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CONSIDERATION FOR TILT


TRANSDUCERS WITH THE ACTUATION
OF THE FERROFLUID

Dumitru Dan DRAGOI

Abstract: The tilt transducers are destined to detect the
small and very small angles to the horizontal and vertical
lines to measure them. The measurement range this
between values situated in the region of an arc second
and several degrees. The most transducers in the
apparatuses for determining the tilt (levels or electronic
inclinometers) use the principle of the gravitational
pendulum through inductive or capacitive methods for the
conversion of the mass displacement of pendulum into an
electric signal.

Key words: transducers, displacement, ferrofluid,
magnetic


1. INTRODUCTION

The tilt transducers are destined to detect the small and
very small angles to the horizontal and vertical lines to
measure them. The measurement range this between
values situated in the region of an arc second and several
degrees. The most transducers in the apparatuses for
determining the tilt (levels or electronic inclinometers)
use the principle of the gravitational pendulum through
inductive or capacitive methods for the conversion of the
mass displacement of pendulum into an electric signal.
Electrolytic, photoelectrical and resistive electrical
sensors are also used, especially for the reduced gauge in
comparison with that of the transducers with a pendulum,
but their performances being rather modest.
The electronic inclinometers, analogous or numerical, of
high sensitiveness and precision call for a highly accurate
mechanical technology and a precise measurement
electronic on so that these are made only in countries with
advanced technology (Germany, U.S.A., J apan,
Switzerland or France).The precision of these
apparatuses, expressed through the value of a division of
the most sensitive scale, is currently under the value of 10
m ( 2 arc second).
The first tilt ferrofluid transducers were made by the
Ferrofluidies firm (U.S.A.) and put into practice in
drilling equipments that work under hard conditions of
temperature and vibrations, ensuring a precision of 0,2 .
The functioning of the tilt ferrofluid transducers is usually
based on either the inductive detection of the magnetic
liquid from a horizontal vessel, cylindrical or of another
form or on the level difference of the liquid in two vessel
which communicate between them or on the detection of
the position of some solid magnetic or nonmagnetic cores
through an inductive, respectively, capacitive way,
situated in the ferrofluid in which there develop magneto-
fluidic forces corresponding to some specific
phenomenon (magnetic levitations of the order one and
two). These forces ensure the sustentation of the cores to
obtain the displacement mobility of these and the
elimination of some mechanical links with the
transducers carcass and in other cases they represent the
negative reaction for the transducers which function on
the principle of the forces compensation.

2. TILT TRANSDUCERS WITH THE
ACTUATION OF THE FERROFLUID

In these transducers the ferrofluid plays the role of the
mobile magnetic core, the tilt being translated into an
inductive-way electrical signal by means of a system of
electrical windings that make a system of inductive
detection of the ferrofluid that can be of a differential
inductive type or of the type of the so called variable
linear differential transformer, made up of a primary and
two identical secondary ones.
Three principal types of the tilt transducers with the
actuation of the ferrofluid are known, each type having at
least some constructive variants :
a. transducers with ferrofluid with a continuous free
surface ;
b. transducers with two vertical columns of ferrofluid ;
c. transducers with a gas bubble in ferrofluid.

2.1. Transducers with ferrofluid with a
continuous free surface.

Such a transducer presents a cylindrical or toroidal
precinct half filled with a ferrofluid that has in this way a
single horizontal continuous surface. Those with a
toroidal or a ring shaped precinct help to determine the tilt
on two rectangular axes(biaxial tilt) whereas the first are
destined to detect the tilt on single direction (uniaxial
tilt).The first uniaxial tilt ferrofluid transducer having a
free surface was patented in 1974,being destined at the
same time for the vibrations' measurement[
0
10].It is make
up of a cylindrical chamber partly filled with ferrofluid on
whose walls are disposed on the exterior a primary
windings and two secondary windings in which tensions
dependent on the tilt angle arei nduced.
The functioning principle is similar to that of the
transducers of the transformer type with solid
ferromagnetic care. The secondaries being serially-
differentiably coupled, the differential tension is naught
for the device's horizontal position and increased with its
tilt due to the increase of the ferrofluid inside the
secondary winding, downward tilted, together with the

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same decrease of the ferrofluid quantity in the other
winding.
In time there have appeared several patented technical
solutions of transducer and electronic inclinometers
starting from this functioning principle, the distinction
being made by the choosing and disposing way of the
windings and especially by the electronic circuits used
with a view to improving the functioning performance.
The commonest solution of a transducer is that in fig.3.a
in which the primary winding is disposed on the two
secondary windings.
The primary is supplied with an alternative tension of 5-
10 kHz. With such a transducer one care measure both big
angles of tilt (20
0
) and small and very small angle(10
minutes circle arc).The variation with the tilt of the output
differential tension of the transducer,SU
2
,is strictly
proportional(fig.2.)[1].



