Cat One Ecen 427.

ELECTRICAL MEASUREMENT AND INSTRUMENTATION

ECEN 427.
CAT 1.

ENGINEER SIFUNA.

Q1. Discuss the standards categories associated with Instruments.
SOLUTION
Primary Standards:
These are the highest-level standards and are based on fundamental constants of nature.
For instance, the atomic clock, which uses isolated atoms of cesium to produce fixed and
reproducible frequencies worldwide, serves as a primary standard for time.
Primary standards are typically maintained by national-level or primary metrology labs.
They have the least amount of uncertainty and serve as the ultimate reference.
Secondary Standards:
Secondary standards are traceable to primary standards. They are used in metrology
labs and are more practical for everyday calibration.
These standards are periodically checked against higher-level calibration standards.
Instrument shops in industrial facilities often rely on secondary standards due to cost
considerations.
Working Standards:
Working standards are used directly in the field for instrument calibration.
They are traceable to secondary standards and are the ones technicians use to calibrate field
instruments.
While they exhibit greater uncertainties compared to primary and secondary standards, they
are still reliable for practical purposes.
International Standards:
These standards are established by international bodies such as the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO).
They provide guidelines and specifications for various aspects of measurement and calibration.
Special Controls for Medical Devices:
In the context of medical devices, the FDA classifies them into three regulatory classes:
Class I: General controls.
Class II: General controls and special controls.
Class III: General controls and premarket approval.
Q2. Identify and define any five parameters associated with Instruments.
SOLUTION
Accuracy: The degree of closeness of the measured value to the true value of the quantity
under measurement.
Precision: The degree of repeatability of the measurement under the same conditions.
Resolution: The smallest change in the quantity being measured that can be detected by the
instrument.
Sensitivity: The ratio of the change in the output signal to the change in the input signal of
the instrument.
Range: The minimum and maximum values of the quantity that can be measured by the
instrument.
Fig. Q2 shows a high-level architecture of an Instrumentation System. Using your knowledge of

instrumentation, respond to the following:
(a). Highlight the functions of any four of the shown elements (6 Marks)
(b). State any six variables that could represent QUM. (3 Marks)
(c). Discuss advantages of digital systems accompanying a measurement system. (5 Marks)
SOLUTION
(a). The functions of four elements in Fig. Q2 are:
 SEL: Signal Element. It converts the physical quantity to be measured (QUM) into an electrical
signal that can be processed by the instrumentation system.
 CEL: Conditioning Element. It modifies the electrical signal from the SEL to make it suitable
for the measurement element (MEL). For example, it can amplify, filter, or modulate the signal.
 MEL: Measurement Element. It performs the actual measurement of the electrical signal and
converts it into a digital form that can be transmitted to the transmission element (TEL).
 PEL: Presentation Element. It converts the digital signal from the TEL into a human-readable
output, such as a display, a printer, or a speaker.
(b). Some possible variables that could represent QUM are:
 Temperature: The degree of hotness or coldness of an object or environment.

 Pressure: The force exerted per unit area by a fluid or a gas.
 Flow: The rate of movement of a fluid or a gas through a pipe or a channel.
 Level: The height of a fluid or a gas in a container or a tank.
 Force: The interaction that causes a change in the motion or shape of an object.
 Displacement: The change in position of an object from a reference point.
©. Some advantages of digital systems accompanying a measurement system are:
 Accuracy: Digital systems can reduce the errors and uncertainties caused by noise, drift, or
nonlinearity in the analog signal.
 Resolution: Digital systems can represent the signal with a higher number of bits, which
increases the precision and detail of the measurement.
 Storage: Digital systems can store the measurement data in a memory device, which allows for
later retrieval and analysis.
 Processing: Digital systems can perform complex mathematical operations on the measurement
data, such as filtering, averaging, or Fourier transform.
 Communication: Digital systems can transmit the measurement data over a network, such as the
internet, to a remote location or a cloud service.

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ELECTRICAL MEASUREMENT AND INSTRUMENTATION

Q1. Discuss the standards categories associated with Instruments.

Fig. Q2 shows a high-level architecture of an Instrumentation System. Using your knowledge of

(b). Some possible variables that could represent QUM are:

 Temperature: The degree of hotness or coldness of an object or environment.

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