Current Sensors
Current sensors with high accuracy are made for a variety of uses, including some that involve considerable direct current or very high primary current. For instance, closed loop current sensors are designed for the utmost precision. They use feedback mechanisms to balance the magnetic field created by the current being measured. That sort of design really cuts down on thermal drift and gives you something closer to an ideal temperature compensation. It's quite effective in a wide range of sensor applications, even under varied operational conditions. However, there are also open loop sensors that use the Hall Effect. They provide a simpler solution with less power loss and, as a result, are something that you could also call "heat-free" in most applications.
Current sensors have signal-conditioning electronics built into them to greatly enhance their usability. When a current sensor measures the current flowing in a conductor, it then processes that measurement into a usable signal. That signal can then be interfaced with a variety of control systems and serve many different functions. For example, it can be used to help regulate a power supply. Or it might be used to help monitor some operational parameter in an industrial setting. The Hall Effect is extremely good at detecting small changes in magnetic fields and is therefore very good for making current sensors. They are also reliable, and that is another plus when making sensors for industrial settings.
FAQs
What is the current sensing element in a Hall effect current sensor?
The sensing element in a Hall effect current sensor is called a Hall effect sensor or Hall sensor. This device, named after the physicist Edwin Hall who discovered the effect, is a thin piece of conductive material, often a semiconductor, that responds to a magnetic field.
What is standard bipolar transistor technology and total magnetic flux linking in current sensing devices?
Standard bipolar transistor technology in current sensing devices refers to the use of bipolar junction transistors for amplifying signals, while total magnetic flux linking describes the cumulative magnetic field interactions captured by a sensor as electric current flows through a conductor, aiding precise current measurement.
What is the output voltage, output signal and current measurement range of current sensors?
The output voltage and output signal of current sensors vary depending on the sensor type, typically providing proportional analog or digital signals, while the current measurement range spans from milliamps to thousands of amps to accommodate diverse applications.
Analog and Digital Control Signals: The Basics
Digital Signals
Digital signals are represented in either a true or false. There is no gray area with digital signals. An example of this might be a light switch. A light switch is either on or off. Another example of this might be a motor that is running or not running. Digital signals can be generated with both AC and DC circuits with varying voltages, currents and resistance. Some practical examples of using digital signals in an industrial environment might be if a pump is running or not running or a whether a valve is open or closed.
Analog Signals
Analog signals convey information in the form of a range. A light switch might be on or off as a digital signal, but a dimmer switch would be an analog signal. It can be on or off, but it can also be somewhere in between. A practical example of using analog signals in an industrial environment would be if there is a need to measure the level of a tank; whether it's full, empty or somewhere in between. Analog signals can take many different forms with some of the more common being a 4 to 20 milliamp signal or a 0 to 5 or 0 to 10 volt signal.
Communication
Communication in a device can either be sent or received. Whether that data is sent or received depends on the type of information. Is there a need to monitor the status of something? If so, an input needs to be received about that information. Is there a need to control something? If so, an output needs to be sent about what needs to occur. Receiving inputs and setting outputs are both things that can be accomplished by using both digital and analog signal types. Therefore, the signals are referred to as analog outputs (AO), analog inputs (AI), digital inputs (DI) or digital outputs (DO).