PROCESS INSTRUMENTATION AND CONTROL

Lab Report
Wheatstone Bridge

Group Number: 3
Degree: BS-Chemical Engineering
Session: 19-23

Group Members
Mafaz Ahmed Khan Muhammad Abaan Khan
Mubshir Saghir Minahil Fatima
Hafiz Abdullah Zain

Submitted To: Engr. Muhammad Faraz

Date: 29/11/2022
Department
BS Chemical Engineering
Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences Islamabad

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Table of Contents
1 Experiment: .......................................................................................................................... 3
2 Equipment and Instruments ................................................................................................. 3
3 Objectives: ........................................................................................................................... 3
4 Abstract: ............................................................................................................................... 3
5 Theory: ................................................................................................................................. 3
5.1 Wheatstone Bridge Circuit ............................................................................................ 3
5.2 Null Balance .................................................................................................................. 4
5.3 The Three Wire Resistance Measuring Circuit ............................................................. 4
6 Procedure: ............................................................................................................................ 5
7 Observations and Calculation: ............................................................................................. 5
8 Conclusion ........................................................................................................................... 5

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1 Experiment:
Wheatstone Bridge

2 Equipment and Instruments

 2 mm connecting leads
 IT- 5927 Transducer and instrumentation trainer

3 Objectives:
The Objective of the experiment are as follows:
 State the principles of the basic Wheatstone Bridge circuit for resistance
measurement.
 Describe the term "null balance".
 State and apply the expression for calculating an unknown resistance from the Bridge
values at balance.
 Apply null methods to voltage measurements.
 Make resistance and voltage measurements using the IT-5927 facilities.

4 Abstract:
During measurement, R3 is adjusted until there is no current flowing in the galvanometer
circuit. The galvanometer current is zero or null. Under these conditions, the bridge is said to
be balanced. Hence the term null balance. The purpose of the galvanometer is to detect the
presence of the null condition. From the known values of R1, R2 & R3 at balance, the value of
R4 can be calculated.
With some resistance transducer circuits, the transducer may be situated relatively large
distance from the bridge circuit, and the resistance of the connecting leads may be significant
and could affect the results. For these situations the three-wire connection arrangement is used.

5 Theory:
5.1 Wheatstone Bridge Circuit
The Figure below shows the basic Wheatstone Bridge Circuit, consisting of four resistors and
a sensitive center zero meter connected to a DC source. R1, R2 & R3 are accurate, close
tolerance, resistors. R3 is variable and calibrated over its full range. R4 is the unknown resistor
to be measured.

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5.2 Null Balance
During measurement. R3 is adjusted until there is no current (Im) flowing in the
galvanometer circuit. The galvanometer current is zero or null. Under these conditions, the
bridge is said to be balanced. Hence the term null balance. The purpose of the galvanometer is
to detect the presence of the null condition. From the known values of R1, R2 & R3 at
balance, the value of R4 can be calculated from
R2
R4 = × R3
R1
The ratio of the values of resistors R2R1 sets the range, so that values of the unknown resistor
R4 which are larger or smaller than the variable resistor R3 can be measured. There is no
limit to the range of values which can be measured. Any inaccuracy in the values of the ratio
arm resistors RI & R2, and also in the standard. variable resistor RJ, will result in errors in the
measured value of R4. Since no current flows in the "null detector" branch at balance no error
can be introduced by this part of the circuit.

5.3 The Three Wire Resistance Measuring Circuit

With some resistance transducer circuits, the transducer may be situated relatively large
distance from the bridge circuit, and the resistance of the connecting leads may be significant
and could affect the results. For these situations the three-wire connection arrangement is used.
The circuit with a resistance transducer R4 situated remotely from the bridge and connected via
two wires. The resistance of these wires will be included in the measurement of R4. One of the
wires to the transducer is now included in the R2 circuit and the other is in the R4 circuit. The
resistance of both circuits will therefore be increased equally and the effect on the balance
condition will be minimized, provided that the resistances of R2 and R4 are of similar
magnitudes.
The extra wire in the galvanometer circuit will have no effect on the reading, since there is no
current flowing in it at the balance condition.

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6 Procedure:
 Initially the amplifier and meter configuration which forms the sensitive galvanometer
must be set up so that zero input produces zero output when the gain is set to maximum
 Connect the meter and amplifiers with the + &- inputs of the Differential Amplifier short
circuited so that the input is zero. Set the Amplifier #2 GAIN to 10 and the GAIN FINE
to 1.0.
 Switch the power supply ON and adjust the OFFSET control so that the moving coil
meter indicates approximately zero. Then set the GAIN to 100 and re-adjust the OFFSET
control for zero output precisely.
 With the switch on the Wheatstone bridge circuit set to IN (connecting the unknown
resistor in circuit) set the Amplifier 2 GAIN to 10 and connect the circuit.
 Adjust the control of the 10-tum variable resistor of Wheatstone bridge so that the
moving coil meter reading is approximately zero, then set the GAIN 100, Finally adjust
the 10-tum resistor of Wheatstone bridge control accurately for zero meter (null) reading
to balance the bridge.
 Note the resistor dial reading (overleaf). This represents the resistance R3 in the
theoretical circuit considered earlier.
 Switch OFF the power supply.

7 Observations and Calculation:

Dial reading = 1.2

Resistance R3= 10 x dial reading = 12 Ω

Resistance R1= 10000-R3= 9988 Ω

Resistance R2= 120000 Ω

Unknown resistance R4 = × R3 = 14.417 Ω

Enter value for the unknown resistor Rx in kΩ =1.414x10-2 kΩ

8 Conclusion
Wheatstone Bridge is a device used to measure the unknown resistance of a resistor when the
other resistance is known. The device has four arms as four resistors and the current are
balanced as a ratio of lengths and resistances. The purpose of this experiment was to create
and build an electrical circuit in order to measure and determine the resistance of an unknown
resistor (Rx). This was accomplished by using a Wheatstone bridge circuit that has a
diamond-shaped arrangement consisting of four resistors. By using this circuit, it was possible
to calculate an unknown resistance due to its equation.

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