Instrumentation

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Miscellaneous Measuring
7
C H A P T E R

Devices
Objectives
After completing this chapter, you will be able to:
■ Define terms associated with miscellaneous measuring devices:
vibration
rotational speed
■ Identify common types of miscellaneous measuring devices:
vibration measurement
speed measurement

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118 Instrumentation

Key Terms
2
3 Accelerometer—a vibration measuring device (e.g., piezoelectric type).
4 Acceptable upper limits—the operating range within which a piece of rotating
5 equipment can operate without causing excessive wear to the bearings, or other
6 types of catastrophic failure.
7 Mass flow rate—where a solid material is weighed as it is conveyed on a moving belt
8 (conveyor) and an instantaneous weight measurement is taken and the rate of
9 motion of the belt is known.
0 Overspeed—a dangerous condition that can occur in a turbine or other type of
equipment that moves too fast.
2 Rectilinear speed—linear speed expressed in distance per unit of time (e.g., feet
3 per second).
4 Rotational speed—Number of revolutions per unit of time (e.g., revolutions per
5 minute or rpms).
6 Speed—the distance traveled per unit of time irrespective of direction (e.g., feet
7 per second).
8 Speed monitor—a device that measures speed; comprised of a speed sensor and a
9 readout/receiving device.
0 Velocity—speed with a specific direction.
Vibration—the periodic motion of an object.
2 Vibration meter—a device used to measure displacement, velocity, or acceleration
3 due to vibration; consists of a pickup device, an electronic amplification circuit,
4 and an output meter.
5 Vibration sensor/monitor—a device used to sense the effects of vibration by sending
6 a signal to a meter or monitor, or to shut down a device if operating limits are
7 exceeded.
8
9
0 Introduction
There are devices that do not fall in the main categories or types of instrumenta-
2 tion used in process facilities as described in Chapters 2–6, but in fact are forms of
3 commonly used instrumentation. The two types that are discussed in this chapter
4 include devices that measure vibration and speed. Also discussed are the various appli-
5 cations and applicable-type variations for each of these miscellaneous measuring
6 devices.
7
8
9 Types of Miscellaneous Devices: Vibration
0
Vibration (Figure 7-1) in an object, device, or system is the random or periodic change
in velocity, acceleration, or displacement from a predetermined point. A vibration
2
meter (Figure 7-2) is a device used to measure velocity, acceleration, or displacement
3
due to vibration. Vibration meters consist of a pickup device, an electronic amplifica-
4
tion circuit, and an output meter.
5
There are acceptable limits within which rotating equipment can operate with-
6
out causing excessive wear to the bearings or otherwise causing the equipment to be
7
subjected to high stress forces. If operating limits are exceeded, severe and potentially
8
9
0

2
3
4
5
FIGURE 7-1 Vibration
6
7
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CHAPTER 7 Miscellaneous Measuring Devices 119

FIGURE 7-2 Vibration

Meter

catastrophic damage can occur very quickly. To alleviate this problem, the vibration in
large and/or high-speed rotating equipment must be monitored and controlled.
For example, most compressors have high-vibration alarms as well as shutdowns
associated with them. The two types of vibration encountered are either axial or radial
thrust on the shaft. If a vibration monitor works properly, the compressor shuts down
before major damage is caused, hence avoiding a safety problem or excessive down-
time in the process. Having vibration sensors or monitors on high-energy rotating
equipment makes good sense from a safety standpoint as well as from an economic
standpoint.
Vibration can be measured with an accelerometer (Figure 7-3). One type of
accelerometer sensor is the piezoelectric type. The piezoelectric sensor is self-generating.
It generates a small voltage when strained or pushed on by the operating equipment.
This characteristic makes this sensor a good choice for measuring vibration. The piezo-
electric crystal (a type of transducer) is attached to a sensing mass (Figure 7-4). The
sensing mass is a small but relatively heavy piece of metal that provides enough mass
so that when the rotating equipment vibrates, the transducer can be strained and sub-
sequently creates an output signal. As the sensing mass changes directions, vibrating
back and forth with the rotating equipment, the mass presses or pulls on the crystal
that in turn responds with a voltage output. This voltage can be measured and trans-
duced into an instrument signal. The signal drives an electronic circuit (Figure 7-5) pro-
viding a readout, high-vibration alarm, and/or shutdown point.

