Research about :

Electrical Measuring Instruments Types

(AccuracyPrecisionResolution-Speed)

By: Mustafa Tarik Hamid Elmalky

For
Dr. Ahmed Nageeb
Basically there are three types of measuring instruments and
they are

Electrical measuring instruments

Mechanical measuring instruments.
Electronic measuring instruments.
Here we are interested in electrical measuring instruments so
we will discuss about them in detail. Electrical
instruments measure the various electrical quantities
like electrical power factor, power, voltageand current etc. All
analog electrical instruments use mechanical system for the
measurement of various electrical quantities but as we know
the all mechanical system has some inertia therefore electrical
instruments have a limited time response.
Now there are various ways of classifying the instruments. On
broad scale we can categorize them as: Basically there are
three types of measuring instruments and they are
Electrical measuring instruments
Mechanical measuring instruments.
Electronic measuring instruments.
Here we are interested in electrical measuring instruments so
we will discuss about them in detail. Electrical
instruments measure the various electrical quantities
like electrical power factor, power, voltageand current etc. All
analog electrical instruments use mechanical system for the
measurement of various electrical quantities but as we know
the all mechanical system has some inertia therefore electrical
instruments have a limited time response.
Now there are various ways of classifying the instruments. On
broad scale we can categorize them as:
Absolute Measuring Instruments
These instruments give output in terms of physical constant of
the instruments. For example Rayleighs current balance and
Tangent galvanometer are absolute instruments.
Secondary Measuring Instruments
These instruments are constructed with the help of absolute
instruments. Secondary instruments are calibrated by
comparison with an absolute instruments. These are more
frequently used in measurement of the quantities as compared
to absolute instruments, as working with absolute instruments
is time consuming.
Another way of classifying the electrical measuring instruments
depends on the way they produce the result of measurements.
On this basis they can be of two types:
Deflection Type Instruments
In these types of instruments, pointer of the electrical
measuring instrument deflects to measure the quantity. The
value of the quantity can be measured by measuring the net
deflection of the pointer from its initial position. In order to
understand these types of instruments let us take an example
of deflection type permanent magnet moving
coil ammeter which is shown below:

The diagram
shown above has two permanent magnets which are called the
stationary part of the instrument and the moving part which is
between the two permanent magnets that consists of pointer.
The deflection of the moving coil is directly proportion to the
current. Thus the torque is proportional to the current which is
given by the expression Td = K.I, where Td is the deflecting
torque. K is proportionality constant which depends upon
the strength of the magnetic field and the number of turns in
the coil. The pointer deflects between the two opposite forces
produced by the spring and the magnets. And the resulting
direction of the pointer is in the direction of the resultant force.
The value of current is measured by the deflection angle , and
the value of K.

Null Type Instruments

In opposite to deflection type of instruments, the null or zero
type electrical measuring instruments tend to maintain the
position of pointer stationary. They maintain the position of the
pointer stationary by producing opposing effect. Thus for the
operation of null type instruments following steps are required:
Value of opposite effect should be known in order to calculate
the value of unknown quantity.
Detector shows accurately the balance and the unbalance
condition accurately.
The detector should also have the means for restoring force.
Let us look at the advantages and disadvantages of deflection
and null type of measuring instruments:
Deflection type of instruments is less accurate than the null
type of instruments. It is because, in the null deflecting
instruments the opposing effect is calibrated with the high
degree of accuracy while the calibration of the deflection type
instruments depends on the value of instrument constant
hence usually not having high degree of accuracy.
Null point type instruments are more sensitive than the
Deflection type instruments.
Deflection type instruments are more suitable under dynamic
conditions than null type of instruments as the intrinsic
responses of the null type instruments are slower than
deflection type instruments.
Following are the important three functions of the electrical
measuring instruments.
Indicating Function
These instruments provide information regarding the variable
quantity under measurement and most of the time this
information are provided by the deflection of the pointer. This
kind of function is known as the indicating function of the
instruments.
Recording Function
These instruments usually use the paper in order to record the
output. This type of function is known as the recording function
of the instruments.
Controlling Function
This is function is widely used in industrial world. In this these
instruments controls the processes. Now there are two
characteristics of electrical measuring instruments and
measurement systems. They are written below:
Static Characteristics
In these type of characteristics measurement of quantities are
either constant or vary slowly with the time. Few main static
characteristics are written below:
Accuracy:
It is desirable quality in measurement. It is defined as the
degree of the closeness with which instrument reading
approaches the true value of the quantity being measured.
Accuracy can be expressed in three ways
Point accuracy
Accuracy as the percentage of scale of range
Accuracy as percentage of true value.
Sensitivity:
It is also desirable quality in the measurement. It is defined as
the ratio of the magnitude response of the output signal to the
magnitude response of the input signal.
Reproducibility:
It is again a desirable quality. It is defined as the degree of the
closeness with which a given quantity may be repeatedly
measured. High value of reproducibility means low value of
drift. Drift are of three types
Zero drift
Span drift
Zonal drift
Dynamic Characteristics
These characteristics are related with the rapidly changing
quantities therefore in order to understand these types of
characteristics we are required to study the dynamic relations
between the input and the output.