Transducer

What is Transducer? | Types of Transducers, Mechanical Transducers

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What is Transducer?

Transducer

What is a transducer? A transducer is a device that converts one type of energy into another. For example, a microphone is a transducer that converts sound energy into electrical energy. Similarly, a radio antenna is a transducer that converts electromagnetic energy (radio signals) into an electric current.
 
Transducers are a type of technology that can be used to turn one form of energy into another. For example, a light transducer turns light energy into electricity. Another type of transducer turns electricity into light energy in the form of light bulbs.
 
Transducers are relatively new building materials that are made from recycled materials. They were originally designed as a heating system, but they can also be used in a variety of different ways. They are often used to make floors that are sensitive to footsteps, creating a soft and comfortable surface that is also durable and easy to maintain. Today, transducers are also being used to create thin, cost-effective insulation material, and as soundproofing in walls and floors.

Types of Transducers

There are many different types of transducers, they can be classified based on various criteria as:

Types of Transducer based on Quantity to be Measured

  • Temperature transducers (thermocouple)
  • Pressure transducers (diaphragm)
  • Displacement transducers (LVDT)
  • Oscillator transducer
  • Flow transducers
  • Inductive Transducer

Types of Transducer based on the Principle of Operation

  • Photovoltaic (solar cell)
  • Piezoelectric transducer
  • Chemical
  • Mutual induction
  • Electromagnetic
  • Hall effect
  • Photoconductors

Active Transducer

Active Transducers use electricity to change the physical characteristics of a fluid, such as its velocity, pressure, or density. They’re used in a variety of applications, such as to generate electricity or to create motion in machines, and are often found in hydraulic systems on cars and airplanes. Active transducers can also be found in pneumatics, which use air pressure to operate machines, such as a jack that lifts a car.

Passive Transducer

A passive transducer is a sensor that emits a signal that is detected by other sensors. The passive transducer is often used in combination with a sensor to detect the presence of a target, such as the sound of a person breathing. Passive transducers are also used to detect motion and vibration. Some common passive transducers include capacitive sensors, resistive sensors, and piezoelectric sensors.

Mechanical Transducers:

The field of Mechanical Transducers is a wide and diverse one, spanning a variety of industries and applications. In general, a mechanical transducer is a device that converts energy from one form to another, such as converting thermal energy to electricity or sound to a digital signal. Today, we’re going to talk about the various types of mechanical transducers, their applications, and how they work.
Which measure physical quantities are known as mechanical transducers. They are based on the principle of bringing about a change in the measurable quantity through the use of mechanical energy. Examples of mechanical transducers include the lever, the inclined plane, and the wheel and axle. These devices are often used to transfer power and provide a mechanism for movement.

1) Bellows: These are the elastic elements that convert the air pressure into displacement, and it is commonly used for the measurement of pressure.

2) Bourdon tube: This elastic tube converts air pressure to the rotary motion of the pointer used to indicate the pressure.

3) Spring: The spring tends to expand when force is applied to them, thus they are used for the measurement of force.

4) Proving rings: Like the springs the proving rings also convert applied force to displacement.

5) Diaphragm: It converts applied pressure to displacement.

6) Manometer: The manometer converts the applied pressure into the variable displacement of the liquid within it enabling it to measure the pressure.

7) Thermocouple: Thermocouple is the device that produces an electric current when one of its ends is heated. The current produced by the device can be measured, which can be calibrated against the temperature enabling us to measure the temperature of the body.

8) Bimetals: These are the bimetallic strips comprising of two different metals having a different coefficient of thermal expansion, joint together. When the strip is heated one metal expands lesser while the other metal expands more leading to the deflection of the bimetallic strip, which is converted into the rotary motion of the pointer that indicates the temperature.

9) Hydropneumatic transducers: These include devices like orifice, venturi, pitot tube, vanes, and turbines that are used for measurement of pressure, velocity, flow rate, and force of water.

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