Transducer is a device which converts physical quantity or energy of one form to signal or energy of another form. They can be used to measure any quantity like voltage, displacement, position, current, temperature etc.
Above figure shows its main purpose . It senses input signals which can be any quantity or energy of any form and converts it to another form of electrical quantity. They can be classified as listed below
Classification of Transducer
Some of the main types of transducers which we going to discuss are
Primary Transducers: They consist of both mechanical and electrical devices out of which mechanical device is the primary device. Hence, the output is generated from the mechanical device.
Secondary Transducers: They produce electrical signals as the output. Because they convert mechanical input to electrical output.
Passive Transducers: These transducers take power from external sources. For example capacitive, resistive and inductive transducers.
Active Transducers: They do not require any power supply from external sources. Since, they are self generating transducers as they can generate their own voltage or current. For example, Thermocouples, piezo-electric transducers, photovoltaic cells.
Analog Transducers: These transducers have output as continuous signal. For example, Strain gauge, LVDT.
Digital Transducers: As the name explains they convert input to digital output form.
Types based on output to be measured
- Temperature transducers (e.g. a thermocouple)
- Pressure transducers (e.g. a diaphragm)
- Displacement transducers (e.g. LVDT)
- Also Oscillator transducers
- Flow transducers
- Inductive Transducers
Types based on the Operating Principle
- Photovoltaic (e.g. a solar cell)
- Piezoelectric transducers
- Chemical
- Mutual induction
- Electromagnetic
- Hall effect
- Photoconductors
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