Problems 29 (46) TuRNER, J.D. (1988). Instrumentation for Engineers, Springer-Verlag, New York. (27) Wnpitack, A.,anb Jentvos, D, (1992). Physical measurement, in McGraw-Hill Encyelo- edia of Science and Technology, McGraw-Hill, New York [18] Wots,S. (1983). Guide ro Electronic Measurements and Laboratory Practice, Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, NJ. . PROBLEMS 24. Identity the sensing element, signal-modification element, and indicator or recorder ele- ment in the following measurement devices. You may need to research the principles of operation to answer the questions. (a) A mechanical automobile speedometer. () Anautomobile fuel gage. (© A human body thermometer with aliquid crystal display. 22 You find a micrometer (a thickness-measuring device) of unknown origin and use it to ‘measure the diameter of a steel rod that i known to have a diameter of 0.5000 in. You use the micrometer to make 10 independent measurements of the rod diameter, and the results are 0.4821, 0.4824, 0.4821, 0.4821, 0.4820, 0.4822, 0.4821, 0.4822, 04820, and 0.4822. Estimate the systematic error and the maximum random error in these measurements 23 You attempt to determine the validity ofa bathroom scale by repeatedly placing 0 Ib of accurate weights on it Ten readings were obtained with values of 202,202, 20.6 200,204, 202, 20.,206,200, and 202 Ib. Estimate the systematic error and the maximum random error of the measurements. 24 Identity which of the following measurements are intrusive and which are nonintrusive. Justify your answers. (8) Measuring person's oral temperature with a thermometer. (@) Measuring the speed of a bullet using high-speed photography. (© Determining the temperature of a furnace by an optical thermal-radiation device. (@) Measuring the speed of an automobile with a radar gun 25 Determine whether the following measurements are intrusive or nonintrusive. You may need to research the detail of the measurement process. (8) Measuring amperage of current in a wire using clamp-on ammeter. (@) Measuring flow of fluid in a pipe by installing an orifice meter inthe pipe (©) Measuring composition of gases in an exhaust using a device which optically mea- sures transmitted infrared radiation. (@) Determining the surface temperature of a pipe using a thermometer that measures the emitted infrared radiation (©) Rotational speed of a shaft indicated by a strobotachometer. 26 Determine if the following errors are of random or systematic type. Justify your response. (8) A digital scale, that always shows 02 Ib when no weight is applied. (®) Vibration of the needle of an automobile speedometer. (©) Consistent temperature difference between two sensors reading the air temperature in the same room.Chapter 2 General Characteristics of Measurement Systems 27 Determine if the following errors are systematic or random. Justify your response. (a) Eifect of temperature on the circuitry of an electronic measurement device. (b) Effect of parallax on the reading of a needle-type analog voltmeter. (©) Effect of using an incorrect value of emissivity in the readings of an infrared ther- ‘mometer. 28 Determine if the following errors are systematic or random, Justify your response. (@) Variation in a pressure transducer reading due to variation in ambient temperature, (®) Noise induced into the output of an instrument due to magnetic fields in the sur- roundings (©) Variation in the makeup of a drug due to a malfunction of a mixer in a drug mixing tank. 29 Determine if the following uncertainties are systematic, random, or a combination that needs further analysis. (@) Variation inthe yield of corn in a field; explain (b) Deterioration of asphalvconcrete in a highway; explain. (©) Variation of height of the same type of trees in an orchard explain. (@) Variation in the drying time of concrete columns in construction of @ highway; explain. 240 Determine if the following variations are systematic, random, or a combination that needs further analysis. (@) Variation in the number of visits per day of a popular website (eg. Yahoo) fora given day of the week (eg. Tuesday); explain. (b) Variation in the rider-ship of a bus or train line in a given day of the week (eg. Mon- day); explain. (©) Variation in the rider-ship of a bus or train line in different days of the week; explain, 2A A digital device has a decimal indicator showing up to three significant figures. An equiv- alent analog device has 1000 divisions over the span. Can we determine which instrument is more accurate? Explain. 242. A velocity-measuring device can measure velocities in the range 0 to 50 m/s, What span of this device? 2.13 What are the spans of the following pressure gages: the (a) The gage measures pressure from S psig vacuum to 50 psig. (b) The gage measures pressure from 70 cm Hg vacuum to 200 kPa, (©) The gage measures pressure from 10 kPa to 150 kPa, 2.14 You need to measure a pressure, which has a value between 60 kPa and 100 kPa, Four pressure-measuring devices of comparable quality are available: Device A, range 0-100 kPa Device B,range 0-150 kPa Device C, range 50-100 kPa Device D, range 50-150 kPa Which device would you choose? Explain your answer.Problems 31 2A5_A digital output voltmeter has an input range of 01030 V and displays three significant figures XX.X. The manufacturer claims an accuracy of 42% of full scale. With a voltage reading of 5 V, what are the percent uncertainties of the reading due to accuracy and resolution? 