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Specific Learning Objectives
Resistance Temperature Devices
Thermocouples
Flow and pressure measurement
Level measurement
Ambient temperature Compensation
Viscosity measurement
Torque Measurement
Force Balance Transmitters
Resistance Temperature Devices
Like thermocouples, RTD sensors are also widely used to sense temperature specifically
where linearity, accuracy and repeatability are important factors. Resistance temperature
detectors are powered devices that sense changes in resistance and as a result display
temperature in F or C. There are two commonly used industrial grade RTDs established
by DIN- IEC-751 (International Electric Code) Class B + .30C and Class A + .15C @
0C. Elements in this section are 100 .00385 curve.

RTD sensor elements are primarily a fine platinum coil (wire wound) or platinum deposited
onto a ceramic substrate (thin film). The application will define which element to use. Most
often the thin film will be used due to vibration resistance and lower cost.
Thin film resistance temperature detector elements are commonly used when faster
response time is required and minimal physical size is the issue.
Wire wound RTD elements are widely used for industrial RTD sensors or higher temperatures
(above 260C)

Low temperature RTDs (-50 to 260C) are designed to be more responsive to changes in
temperature.

Mineral insulated (MgO) sheathed resistance temperature detectors are available for
higher temperature applications (650C rating)
 thermocouple is an electrical device consisting
of two dissimilar electrical conductors forming
electrical junctions at differing temperatures. A
thermocouple produces a temperature-
dependent voltage as a result of the
thermoelectric effect, and this voltage can be
interpreted to measure temperature.
Thermocouples are a widely used type of
temperature sensor
Pressure Measurement
Pressure measurement is the analysis of an applied force
by a fluid (liquid or gas) on a surface. Pressure is typically
measured in units of force per unit of surface area. Many
techniques have been developed for the measurement
of pressure and vacuum. Instruments used to measure
and display pressure in an integral unit are called
pressure gauges or vacuum gauges. A manometer is a
good example as it uses a column of liquid to both
measure and indicate pressure. Likewise the widely used
Bourdon gauge is a mechanical device which both
measures and indicates, and is probably the best known
type of gauge.
Flow Measurement
A flow meter is a device used to measure
the flow rate or quantity of a gas or liquid
moving through a pipe. Flow measurement
applications are very diverse and each
situation has its own constraints and
engineering requirements.
Ambient temperature Compensation
Ambient temperature fluctuations are
commonly encountered in industrial process
environments. Individually characterized
transmitters compensate for these fluctuations
resulting in improved measurement accuracy
and stability. This reduction in variability allows
the process to be operated closer to the set
point, resulting in greater throughput.
Visocity measurement
Measuring viscosity is an effective way to know the state (properties
of matter) or fluidity of a liquid or gas. It plays an important role in the
quality control and in various research and development stages of a
wide range of industries, including Food, Chemical, Pharmaceutical,
Petrochemical, Cosmetics, Paint, Ink, Coatings, Oil and Automotives.
For example, the viscosity of a liquid is an important parameter for
designing the piping in a plant or transporting crude oil or chemical
agent through a pipeline. In the electronic engineering industry,
photresist fluid is used in the production processes of the printed
circuit board, cathode-ray tube, and flat liquid crystal display.
Controlling the viscosity of photoresist fluid is a crucial factor to
determine the qualities, performance, and yields of finished products.
Among those industries, it has been also recognized that controlling
optimum viscosity reduces production costs.
 A viscometer (also called viscosimeter) is an
instrument used to measure the viscosity of a
fluid. For liquids with viscosities which vary with
flow conditions, an instrument called a
rheometer is used. Thus, a viscometer can be
considered as a special type of rheometer.[1]
Viscometers only measure under one flow
condition.
Torque sensor
A torque sensor, torque transducer or torque
meter is a device for measuring and recording
the torque on a rotating system, such as
an engine, crankshaft, gearbox, transmission, rotor,
a bicycle crankor cap torque tester. Static torque
is relatively easy to measure. Dynamic torque, on
the other hand, is not easy to measure, since it
generally requires transfer of some effect (electric,
hydraulic or magnetic) from the shaft being
measured to a static system.
Force Balance Transmitter
An important legacy technology for all kinds of
continuous measurement is the self-balancing
system. A self-balance system continuously
balances an adjustable quantity against a
sensed quantity, the adjustable quantity
becoming an indication of the sensed quantity
once balance is achieved. A common manual-
balance system is the type of scale used in
laboratories to measure mass:
 Here, the unknown mass is the sensed quantity, and the known masses are
the adjustable quantity. A human lab technician applies as many masses to
the left-hand side of the scale as needed to achieve balance, then counts
up the sum total of those masses to determine the quantity of the unknown
mass.
Such a system is perfectly linear, which is why these balance scales are
popularly used for scientific work. The scale mechanism itself is the very
model of simplicity, and the only thing the pointer needs to accurately sense
is a condition of balance (equality between masses). If the task of balancing
is given to an automatic mechanism, the adjustable quantity will
continuously change and adapt as needed to balance the sensed quantity,
thereby becoming a representation of that sensed quantity. In the case of
pressure instruments, pressure is easily converted into force by acting on the
surface area of a sensing element such as a diaphragm or a bellows. A
balancing force may be generated to exactly cancel the process pressures
force, making a force-balance pressure instrument. Like the laboratory
balance scale, an industrial instrument built on the principle of balancing a
sensed quantity with an adjustable quantity will be inherently linear, which is
a tremendous advantage for measurement purposes.