Instrumentation Systems Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Instrumentation Systems - Essay ExampleA typical digitised process control instrumentation formation is as follows2. Sensors and Transducers Strictly speaking, a sensor is a device that receives a signal or input and responds with an electrical signal, while a transducer is a converter of one type of energy into another. In practice, however, the terms are often apply interchangeably. Sensors and their associated circuits are used to measure various physical properties such as temperature, force, pressure, flow, position, light intensity, etc. These properties act as the stimulus to the sensor, and the sensor output is conditioned and processed to will the corresponding measurement of the physical property such as temperature, pressure, level, etc. (Kester 12)(a) Temperature Sensors Measurement of temperature is critical in modern electronic devices, especi all(prenominal)y expensive laptop computers and other portable devices with densely packed circuits which part considerabl e power in the form of heat. Knowledge of system temperature can also be used to control battery charging as well as prevent damage to expensive microprocessors. Compact spirited power portable equipment often has fan cooling to maintain junction temperatures at proper levels. In order to conserve battery life, the fan should only operate when necessary. Accurate control of the fan requires association of critical temperatures from the appropriate temperature sensor. (Kester 174) The various types of temperature sensors areThermocouples are small, rugged, relatively inexpensive, and operate over the widest range of all temperature sensors. They are especially useful for making measurements at extremely high temperatures (up to +2300C) in hostile environments. They mystify only millivolts of output, however, and require precision amplification for further processing. They also require cold-junction compensation (CJC) techniques.