case

mass

crystal
FIGURE 7-3 Accelerometer
Sensor (Cutaway)

FIGURE 7-4 Accelerometer

Sensor (Function)
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120 Instrumentation

2
3
4 FET
5
6
7
piezoelectric crystal FIGURE 7-5 Accelerometer
8 Sensor (Schematic)
9 FET = field effect transistor

0
Types of Miscellaneous Devices: Speed
2
3 Speed is the distance traveled per unit of time irrespective of direction. Velocity is
4 speed with direction (Figure 7-6). A speed monitor (Figure 7-7) is a device that mea-
5 sures speed. As with other monitors, a speed monitor is comprised of a speed sensor
6 and a readout/receiving device.
7 The speed sensor or pickup device can be one of many different designs such as a
8 tachometer generator or an induction or magnetic proximity sensors. Another type of
9 sensor is an optical device that can count transparent slits or reflective patches in a
0 rotating wheel. All these sensors detect rotation by counting (one or more) markers
located on the rotating component. For example, the proximity sensors count the teeth
2 on a rotating wheel while the optical sensor counts transparent slits in a rotating wheel.
3 Speed can be monitored as rectilinear speed (as in linear feet/second) and
4 rotational speed (as in revolutions/minute or rpms). Generally, the direction of motion
5 of a monitored process can be identified making the determination a velocity mea-
6 surement instead. If direction of motion is not important, then speed is a sufficient
7 descriptor. In any case, monitoring rate of motion can be extremely important.
8 Overspeed, for example, is one of the most dangerous conditions occurring in a
9 turbine or other type of rotating equipment. If a turbine is left to spin out of control,
0 one of two things will happen. First, the bearings eventually seize causing a lot of dam-
age and bring the turbine to a stop. Second, the turbine may accelerate to the point
2 where the centrifugal forces become so great that the machine explodes resulting in
3 equipment damage and/or injury to personnel. In either case, speed monitoring and
4 control is vitally important with rotating process equipment. Most high-speed rotating
5 equipment has overspeed protection installed in the form of mechanical and/or elec-
6 tronic trip devices.
7
8
9
0

2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
0

2
3
4
5
6 FIGURE 7-6 Speed and
Velocity
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CHAPTER 7 Miscellaneous Measuring Devices 121

readout / receiving device

FIGURE 7-7 Rotating Speed

speed sensor Monitor

Another application for speed control is with rectilinear speed (or just linear
speed). One way to measure the flow of solid materials is to observe the material on a
moving belt. If the conveyor belt moves over a weigh scale, then a mass flow rate can be
calculated as well as a total flow. To accurately do this, the instantaneous weight mea-
surement must be accurate and the rate of motion must be known. The rectilinear speed
of a conveyor belt, or the speedometer in a car, can be measured by converting the lin-
ear (straight-line) motion into rotational motion and then measuring it accordingly.

