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ACCELEROMETER SENSITIVITY SAAD , ME-002 3/4/12 Click to edit Master subtitle style
MECHANICAL VIBRATION

Measuring Vibration

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Accelerometer

A device that measures acceleration. Standard International unit = m/sec2 Non-SI unit gravitational acceleration g (1g is about 9.81 m/s) Accelerations below 0.001 m/s are measured in seismic surveys. Most humans lose consciousness at around 60 m/s (6.1g). A car accident of 100 m/s (10.2g) will PM 3/4/12 12:10:19 break human bones

Accelerometer Types

Common Accelerometer Types

Resistive
Strain

Gauge

Piezoresistive Micromachined Thin-Film

Capacitive Fiber Optic Servo or Force Balance

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Accelerometer Types

Resistive / Capacitive

DC to 10 kHz Cost lies from $10 to $1000. Applications:

Low frequency and/or long duration events

Ride quality

Automobile road response Amusement park rides Elevator movement Motion simulators
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Accelerometer Types

Fiber Optic
Similar characteristics and applications as resistive and capacitive sensors in addition to following:
High

temperature operation to 1000 F (537 C)

Cabling

is transmitting only light, which consequently eliminates the possibility of RF and EM interference in noisy environments.

Force Balance / Vibrating Quartz

DC 1kHz
Poor

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Accelerometer Types

Piezoelectric Sensors

"Piezo" is from the Greek word meaning to squeeze. When a piezoelectric material is stressed it produces electrical charge. Combined with a mass it can generate an electric charge signal proportional to mechanical stress i.e. vibration acceleration.

Signal/Powe r

Ground

Base Preload Ring Mass Piezoelectric Crystal Voltage or Charge Amplifier 3/4/12 12:10:19 PM

Piezoelectric Sensors

Piezoelectric Materials

Naturally Piezoelectric

Rochelle Salt

One of first materials used to make sensors

Tourmaline

Sensitive to hydrostatic pressure

Artificially Polarized

Piezofilm

Made of a special polymer - PVDF

Piezoceramics

Lead Zirconate Titanate Bismuth Titanate

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Piezoceramics or Quartz generate a charge output when subjected to force.

F piezo disk F

q = d.F
F q d force charge piezo constant

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A piezoelectric accelerometer consists of a piezoelectric material and a seismic mass.

The charge output is proportional to q acceleration. Seismic mass F = m.a

m charge sensitivity: q Bqa = a
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Piezoceramics Acceleration a

Piezoelectric Sensors

Extremely wide dynamic range, almost free of noise - suitable for shock measurement as well as for almost imperceptible vibration Excellent linearity over their dynamic range Wide frequency range, high frequencies can be measured Compact yet highly sensitive No moving parts - no wear
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Sensitivity / Scale Factor

ratio of the sensors electrical output to mechanical input. Typically rated in terms of mV/g or pC/g Valid only at one frequency, (conventionally at 80- 100 Hz,) narrow temperature band (typically 25 5C) and at a certain acceleration amplitude (usually 5 g or 10 g). Supplied with calibration certificates with exact sensitivity limits. 3/4/12 12:10:19 PM

Sensitivity / Scale Factor

Frequency Response: Sensitivity specified over the whole range of Accelerometer. Transverse Sensitivity: Transverse sensitivity is the sensitivity of the accelerometer at 90 degrees to the sensitive axis of the sensor.

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Sensitivity / Scale Factor

F = ma k = m

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Sensitivity / Scale Factor

Charge Mode and IEPE Accelerometers

Charge mode accelerometers provide the direct charge output of the piezo material. charge sensitivity
is expressed in picocoulombs per g or pC/g Disadvantage of charge output: Maximum cable length 10 m, special low-noise cables required. 3/4/12 12:10:19 PM

Sensitivity / Scale Factor

Dynamic Rangeis the +/- maximum amplitude that the accelerometer can measure before distorting or clipping the output signal. Typically specified in g's. The maximum output for an IEPE accelerometer is typically 4-8 volts. An accelerometer with a sensitivity of 100mV/g with electronics that has a maximum output of 5V will obviously have a dynamic range of +/- 50g while an accelerometer of sensitivity of 3/4/12 12:10:19 PM

Selection Criterion for accelerometer

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References

http://www.omega.com/prodinfo/accelerome http://www.mmf.de http://www.new.mmf.de/introduction.htm Measuring Vibration, Brel & Kjr 2850 Nrum Denmark

http://www.endevco.com/resources/tp_pdf/T

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Accelerometer Types
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Resistive Operating Principle

Voltage output of resistor bridge changes proportionally with applied acceleration + Signal + Power - Power - Signal

Fixed Resistors

Sensing Resistor #1 Flexure Sensing Resistor #2

Mass

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Accelerometer Types
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Capacitive Operating Principle

Utilizes frequency modulation technique through varying capacitor bridge Power Ground Signal

Fixed Capacitors Insulator

Built-In Electronics

Sensing Capacitor #1 Mass

Flexure

Insulator

Sensing Capacitor #2

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Accelerometer Types

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Fiber Optic Operating Principle

Amount of light gathered by receivers is proportional to applied acceleration Power Ground Signal

Receiver

Built-In Electronics Transmitter Receiver

Reflective Surface Flexure Mass Flexure

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Accelerometer Types
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Servo or Force Balance Operating Principle

Power Ground Signal Feedback force required to maintain uniform capacitance is proportional to acceleration

Sensing Amplifier Capacitance Gap Magnetic Mass

Feedback Power Amplifier Stationary Support

Flexure

Coil

Insulator

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Accelerometer Types

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Vibrating Quartz

Resonant frequency difference between elements is proportional to applied acceleration Power Ground Signal

Inverting Amplifier Frequency Tracking Amplifiers

Flexure Vibrating Crystal #1

Mass Mass

Vibrating Crystal #2 Flexure

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Accelerometer Types
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Piezoelectric

Signal/Powe Ground Force on self-generating crystal r provides charge output proportional to acceleration

Voltage or Charge Amplifier Preload Ring Mass Piezoelectric Crystal Base

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