Generic Structures of Instrumentation Schemes

Abstract

There is a wide variety in the variables sensed and the sensors used with them. Despite this variety, a sizeable number of them fall into three broad categories: -

• Resistance-sensors

• Capacitance-sensors and

• Inductance-sensors

Taking the specific case of resistance-sensors, the whole instrumentation scheme built with the basic resistance-sensor, follows specific structures notwithstanding the difference in the nature of physical variable sensed. We can elicit a ‘generic structure’ of the instrumentation scheme that retains features common to many of them. Similar generic structures can be elicited for capacitance and inductance type instrumentation schemes also. Such generic schemes and their features are discussed in this chapter. The feedback instrumentation scheme is another such common form of generic scheme of instrumentation, which is also discussed. The idea may possibly be extended to identify other generic forms of instrumentation too; but these are not pursued here due to the limited variety in each case.