Fig.1.Tilt transducer with free surface ferrofluid



Fig.2.The static characteristic of the transducer in fig.1

Extending the principle of the measurement of the
inclination from the uniaxial transducer with ferrofluid
with a free surface to a device made up of two identical
tubes perpendicularly disposed, one can measure
concomitantly the inclination on two perpendicular
directions(fig.3.).
. There have been elaborated several methods for the
reduction or the elimination of some errors that come up
in the functioning of the transducers of inclination with
ferrofluid with a free surface. One takes into
consideration the errors caused by the sedimentation of
the magnetic particles in the ferrofluid and the values
formed at the surface following a sudden inclination or
the agitation of the device.
For example ,to reduce the long time of the stabilization
of the ferrofluid surface after the sudden change of the tilt
of the transducer a technical solution was proposed that
consists in the introduction of the ferrofluid in a coating
or a plastic dielectrical membrane[2].


Fig.3.Tilt biaxial transducer

In this way, the measurement operations are carried on 5-
7 times faster than in the case of a free ferrofluid
transducer.

2.2. Transducer with two ferrofluid vertical
columns.

The transducers that have a free surface of the ferrofluid
afore presented have the disadvantage of the instability of
the great liquid surface caused by the smallest shock of
the transducer, by creating some waves with a long
absorption. The undesirable effect is the answering time
increase of measuring device.
To eliminate the above mentioned disadvantage there
were conceived transducer two ferrofluid vertical columns
that consequently present two ferrofluid free surface
situated in the same horizontal plane[3]. Two means were
used to obtain two columns for a continuous ferrofluid
volume. The former represents two identical tanks milled
in a basic body, with ferrofluid up to its half in which the
liquid can circulate through a channel situated in the
lower side, and the air can more through a channel in the
upper side The tanks are placed in the center of two
electric coils, nd the inductance difference between the
identical coils, following the passing of a ferrofluid
cuantity from a tank into the other being a measure of the
tilt.
The latter means used to obtain two ferrofluid free surface
is illustrated in the Fig.4. and it also consists in two
identical tanks, of a different shape from the previous
case, made up of nonmetallic material, that communicate
in the lower side through a channel e and the upper side
through a channel a. Two identical coils are disposed on
the tubular carcasses of the tanks. O ferrofluid cuantity is
introduced inside the tanks half way up the coils, and then
the free tops of the tanks are sealed with a cork. The
assembly achieved in this way is set in a ferrofluid carcass
with
the role of an electromagnetic screen. A filling resin is
poured inside the carcass that, by solidifying rigidifies the
assembly in fig.4.

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Fig.4.Tilt transducer with two ferrofluid columns

The transducer achieved in this way is connected in
impedances semibridge assemblage to a measuring
electronic amplifier. On the transducer tilt along the
longitudinal direction, a ferrofluid quantity passes from a
tank into the other through the channel e, and the air
passes inversely through the channel a modification
results in different senses of the inductance of the two
coils. The sizing og the channel is achieved in such a way
that on the passage of the ferrofluid from a tank into the
other, the flow be without as oscilations or delayed,
according to a same technical requirement. The ferrofluid
quantity inside the tanks as well as the transducer's tilt
along the transversal direction, between certam limits,
does not influence the transducer's precision.

2.3. Tranducer with a Gas Bubble in the
Ferrofluid.

Starting from the principle of the optical bubble level that
consists in the central positioning of the gas bubble in a
liquid situated in a curved glass tube on the horizontal
disposal of the device that includes the tube, one can
obtain a ferrofluid tilt sensor which through adequate
electronic means, allows the obtaining of a precise of an
object. Such a sensor will therefore contain a curved tube
in which there are a ferrofluid and a gas bubble as well as
a system of coils disposal on the tube, which allows the
obtaining of an electric signal dependent on the coils
belonging to the tilt sensor are illustrated in the Fig.5. and
Fig.6.
The coil 1 is excitation and the coils 2,3 and 4 are signal
coil which notifies the bubble's position in the tube. The
coil 4 detects the central position of the bubble, so the
horizontal position of the sensor and the coil 2,3 set
symmetrically to the transversal central palm of the tube
detects the bubble's deviation from the central position.
The obtaining method of the signal used in the sensor of
the Fig.6. is characterized by a great sensitiveness and


Fig.5. Yas bubble transducer provided with an excitation
coil and three signal coils.

Fig.6.Yas bubble transducer with an excitation coil and
two signal coils

offers optimum condition for the optic or/and acoustic
signalization. The ferrofluid used contain 50%Fe
2
O
3
and
has the permeability

r
=2.1.The sensitiveness of the
device is obtained through a corresponding sizing and an
adequate setting of the signal and excitation coils.

