Dynamometer Type

Instruments:

Dynamometer type instruments:

These instruments are the modified form of permanent magnet moving coils type. Here operating field is
produced by a permanent but by another fixed coil. The moving system and the control system are
similar to those of permanent magnet type. Such instruments can be used for both a.c and d.c circuits.
They can be used as ammeters and voltmeters but are generally used as wattmeters.

Principle :
These instruments are based on that principle the mechanical force exists between the current carrying
conductors.

Construction of Dynamometer type instruments:

A dynamometer type instrument as shown in fig essentially consists of a fixed coil and a moving coil. The
fixed coil is split into two equal parts which are placed close together and parallel to each other. The
moving coil is pivoted in between the two fixed coils. The fixed and moving coils may be excited
separately or they may be connected in series depending upon the use to which the measurement is
put. The moving coil is attached to the moving system so that under the action of deflecting torque, the
pointer moves over the scale.
Dynamometer type instrument, Electro Dynamometer type instrument,

Dynamometer type instrument

The controlling torque is provided by two springs which also serve the additional purpose of leading the
current into and out of the moving coil. Air friction damping is provided in such instruments.

Working of Dynamometer type instruments:

When instrument is connected in the circuit, operating currents flow through the coils. Due to this,
mechanical force exists between the coils. The result is that the moving coil moves the pointer over the
scale. The pointer comes to rest at a position where deflecting torque is equal to the controlling torque.

by reversing the current, the field due to fixed coils is reversed as well as the current in the moving coil,
so that the direction of deflecting torque remains unchanged. Therefore, such instruments can be used
for both d.c and a.c measurements.

Deflecting torque of Dynamometer type instruments:

Let

If = current through fixed coil

Im = current through moving coil

Since If = Im because the fixed and coils are in series,

Td = I^2

Since the control is by springs, therefore,

controlling torque is proportional to the angle of deflection

Tc proportional deflection
The pointer will come to rest at a position when Td = Tc

we get deflection proportional I^2

It is clear that deflection of the pointer is directly proportional to the square of the operating current.
Hence, the scales of these instruments is non - uniform being crowded in their lower parts and spread
out at the top.

Advantages of Dynamometer type instruments:

1. These instruments can be used for both a.c and d.c measurements.

2. Such instruments are free from hysteresis and eddy current errors.

Disadvantages of Dynamometer type instruments:

1. Since torque / weight ratio is small, therefore, such instruments have frictional errors which reduce
sensitivity.

2. Scale is not uniform.

3. A good amount of screening of the instruments are required to avoid the effect of stray fields.

4. These instruments are costlier than types and, therefore, they are rarely used as ammeters and
voltmeters.
Dynamometer type wattmeter.
Construction of Dynamometer Type Wattmeter :
the dynamometer wattmeter for measuring the power. If two coils are connected such that, current
proportional to the load voltage, flows through one coil and current proportional to the load current,
flows through other coil, the meter can be calibrated directly in watts. This is true because the indication
depends upon the product of the two magnetic fields. The strength of the magnetic fields depends upon
the values of the current flowing through the coils.

Working of Dyanamometer Type Wattmeter :

Let

v=supply voltage

i=load current and

R=resistance of the moving coil circuit

Current through fixed coils, i(f)=I

Current through the moving coil, i(m)=v/R

Deflecting torque,

For a DC circuit the deflecting torque is thus proportional to the power.

For any circuit with fluctuating torque, the instantaneous torque is proportional to instantaneous power.
In this case due to inertia of moving parts, the deflection will be proportional to the average power. For
sinusoidal alternating quantities the average power is VI COS?, where

V= r.m.s. value of voltage,

I=r.m.s. value of current, and

?= phase angle between V and I

Hence an electrodynamic instrument, when connected as shown in figure, indicates the power,
irrespective of the fact it is connected in an AC or DC circuit.

Ranges:
Current circuit: 0.25 A to 100 A with employing current transformers (CTs).

Potential circuit: 5V to 750 V without employing potential transformers (PTs).

Types of Dynamometer Wattmeter:

Dynamometer wattmeters may be divided into two classes:

Suspended-coil torsion instruments.

Pivoted-coil, direct indicating instruments.

1. Suspended-coil Torsion Wattmeters:

These instruments are used largely as standard wattmeters.

The moving, or voltage, coil is suspended from a torsion head by a metallic suspension which serves as a
lead to the coil. This coil is situated entirely inside the current or fixed coils and the winding in such that
the system is a static. Errors due to external magnetic fields are thus avoided.

The torsion heads carries a scale, and when in use, the moving coil is bought back to the zero position by
turning this head; the number of divisions turned through when multiplied by a constant for the
instrument gives the power.

Eddy currents are eliminated as far as possible by winding the current coils of standard wire and by using
no metal parts within the region of the magnetic field of the instrument.

The mutual inductance errors are completely eliminated by making zero position of the coil such that the
angle between the planes of moving coil and fixed coil is 90 degree. i.e. the mutual inductance between
the fixed and moving coil is zero.

The elimination of pivot friction makes possible the construction of extremely sensitive and accurate
electrodynamic instruments of this pattern.

2. Pivoted-coil Direct-indicating Wattmeters:

These instruments are commonly used as switchboard or portable instruments.

In these instruments, the fixed coil is wound in two halves, which are placed in parallel to another at
such a distance, that uniform field is obtained. The moving coil is wound of such a size and pivoted
centrally so that it does not project outside the field coils at its maximum deflection position.

The springs are pivoted for controlling the movement of the moving coil, which also serves as currents
lead to the moving coil.

The damping is provided by using the damping vane attached to the moving system and moving in a
sector-shaped box.

The reading is indicated directly by the pointer attached to the moving system and moving over the
calibrated scale.

The eddy current errors, within the region of the magnetic field of the instrument, are minimized by the
use of non-metallic parts of high resistivity material.

Advantages and disadvantages of dynamometer type wattmeter:

The advantages and disadvantages of dynamometer type wattmeters are as under:

Advantages:

1) In dynamometer type wattmeter, the scale of the instrument is uniform (because deflecting torque
is proportional to the true power in both DC as well as AC and the instrument is spring controlled.)

2) High degree of accuracy can be obtained by careful design; hence these are used for calibration
purposes.

Disadvantages:

1) The error due to the inductance of the pressure coil at low power factor is very serious (unless
special features are incorporated to reduce its effect)
2) In dynamometer type wattmeter, stray field may affect the reading of the instrument. To reduce it,
magnetic shielding is provided by enclosing the instrument in an iron case.