2.6 Digital voltmeters often have a choice of ranges. The ranges indicated on a typical vot meter are 0-3, 0-30, 0-300, and 0-3000 AC volts. The output is represented with four sig- nificant digits. Determine the following (8) Resolution uncertainty for each range (in V), (b) If it has an accuracy of 42% of full range for each range, determine the absolute uncertainty of measurement in each case. (©) Determine the relative (percent of reading) uncertainly if,for a measurement of 25, volts, the ranges 30, 300, or 3000 were used. 2.17 A bourdon gage (a mechanical device to measure gage pressure, the pressure relative to atmospheric pressure), which has a range of 0 to SO psi, eads +055 psi when measuring atmospheric pressure. It is claimed to have an accuracy of 40.2% of full-scale reading. ‘What isthe expected error in the measurement of 20 psi in psi and in percent of reading? How can you reduce the error produced by this gage? 248 A voltmeter with a range of 0 to 100 V reads 2V when the leads are shorted together. The ‘manufacturer claims an accuracy of +4% of full scale. Estimate the maximum error when reading a voltage of 80 V in both volts and as a percentage of reading If the voltmeter is adjusted so that the reading when the leads are shorted together is OV, estimate the maxi mum percent error when reading 80V. 219 You have two temperature gages available to you. One measuring 100-SO0°C and the ‘other witha range of 100-1000°C. Each has an uncertainty of 2% of its span.To measure a temperature of about 300°C, which of the two will you choose? Why? 2.20 A pressure sensing device has an electrical output and is approximately linear. When the {input is 100 kPa, the output is 5 mV and when the output is 1000 kPa, the output is 125 mV. ‘What is the sensitivity of this device? 221 A pressure sensing device has an electrical output and is approximately linear. When the input is 10 psi, the output is 10 mV and when the input is 100 psi the output is 150 mV. ‘What is the sensitivity of this device? 222 In a gas thermometer, following the perfect gas law (PV = mRT), pressure change is an indication of temperature variation if the volume is constant. Determine if an increase in initial filling pressure will change the sensitivity ofthe device. 2.23 Figure P2.23 shows the variation of the output of a sensor with respect to its input. (a) How does the sensitivity of the sensor vary from A to C?. (b) Would you recommend using the device in the A-B or B-C range? Output Input FIGURE P2.2332 Chapter 2. General Characteristics of Measurement Systems 2.24 In a multirange instrument (such as @ multirange voltmeter), how does sensitivity vary with range? Explain. 2.25 In an analog output device, which has a voltage output, how can you increase the sensitiv- | ity ofthe device? 226 A common fluid-flow measuring device is called a venturi tube. (See Chapter 10.) For this device, the fuid-flow rate, Q, is proportional to the square root of the measured pressure | drop, AP, (Q = C(AP)}? where Cis approximately constant). (8) Derive a relation for sensitivity of Q with respect to A. (@) Determine if the sensitivity increases or decreases with an increase in the pressure ' drop. (©) Would you recommend such a device for larger or smaller values of the pressure drop? 2.27 A linear device converts an input force into an output displacement. The ideal sensitivity of this device is 01 cm/N and the input span is 200 N. What willbe the ideal output span? ‘What will the output span be if the actual sensitivity i 0.105 em/N? What will the % error j inthe output span be? 2.28 A static calibration is performed on a pressure-measuring device called a bourdon gage with a nominal ange of 0 to 100 psi The results of this calibration are shown in Table P2.28 (@) Plot the data and ita straight line through them. (b) Prepare a deviation plot and estimate the accuracy and repeatability errors, both as a percentage of the output span. TABLE P228 Measured pressures True pressure (ps)__Cyele 1 Cycle? Cyele3 Cycle CyeleS (max-min) 20 » 9 2 20 1 0 >» 0 » » » 1 0 3 8 3B OO 2 80 » © BP ®B w 1 100 i 10000) 2 =» BL 1 © 6 8 & 2 @ 1 «0 6 2 & 8 4 2 20 um 6 mw mM ° 0 S44 6 2 229 A static calibration is performed on a bourdon gage pressure measuring device with a ‘nominal range of 0 to 1 MPa. The results ofthis calibration are shown in Table P2.29. (a) Plotthe data and ita straight line through them. (b) Using deviation plots, estimate the accuracy and repeatability errors, both as a per- centage of the output span,Problems a TABLE P229 ee “Measured pressures Gyelet Cycle? Cyeled Cycles Gales True pressure oB88SS8888 (kPa) 192 = 596 a 1022 816 606 Be 203 10 191 389 7 306 1022 a4 603 403 201 2 198 301 507 B05 121 316 03 402 202 9 3 a 33 3 1022 316 603 “01 200 in 192 3 596 505 1020 a7 604 203 205 10 (max —min.) 33 230 A force measuring device called a load cell has an electrical voltage output. A load cell with a range of 0 to 100 N has a nominal full-scale output of 40 mV. By using accurate ‘weights this load cell has been calibrated and the results are presented in Table P2.30. (a) Plot the results and ita straight ine to the data, Find the formula for this straight line in both the form force = f(mV output) and the form mV output = g( force) (©) Compute the deviations between the data and the correlating straight line. Prepare a deviation plot and determine the accuracy and repeatability ofthe load cell, ‘TABLE P2.30 ‘True force (N) 20 0 0 100 80 © 0 20 0 Cycle 714 1596 2407 3233 4079 3231 2416 1597 1a 001 Cycle? 