3. TILT TRANSDUCER WITH A SELF-
SUSTAINED MAGNET IN FERROFLUID

A transducer based on the levitation property of the order
2 of the ferrofluid was successfully commercialized in the
field of the oil prospecting for control and supervision of
the drilling operations[4].
A small permanent magnet immersed into a ferrofluid is
self sustained. The interaction between the magnetic filed
of the magnet and the magnetization of the ferrofluid
creates a magnetic force greater than the weight force of
the magnet (the magnet's density is
m
=7g/ml and of the
ferrofluid
z
lg/ml)Fig.6. shows the achieving way of the
transducer. A nonmagnetic cylindrical tube is filled up
with a high stability ferrofluid. An axial polarized magnet
is sustained in the ferrofluid. Around the tube are two
windings in phase opposition that belong to an electronic
system of a negative reaction used in the control and the
adjustment of the magnet's position.

Fig.6. Tilt transducer with self-sustained magnet in
ferrofluid

As it is shown in the Fig.6.b,when the magnet is inclined
to an angle to the vertical, the component of the weight
mgcos acts along the axis of the magnet from the
equilibrium position. The coils detect this change and
bringing the magnet back to isti initial position. In the
equilibrium position, the current /depends on the cos or
on the tilt of the magnet and tube. Additionally if the tilt
is known, the acceleration g can be determined. Since
such a device can also be used as a sensor for an
accelerometer.

364
In the drilling operation it is important to know precisely
the position of the willing machine situated at the end of
the in-depth hole.
Each measuring derrick consists in three such transducers
arranged lengthwise three orthogonal axes x, y and z
.Also, those magnetometers are fastened along these axes.
The inclinometer supplies information about the angular
position of the willing machine ( ) and the magnetometer
computer to analyze and evaluate.
During the drilling operation the temperature can reach
125
0
or even more, and the level or vibrations can be
some hundreds g. The precision of the sensor is {0.2
0
}
even in these severe conditions. The ferrofluid is an
essential component of the device and is specially
synthetized for this temperature, having the colloidal
stability necessary to the application.
Another transducer with sustained magnet with the help
of the magnetic liquid, having a single structure, capable
of noticing the tilt of some objects with a high precision
and applicable to position control systems, is illustrated in
Fig.7.

Fig.7. Gilt sensor with a sensors Hall

It is composed of a nonmagnetic material carcass 1,e.g
aluminum a lid 2 the same material and the precinct 3 that
has curved and polished lower surface A[5]. A sensitive
magnetic element (sensor hall) 6 is fastened near the
surface A, in central part.


Up on setting the transducer on a horizontal surface B the
magnet 4 occupies the lowest position of the surface A, in
its central zone. As a result the element 6 will detect a
strong magnetic field when the surface B, is inclined, the
magnet 4 moves and occupies the lowest position, in
another zone of the surface a due to its own weight. By
removing the magnet from the sensitive element, the
magnetic field detect by this diminishes. The position of
the magnet in relation to the sensitive element changes in
correspondence with the tilting angle of the carcass 1
getting an electric signal given by the way of the disposed
of the elements around the permanent magnet are not
limited to the configuration represent in Fig.7.For
example, four sensitive magnetic elements can be
disposed on the walls of the space closed by the carcass 1,
at equal angular intervals, detecting in this way both the
value and the direction of the tilt.
4. CONCLUSION

The tilt ferrofliud transducers being more robust and
resistant to shocks and vibrations than the conventional
ones and having simpler achieving technology become
cheaper and accessible so that, depending on the specific
application, they can represent an alternative for the
pendulum-based transducers or for the other transducers
used in the current practice.


REFERENCES

[1] FIEDLER O., J ASKULKE R., MULLER I.,
Anwendungen magnischer Flussigkeiten zu
Neigungswinkemessungen, msr,Berlin32,1989, p.158 -160
[2] SABLIN D., SKOBELEV M., KOLESNIKOV A.,
Brevet de inventie, URSS, nr 1751643 A1, 1992
[3] IVERS D.E. et al., Two-way magnetorheological fluid
valve assembly and devices utilising same, Brevet de
inventie SUA, nr. 6 158 470, 2000
[4] RAJ K., MOSCOWITZ R., Commercial Applications
of ferrofluids, J ournal of magnetism and Magnetic
Materuals, Vol.85, 1990,p.223-245.
[5] DRAGOI D.D. Utilizari ale traductoarelor si
dispozitivelor magnetofluidice in constructia de masini,
Ed Tehnica-Info, Chisinau, 2005

























CORRESPONDENCE


Dumitru Dan DRAGOI, Lecteur.Dr. Eng.
University of Bacau
Faculty of Enginering
Str. Marasesti 157
600115 Bacau, Romania
dddragoi@ub.ro

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