SENSORS
Sensors: A sensor is a device that measures a physical quantity and converts it
into an electrical signal. Examples of sensors are Temperature sensors,
Displacement, position, motion and velocity sensors, Fluid sensors, liquid flow,
liquid level, Light sensors etc.
Physical quantity Electrical signal
Sensor
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Characteristics of Sensors
Characteristics
of Sensors
Static Dynamic
Characteristics Characteristics
• Static characteristics refer to the steady state relationship between sensor input and
output.
• Dynamic characteristics refer to the relationship between the sensor input and
output when the measured quantity is varying rapidly.
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Static characteristics of Sensors
• Range: The range of a sensor indicates the limits
between which the input can vary. Example: a
thermometer for the measurement of temperature
might have a range of 100-180 °C.(indicates the
minimum and maximum temperatures it can
measure.)
• Span: Span is difference between the maximum
and minimum values of the input. Thus, the above-
mentioned thermometer will have a span of 180-
100=80 °C.
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Static characteristics of Sensors
• Dead band: The dead band or dead space of a sensor
is the range of input values for which there is no
output.
• For example, if a sensor has a range of 0 to 100 units,
there may be a dead band between 0 and 5 units
where the sensor does not produce any output.
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Static characteristics of Sensors
• Error: Error is the difference between the measured value and the true
value of the quantity.
• Error = (true value - measured value )
• Example: A sensor might give a displacement reading of 29.8 mm, when the
actual displacement had been 30 mm, then the error is 0.2 mm.
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Static characteristics of Sensors
• Sensitivity: Sensitivity of a sensor is
defined as the ratio of change in output
value of a sensor per unit change in input
value. For example, a temperature sensor
may have a sensitivity of 10 mV/°C. If
1oC raise in temp results in 10mV.
• Non-Linearity: The nonlinearity
indicates the maximum deviation of the
actual measured curve of a sensor from
the ideal curve.
Non-Linearity 7
Static characteristics of Sensors
• Hysteresis: The hysteresis is an error of a sensor, which is defined as
the maximum difference in output at any measurement value within the
sensor’s specified range when approaching the point first with increasing
and then with decreasing the input parameter.
Hysteresis
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Static characteristics of Sensors
• Repeatability: It specifies the ability of a sensor to give same output for repeated
applications of same input value under same conditions.
• Accuracy: This is the closeness to the actual value.
• Precision: Precision is defined as the ability of sensor to reproduce a certain set of
readings within given accuracy. Precision depends upon repeatability.
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Dynamic Characteristics of Sensors
• Response time: This is the time which elapsed
by sensor to gives an output corresponding to
some specified percentage (90-95%) of its steady
value after a constant input, a step input, is
applied.
• Time constant: The time constant is a measure
of the inertia of the sensor and so how it will
react to changes in its input. This is the 63.2%
response time.
• Rise time: This is the time taken for the output
to rise from 10% to 90 % of its steady value.
• Settling time: This is the time taken for the
output to settle to within some small percentage
(2%) of steady state value. 10
Classification of sensors
Classification of
sensors
Active Analog Primary
sensors Sensors Sensor
Passive Digital Secondary
Sensors Sensors Sensor
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