793 16.00 2404 3238 40a 3229 210 1587 787 002 Gyeled 788 1585 2417 3230 sor 3237 23 1589 181 005 yee 5 789 1393 2406 3246 ‘4083 3240 2406 1594 Ta 107 (max-min) 0s 01s, 03 14 oa ou 013 ou 016 o1s 231 What is the difference between static and dynamic calibration? What type of calibration would you recommend for (@) an oral thermometer, (b) a pressure gage used in a waterline, and (©) acar speedometer? Explain your reasoning 2.32 The time constant of a temperature-measuring device is 0S s, This device is used to mea sure the temperature ofthe air in a room that is changing at about 5*C/h. Do you consider this to be a static or a dynamic measurement? Why?34 Chapter 233 238 236 237 238 239 2.40 241 242 2 General Characteristics of Measurement Systems “The time constant of a temperature-measuring device is 05s. This device is used to mea sure the temperature ofthe air in a room that is changing at about 1"F/h. Do you consider this to be a static or a dynamic measurement? Why? “Two thermometers, one larger than the other, are dipped in ice water from ambient tem- perature. Which one will reach the equilibrium temperature faster? Why? Explain the usefulness and appropriateness of the concepts of time constant, response time, rise time, and settling time for (a) zero-order, (b) firstorder, (©) overdamped second-order,and (@) underdamped second-order systems, Answer the following questions: (2) High-intensity discharge (HID) lamps come to full brightness in about 5-10 minutes. ‘A light meter, which can detect instant light level, is used to record the light output of ‘an HID lamp. Is this a static or dynamic measurement? Explain. (b) The pressure inside a car cylinder cycles at 1500 times per minute at an engine speed (of 3000 rpm (revolutions per minute).Can a pressure transducer with a response time ‘of 2 seconds resolve the presture variation? What value response time would you ree. ‘ommend? Explain your answers (© Autility meter measures the power draw of a plant every 15 minutes, One of the high- est consumers of power in the plant is a 100 kW heater that goes on for 4 minutes every other 10-minute period, Will the meter accurately record the variation in power consumption of this plant? Explain. ‘Youhave just purchased an old sportscar, When the engine is idling at 1000 rpm, you prest fon the throttle and change the rpm to 3000 rpm. You notice that the tachometer over- shoots 3000 rpm and oscillates for a couple of seconds about 3000 rpm until it becomes steady. Is this a zero-, frst, or second-order measuring system? What characteristic of the tachometer might you change to eliminate the oscillations? A thermometer, initially at a temperature of 20°C, i suddenly immersed in a tank of water with a temperature of 80°C. The time constant of the thermometer is 2 s. What tempera- ture will the thermometer read after 5 s? A thermometer initially at a temperature of 75°F is suddenly immersed in a tank of water with a temperature of 180°F. The time constant of the thermometer is 2 What tempera ture will the thermometer read after 4 s? A thermometer, initially at a temperature of 20°C, is suddenly immersed into a tank of water with a temperature of 80°C. The time constant of the thermometer is 4 s What are the values ofthe rise time and the 90% response time? A thermometer, initially at a temperature of 75°F is suddenly immersed into a tank of water with a temperature of 180°F The time constant of the thermometer is 4 s What are the values of the rise time and the 90% response time? A nominally linear electrical output force measuring device has the following manufac- turer specifications:Problems 35 Input range 0-100 1b Fullscale output, 30mv Linearity 40.1% full scale Hysteresis, 40.08% full scale Repeatability 40.03% full scale Zero balance 42% fll seale ‘Temperature effect on: Zero 0.002% ful scale" Span 0.002% of reading/"F is used in an environment where the ambient temperature is not controlled and can vary between 50 and 95°F. For an input of 20 bf: (2) What will be the nominal output voltage? (b) Estimate the uncertainty due to each of the error sources that can be determined from the specifications. Express the uncertainties both in millivolts and as a percent- age of reading. Do not attempt to combine the uncertainties. 2.43. A nominally linear electrical output force measuring device has the following manufac turer specifications Input range 0-100 N Fullscale output 24mV Linearity 40.1% full scale Hysteresis, 40.08% full scale Repeatability 40.05% full scale Zero balance 41% full scale Temperature effect on: Zero 0.002% full seale/* C Span 0.002% of readingy? C ‘The device is used in an environment where the ambient temperature is not controlled and can vary between 10 and 35°C. For an input of 200 N: (2) What willbe the nominal output voltage? (b) Estimate the uncertainty due to each of the error sources that can be determined from the specifications. Express the uncertainties both in millivolts and as a percent- age of reading. Do not attempt to combine the uncertainties.