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AC and DC Bridge Circuits Explained

Bridge circuits are measurement tools that provide accurate resistance, inductance, and capacitance measurements. They work by producing an output voltage proportional to the measured quantity. Wheatstone bridges are commonly used null-type DC bridges. They have two known resistors, one variable resistor, and one unknown resistor in a bridge formation. By adjusting the variable resistor to make the galvanometer read zero, the ratio of known to unknown resistors can be determined, allowing calculation of the unknown value. Wheatstone bridges operate on the principle that at null, the voltage drops across the two paths through the bridge are equal, satisfying the bridge equation. This allows solving for the unknown resistor value.

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581 views2 pages

AC and DC Bridge Circuits Explained

Bridge circuits are measurement tools that provide accurate resistance, inductance, and capacitance measurements. They work by producing an output voltage proportional to the measured quantity. Wheatstone bridges are commonly used null-type DC bridges. They have two known resistors, one variable resistor, and one unknown resistor in a bridge formation. By adjusting the variable resistor to make the galvanometer read zero, the ratio of known to unknown resistors can be determined, allowing calculation of the unknown value. Wheatstone bridges operate on the principle that at null, the voltage drops across the two paths through the bridge are equal, satisfying the bridge equation. This allows solving for the unknown resistor value.

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npavank
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We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

SANSKRITHI SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING, PUTTAPARTHI

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING


15A02501 - ELECTRICAL MASUREMENTS

UNIT –II
D.C & A.C Bridges
Bridge circuits are used very commonly as a variable conversion
element in measurement systems and produce an output in the form of a voltage level that changes
as the measured physical quantity changes. They provide an accurate method of measuring
resistance, inductance and capacitance values, and enable the detection of very small changes in
these quantities about a nominal value. They are of immense importance in measurement system
technology because so many transducers measuring physical quantities have an output that is
expressed as a change in resistance, inductance or capacitance.
The displacement-measuring strain gauge, which has a varying
resistance output, is but one example of this class of transducers. Normally, excitation of the
bridge is by a d.c. voltage for resistance measurement and by an a.c. voltage for inductance or
capacitance measurement. Both null and deflection types of bridge exist, and, in a like manner to
instruments in general, null types are mainly employed for calibration purposes and deflection
types are used within closed-loop automatic control schemes.

D.C Bridges

Wheatstone Bridge (Null-type, d.c. bridge)


For measuring accurately any electrical resistance Wheatstone bridge is widely
used. There are two known resistors, one variable resistor and one unknown resistor connected in
bridge form as shown below. By adjusting the variable resistor the current through the Galvanometer
is made zero. When the current through the
galvanometer becomes zero, the ratio of two known
resistors is exactly equal to the ratio of adjusted value
of variable resistance and the value of unknown
resistance. In this way the value of unknown electrical
resistance can easily be measured by using a
Wheatstone Bridge.

Wheatstone Bridge Theory

The general arrangement


of Wheatstone bridge circuit is shown in the figure
below. It is a four arms bridge circuit where arm AB,
BC, CD and AD are consisting of electrical
resistances P, Q, S and R respectively. Among these
resistances P and Q are known fixed electrical

[Link] KUMAR, AP/EEE SSE-PTP


SANSKRITHI SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING, PUTTAPARTHI
DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING
15A02501 - ELECTRICAL MASUREMENTS
resistances and these two arms are referred as ratio arms. An accurate and sensitive Galvanometer is
connected between the terminals B and D through a switch S2.

The voltage source of this Wheatstone bridge is


connected to the terminals A and C via a switch S1 as shown. A variable
resistor S is connected between point C and D. The potential at point D can be
varied by adjusting the value of variable resistor. Suppose current I1 and
current I2 are flowing through the paths ABC and ADC respectively. If we
vary the electrical resistance value of arm CD the value of current I2 will also
be varied as the voltage across A and C is fixed. If we continue to adjust the
variable resistance one situation may comes when voltage drop across the
resistor S that is I2. S is becomes exactly equal to voltage drop across resistor Q that is I1.Q. Thus the
potential at point B becomes equal to the potential at point D hence potential difference between these
two points is zero hence current through galvanometer is nil. Then the deflection in the galvanometer
is nil when the switch S2 is closed.

Now, from Wheatstone bridge circuit

And

Now potential of point B in respect of point C is nothing but the voltage drop across the resistor Q and
this is

Again potential of point D in respect of point C is nothing but the voltage drop across the resistor S
and this is

Equating, equations (i) and (ii) we get,

Here in the above equation, the value of S and P ⁄ Q are known, so value of R can easily be
determined.
The electrical resistances P and Q of the Wheatstone bridge are made of definite ratio such as 1:1;
10:1 or 100:1 known as ratio arms and S the rheostat arm is made continuously variable from 1 to
1,000 Ω or from 1 to 10,000 Ω.

The above explanation is most basic Wheatstone bridge theory.

[Link] KUMAR, AP/EEE SSE-PTP

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