Thermocouple

A thermocouple is a sensor used to measure temperature.

Thermocouples consist of two wire legs made from different metals.
The wires legs are welded together at one end, creating a junction. This
junction is where the temperature is measured. When the junction
experiences a change in temperature, a voltage is created. The voltage
can then be interpreted using thermocouple reference tables to
calculate the temperature.
Potentiometer
A potentiometer as a measuring instrument is used in measuring the
actual potential of the voltage in a circuit. It is the only truly perfect
voltmeter, drawing no current and thus appearing to have infinite
impedance. The potentiometer is based upon the fact that the fall of the
potential across any portion of the wire is directly proportional to the
length of the wire provided wire has uniform cross section area and
constant current flowing through it.
Thermistor
A thermistor is a temperature sensor constructed of semiconductor
material that exhibits a large modification in resistance in proportion to
a tiny low modification in temperature. By using this property, it can
be used as a temperature sensor.
Optical Fringes
An optical flat used with a monochromatic light to determine the
flatness of other optical surfaces by interference. An optical flat is
usually placed upon a flat surface to be tested. If the surface is clean
and reflective enough, rainbow colored bands of interference fringes
will form when the test piece is illuminated with white light. However,
if a monochromatic light is used to illuminate the work piece, such as
helium, low-pressure sodium, or a laser, then a series of dark and light
interference fringes will form.
Venturi Meter
Venturi meters are flow measurement instruments have only a small
head loss, no moving parts, and do not clog easily. This uses a
converging section of pipe to give an increase in the flow velocity and
a corresponding pressure drop from which the flowrate can be
deduced. The principle under which these device operates is that some

pressure head is converted to velocity head when the cross-sectional

area of flow decreases.
Pitot Tube
In measuring fluid flow velocity, a pitot tube can be used. The pitot
tube can be used not only for measuring flow velocity in open
channels, but in closed conduits as well. The pitot tube are one the
most used (and cheapest) ways to measure fluid flow, especially in air
applications like ventilation and HVAC systems, even used in
airplanes for speed measurent. The pitot tube measures the fluid flow
velocity by converting the kinetic energy of the flow into potential
energy. The use of the pitot tube is restricted to point measuring. With
the "annubar", or multi-orifice pitot probe, the dynamic pressure can
be measured across the velocity profile, and the annubar obtains an
averaging effect.
Bimettalic Type
In an industry, there is always a need to measure and monitor
temperature of a particular spot, field or locality. The industrial names
given to such temperature sensors are Temperature Indicators (TI) or
Temperature Gauges (TG). All these temperature gauges belong to the
class of instruments that are known as bimetallic sensors.Two basic
principles of operation is to be followed in the case of a bimetallic
sensor. First, metal tends to undergo a volumetric dimensional change
(expansion/contraction), according to the change in temperature.
Second, Different metals have different co-efficient of temperatures.
The rate of volumetric change depends on this co-efficient of
temperature.
Platinum Resistance Probe
A platinum resistance thermometer (PRT) is a device which determines
the temperature by measuring the electrical resistance of a piece of
pure platinum wire. The piece of platinum wire is referred to as a
temperature sensor. When manufactured carefully these devices offer
an excellent combination of sensitivity, range and reproducibility. The
electrical resistance of many metals (e.g. copper, silver, aluminium,
platinum) increases approximately linearly with absolute temperature
and this feature makes them useful as temperature sensors. The

resistance of a wire of the material is measured by passing a current

(AC or DC) through it and measuring the voltage with a suitable
bridge or voltmeter, and the reading is converted to temperature using
a calibration equation.
D.C. Type Generator
A DC type generator sensor can be called tachometer generators
(tachogenerators). Tachometer generators are electromechanical
devices which output a voltage proportional to their shaft speed. They
are used to power tachometers and to measure speed of motors,
engines, and other rotational devices. The majority of modern
tachogenerators are permanent magnet types. These devices use a
rotating armature, one end of which is attached to a machine
shaft, to measure rotational speed. The armature rotates within a fixed
magnetic field, so that its rotation induces electromotive force
(voltage) proportional to the shaft's speed. The armature contacts are
connected to a voltmeter circuit, which converts the voltage into a
speed value.
L.V.D.T.
A linear variable differential transformer, or LVDT, have been
described as a passive inductive transducer, an accurate and reliable
method for measuring distance and a type of electrical transformer
used for measuring linear displacement. Communication between the
core and coils of the LVDT is achieved by means of inductive
coupling. One of the secondary coils, being wound in opposite
direction to the other two inductors, will output the excitation signal in
opposite phase. A differential voltage indicates the direction of the
displacement: the outputs of the secondary coils are rectified and
summed to produce a voltage which varies linearly between the +/- the
maximum displacement with the center position being at zero volts.
The phase of the secondary voltage indicates if the core is above or
below the center position, while the amplitude indicates by how far the
core is displaced from the center position. Reading the RMS voltage
level across the two secondary coils will provide magnitude but not
phase. Both the direction and distance of the core can be measured

after demodulating the signal in preparation for a usable DC voltage

output.
Bourdon Tube
Bourdon tube pressure gauges can be used to measure over a wide
range of pressure: from vacuum to pressure as high as few thousand
psi. It is basically consisted of a C-shaped hollow tube, whose one end
is fixed and connected to the pressure tapping, the other end free.
When pressure is applied, the elliptical tube tries to acquire a circular
cross section, as a result, stress is developed and the tube tries to
straighten up. Thus the free end of the tube moves up, depending on
the magnitude of pressure. A deflecting and indicating mechanism is
attached to the free end that rotates the pointer and indicates the
pressure reading.
Orifice Meter
Like the venturi meter and pitot tube, the orifice meter also measures
fluid flow velocity. An orifice meter is simple apparatus consists of a
flat plate with a drilled hole inserted into the pipe. This flat plate or
commonly known as orifice plate causes restriction in the fluid flow
and will create pressure difference before and after the orifice plate.
Because of the restriction, the fluid flow will take the form of the
restriction and will have a change in cross sectional area depending
upon the area of the hole in the restriction. From a half or twice the
diameter of the pipe to the orifice plate a minimum cross section of the
flow is expected and this is called the vena contracta. Pressure
difference is then measured from an arbitrary point before the orifice
plate (usually a length equal to the diameter of the pipe). This pressure
difference can then be related to the velocity of the fluid flow.
Piezoelectric
A piezoelectric sensor is a device that uses the piezoelectric effect, to
measure
changes
in pressure, acceleration, temperature, strain,
or force by converting them to an electrical charge. The physical
quantities like stress and force cannot be measured directly. In such
cases the material exhibiting piezoelectric transducers can be used. The
stress or the force that has to be measured is applied along certain
planes to these materials. The voltage output obtained from these
materials due to piezoelectric effect is proportional to the applied stress
or force.