mm
thick. (a) Calculate the value of deflection at the free end for the
cantilever when a force of 25 N is applied at this end. The modulus of
elasticity for steel is 200 GN/m2.
(b) An LVDT with a sensitivity of 0.5 V/mm is used. The voltage is read
on a 10 V voltmeter having 100 divisions. Two tenths of a division can
be read with certainty.
(c) Calculate the minimum and maximum value of force that can be
measured with this arrangement.
Solution:
1 1
(a) Moment of area of cantilever l = bd3 = (0.02)(0.004)3 =
12 12
9 4
0.10710 m,
3 25(0.25)3
Deflection x= = = 6.08 mm.
3 3200109 0.107109

6.08
(b) Deflection per unit force = = 0.2432 mm/N.
25
Overall sensitivity of measurement system:
= (0.2432 mm/N)(0.5 V/mm) = 0.1216 V/N.
1scale division = (10/1000) = 0.1 V, Sincetwo tenths of a
scale division can be read with certainty,
Resolution = (2/10)0.1 = 0.02 V.

(c) Minimum force that can be measured = 0.02/0.1216 = 0.1645 N.

Maximum force that can be measured = 10/0.1216 = 82.2 N
Example 5 Fig shows a capacitive transducer using five plates. The
dimensions of each plate are 2525mm and the distance between plates
is 0.25mm. This arrangement is to be used for measurement of
displacement by observing the change in capacitance with distance x.
calculate the sensitivity of the device. Assume that the plates are
separated by air. The permittivity of air is 8.8510-12F/m.
Solution: The five plate transducer forms a combination of four
capacitors connected in parallel. The movable plate is moved through a
distance x on the right side,
(1)
Capacitance of each capacitor C =

Where w = width of each plate.

4(1)
Capacitance of transducer C = 4C =

4 48.851012 25103
Sensitivity of transducer = = = -3540pF/m.
0.25103

= 3.54pF/mm. (Disregarding the sign)

Example 6. A capacitive transducer uses two quartz diaphragms of area

750 mm2 separated by a distance of 3.5 mm. a pressure of 900 KN/m2
when applied to the top diaphragm produces a deflection of 0.6 mm. the
capacitance is 370 pF when no pressure applied to the diaphragms. Find
the value of capacitance after the application of a pressure of 900kN/m2.
Solution: Suppose C1 and C2 are respectively the values of capacitance
before and after application of pressure. Let d1 and d2 be the values of
distances between the diaphragms for the corresponding pressure
conditions.
C1 = /1 and C2 = /2
2 1 1
= C2 = C1
1 2 2

But d1 = 3.5mm and d2 = 3.5-0.6 = 2.9mm

Value of capacitance after application of pressure C2 = 3703.5/2.9 =
446.5 pF
Example 7 A capacitive transducer is made up of two concentric
cylindrical electrodes. The outer diameter of the inner diameter is 3mm
and the dielectric medium is air. The inner diameter of the outer
electrode is 3.1 mm. Calculate the dielectric stress when a voltage of 100
V is applied across the electrodes. Is it within safe limits? The length of
electrodes is 20mm. calculate the change in capacitance if the inner
electrode is moved through a distance of 2mm. The breakdown strength
of air is 3kV/mm.
Solution: Length of air gap between the two electrodes (3.1-
3)/2=0.05mm.
Dielectric stress = 100/0.05 = 2000 V/mm = 2 kV/mm.
The breakdown strength of air is 3kV/mm and hence the dielectric is
safe.
Capacitance of the transducer
2 28.851012 20103
C= = 3.1 F = 33.9 Pf.
log (2 ) log ( 3 )
1

The moving is electrode is shifted through a distance of 2mm.

 l = 20-2 = 18mm
28.851012 18103
New value of capacitance = 3.1 F = 30.5 pF
log ( )
3

Change in value of capacitance C = 33.9-30.5 = 3.4 Pf.

Example 8. A quartz Piezo-electric crystalhaving a thickness of 2 mm

and voltage sensitivity of 0.055 V-m/N is subjected to a pressure of 1.5
MN/m2. Calculate the voltage output. If the permittivity of quartz is
40.61012 F/m, calculate its charge sensitivity.
Solution: Voltage output E0 = g t p = 0.0552103 1.5106 = 165 V
Charge sensitivity d=g
= 40.6 1012 0.055 = 2.23 1012 C/N
Example 9 A piezo - electric crystal having dimensions of 5mm
5 1.5 and a voltage sensitivity of 0.055 V-m/N is used for
force measurement. Calculate the force if the voltage developed is 100
V.
Solution: The applied pressure is:
100
P= = N/m2 = 1.2 MN/m2
0.0551.5103

Force F = PA = 1.2 106 5 5 106 = 30N

Example 10 A barium titanate pickup has dimensions of 5mm
5 1.25. The force acting on it is 5 N. The charge sensitivity of
barium titanate is 150pC/N and its permittivity is 12.510 -9 F/m. If the
modulus of elasticity of barium titanate is 12106N/m2, calculate the
strain. Also calculate the charge and the capacitance.
Solution: Area of plates A = 5510-6 = 2510-6 m2,
Pressure P = 5/(25*10-6) = 0.2 MN/m2,
1501012
Voltage sensitivity g= = = 1210-3Vm/N,
12.5109

Voltage generated E0 = g t P = 12 103 1.25 103 0.2

106 = 3 V.
0.2106
Strain = = = = 0.0167,
12106

Charge Q = dF = 150 1012 5 = 750 .

7501012
Capacitance Cp = = F = 250Pf.
E0 3