Author: John Mulindi
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Tube & Tube Fittings – Instrument Tubing Connections
Tube is a hollow structure that is designed to provide an enclosed pathway for fluids to flow just in the same way as the pipe. Tubes are manufactured from rolled or extruded metal however plastic is a common tube material for many industrial applications. In this article we discuss some of the common methods for…
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What is the function and application of a Modulation Analyzer?
Modulation analyzer is used in communication systems for investigating amplitude, frequency and phase-modulated RF signals. Also referred to as a precision receiver, it can measure carrier frequency and power in addition to modulating frequency, modulation depth, frequency deviation and so forth. It is applied in testing transmitters, RF signal generators, attenuators, and other communication circuits.…
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Distortion Meter vs. Wave Analyzer, How do they Differ?
Though these two instruments may appear similar in their functionality, there are actually subtle differences between them in terms of their functions and operations. The distortion meter is used to measure the total harmonic distortion content in an input waveform whereas the wave analyzer is used to measure relative amplitude of single frequency components in…
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NAMUR NE 43 for Process Instrumentation Diagnostics
NAMUR NE 43 is a recommendation that seeks to promote the standardization of the signal level for failure information. The objective of NAMUR NE 43 is to set the foundation for proactively employing transmitter failure signals in process instrumentation and control. Using these failure signals, instrument faults are separated from process measurements. Because the faults…
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Pipe & Pipe Fittings: Common Connection Types & Features
Instruments may be connected to their corresponding processes and to each other by using pipe, tube and/or wires. In this article we focus on pipe and pipe fittings; the common techniques for joining pipes together and joining pipe ends to equipment such as flow measurement instruments. Pipe and Pipe Fittings Pipe can be defined as…
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Standard Pipe Sizes
The pipe size is normally specified with two numbers i.e. the nominal pipe diameter (or bore) and the pipe schedule. This then sets the outside pipe diameter, the wall thickness and thus the internal diameter. With the exception of specialist applications, commercially available pipes come in standard sizes. Pipes manufactured in standard sizes are available…
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Distortion Meter: Function, Components & Controls
The Function of a Distortion Meter A distortion meter is used to measure the total harmonic distortion content in an input waveform. The rms level of the distortion is usually measured as a percentage of the rms level of the complete waveform. Alternatively, a decibel measurement may be employed. A sine wave input to an…
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How to Calibrate a DC Ammeter using a Potentiometer
We can calibrate a dc ammeter by connecting it in series with a precision resistor/standard resistor, and accurately measuring the resistor voltage drop. The level of ammeter current is determined by dividing the resistor voltage drop by its resistance value. When the resistor value is known precisely, and the voltage drop is measured by a…
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Fundamentals of Fiber Optics Sensing Technology
Fiber optics sensors basically consist of an optical source that is coupled to an optical transmission line that directs the radiation to a sensor head as illustrated below: The light is then returned after being modified in some way by the sensor interaction, via the optical fiber, in either a reflective or transmission mode, to…
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Wave Analyzers: Function, Types & Applications
The Function of a Wave Analyzer Generally, a periodic waveform can be represented as a sum of a dc component and a series of sinusoidal harmonics. The analysis of a waveform entails the determination of the values of amplitude, frequency and at times the phase angle of the harmonic components. A wave analyzer is an…