Summary
Vibration is the amount of change in velocity, acceleration, or displacement from a pre-
determined point as applied to an object, device, or system. To monitor this change a
meter may be installed. The meter is composed of a pickup device sensor, an electronic
amplification circuit, and an output meter that may or may not have a transducer to
communicate a signal of vibration indicators that are out of an operating limit.
Monitoring vibration in rotating equipment is vitally important since vibration
amounts exceeding limits could cause catastrophic damage to equipment and personnel.
Another type of vibration-measuring device is an accelerometer (piezoelectric
type) that has a sensor that self-generates an electrical voltage when the sensor is
either strained or pushed on by the operating equipment. The resulting voltage can be
measured and transduced into an instrument signal that drives an electronic circuit
providing a readout, high-vibration alarm, and/or a shutdown point.
Speed is the distance traveled per unit of time irrespective of direction while veloc-
ity is speed with direction. Speed monitors measure speed and are comprised of a speed
sensor and a readout/receiving device. Speed sensors (pickup devices) can be made in
several different designs such as a tachometer generator, induction or magnetic proxim-
ity sensor, or an optical-type device that counts transparent slits or reflective patches in
a rotating wheel.
Speed can be measured rectilinearly (feet per second) or in rotational speed (rev-
olutions per minute). The direction of motion of the velocity may or may not be impor-
tant, but monitoring the rate-of-motion can be extremely important.
Machines have an overspeed trip to prevent the centrifugal forces from tearing the
rotating assembly apart. Excessive overspeed for a prolonged period of time could also
cause the bearings to seize or malfunction. This could cause major damage to the
machine or even an explosion if the machine contained flammable material and this
was allowed to escape through damaged seals.
The speed of solids across a conveyor path can be measured rectilinearly (linear
speed versus rotating speed). A mass flow rate is established through an instantaneous
weighing scale measurement and the rate of motion of the conveyor belt itself.
Rotational motion can be converted to linear motion and vice versa depending on what
type of speed needs to be measured.A car odometer is an example of converting the lin-
ear motion of driving a certain number of miles and measuring them by how many
times they rotate fully (number of rotations times the circumference of the tire). The
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122 Instrumentation

speedometer, by comparison, takes the amount of time (hour) and the amount of miles
2 covered (as in the odometer) and determines the speed (miles per hour) of the car.
3
4 Checking Your Knowledge
5 1. _____ is the periodic or random back and forth motion of an object as it sweeps across the
6 same path or predetermined point.
7 a. Voltage
8 b. Variance
9 c. Vibration
0 d. None of the above
2. True or False Speed is velocity with direction.
2 3. Identify the key components of a rotating speed monitor by indicating the name of each
component on the graphic.
3
a. Speed sensor
4 b. Readout/receiving device
5
6
7
8
9
0

2
3
4
5
6
7 4. What are the two directions typically measured in vibration?
a. Up and down
8
b. Speed and velocity
9 c. Axial and radial
0 d. In and out
5. _____ is one of the most dangerous conditions occurring in a turbine.
2 a. Rectilinear speed
3 b. Overspeed
4 c. Rotational speed
5 d. An accelerometer
6 6. A piezoelectric sensor is used in what type of vibration device?
7 a. Magnetic proximity
8 b. Optical
c. Tachometer generator
9
d. Accelerometer
0
Activities
2
3 Students alone or in small groups
4 1. Draw a scale and label it from 0 to 100 with 10 (0, 10, 20, 30, etc.) evenly spaced and marked
5 increments along the line. Look for things that produce vibrations in your home, at work, at
6 school, or any other place you happen to be going. Make sure to have a full range of vibra-
7 tion intensities. On the scale you have drawn, try to visually measure how each vibration
8 that you feel corresponds to the other vibrations. The less strong ones should be closer to
9 the smaller numbers and the very strong ones should be charted closer to the higher num-
0 bers. Write a 300+ word description of your observations in relation to vibration.
NOTE: Electromagnetic vibrations go from zero (0) to + q .
2. Research vibration via the internet of other library sources to find normal vibration mea-
2 surements for various things (e.g., guitar strings, fan motors, etc.) and plot them on a similar
3 scale as drawn in the activity above. Increase the scale increments to match the lowest and
4 highest vibration measurements. Be sure to ONLY use the same measurement scales on one
5 graph—if using more than one type of measurement scale be sure to plot the like measure-
6 ments on different graphs.
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CHAPTER 7 Miscellaneous Measuring Devices 123

Students in classroom or lab with instructor assistance available
1. Have students identify rotational vibration analytical sensing and measurement devices in
the lab.
2. Use bench units to show flow, level, pressure, and temperature loops.
3. Purge a tank with nitrogen and measure the reduction in oxygen content.
4. Use cutaways of common primary sensors placed in their respective positions in the control
loop. Use a show and tell type of demonstration.