Shell Nigeria Graduate Training Programme Instrumentation

Introduction

INTRODUCTION TO INSTRUMENTATION

Instrumentation has become so much a part of our daily lives that we no longer take
notice of it.

• Each time you alter the temperature of your air conditioner you assume that
the room temperature will respond accordingly. You do not give much thought
to the sensor located inside which ensures that the set temperature is
maintained.

• A motor car contains more sophisticated examples of sensors. When you turn
the ignition switch on, the ignition light and the oil pressure warning light come
on. When you start the engine, these lights go off. As you begin to drive away
the speedometer indicates the speed at which you are travelling. While driving
you cast occasional glances at the fuel gauge or at the water temperature
gauge. Do we ever wonder what type of device senses the oil pressure, or the
water temperature or the level of fuel in the tank?

• The choice of an appropriate sensor is a vitally important one. Mostly, the

choice is neither obvious nor easy to make, because it involves some form of
compromise between cost, reliability and accuracy.

COST, RELIABILITY AND ACCURACY

1. Cost is an important factor to a manufacturer producing 500,000 cars

per annum. An increase of 50 Naira in the cost of a component for
each car translates into an increase of 25 million Naira per annum in
raw material costs.

2. The reliability of the car is also an important factor. How would you feel
about your car if you could not rely on the sensors, or have to replace
them frequently?

3. The requirements of accuracy are related to the overall context of the

measurement. Whereas it is important that the speedometer gives a
reasonably accurate indication of the road speed (usually to within

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Shell Nigeria Graduate Training Programme Instrumentation
Introduction

10%), you do not expect to be informed to the nearest litre how much
fuel is in the tank. What is needed is an appropriate indication of
when to fill up. Repeatability is more important than accuracy in this
case.

TASKS OF AN INSTRUMENTATION SYSTEM

1. Translate the physical variable being measured (the measurand) into another
physical variable (i.e. conversion of energy in one form to another form). This
can be used to drive an indicating device: for example, the oil pressure may
be converted by a pressure sensor into an electrical voltage whose magnitude
is proportional to the pressure sensed. Devices used in achieving this are
often called transducers.

2. Transmits the signal generated by the transducer to a signal/data-processing

unit.

3. Manipulates and prepares the signal/data into forms amenable for display or
performance of specified control action.

INSTRUMENTA TION SYSTEMS AND THEIR COMPONENTS

The word instrumentation means the science and technology of complete systems
designed to measure physical quantities so as to obtain data, which are transmitted
to recording and display devices, and/or to control devices.

When control devices are involved they are used to control the state of the physical
quantity being measured.

Every instrumentation system contains one or more of each of the following

elements or components.

• A sensor for detecting (sensing) the physical quantity being measured.

• A transducer for converting the energy of the detected physical quantity into
another energy form (signal).

Please note that the term signal could be used for energy form in form of electrical
current, pneumatic pressure or other variable quantity which is produced at the

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Shell Nigeria Graduate Training Programme Instrumentation
Introduction

output of the transducer, and which is used to convey information to the rest of the
system.

• A transmission path for transmitting this signal from the transducer to the
rest of the system. Examples of transmission paths are electrical cables,
optical fibres, pneumatic pipes, and data buses and radio links.

• Some form of recording device, display device or means of comparing

the measured data with some desired reference value so that their
difference can exercise appropriate control of the process upon which the
measurements are being made.

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