EGR 311 : Digital Signal Conditioning

1. Basic logic gates : AND, OR and NOT can be used to

implement logic control circuits

Example: We must signal an alarm when certain

combination of condition occur among the three process
variable.

a. Low level with high pressure and high temperature

b. High pressure and high level

Implement the logic circuit.

Example 2

Implement the logic circuit that has the Boolean expression

as below and draw the truth table to know the operation of
this circuit.

Y = A B +AC
Converters

The most important tool for process control is one that

translate analog information to digital and vice versa. Most
measurements are converted into analog electrical signals.
To interface this signals with digital logic circuit or computer,
it is necessary to perform analog to digital (A/D) conversion.
When a digital signal is required to drive an analog device,
digital to analog converter is required.

Comparator

Most elementary form of communication between analog

and digital is a device called comparator which was
introduced under OP-AMP topic.

Example

A process control system specifies that the temperature

should never exceed 160C if the pressure also exceeds
10kPa. Design an alarm system to detect this condition,
using temperature and pressure transducer with transfer
functions of 2.2mV/C and 0.2VkPa, respectively.

Analog to Digital Converters

N = number of bits used

2N= number of quantization levels (possible states)

VR= Reference voltage for the ADC IC ( Normally must be
same as maximum of Vin)

Quantization level = VR/ 2N

Example

N= 3, VR =5V

Digital out Voltage

000 0
001 0.625
010 1.25
011 1.875
100 2.5
101 3.125
110 3.75
111 4.375

Example

Temperature is measured by a sensor with an output of

0.02V/C. Determine the required ADC reference and word
size to measure 0 to 100C with 0.1C resolution.
 Example

Find the digital word that results from a 3.127 V input to a 5

bit ADC with a 5V reference.

Example

The input to a 10 bit ADC with a 2.50V reference is 1.45V.

What is the hex output?

Suppose the output was found to be 1B4H. What is the

voltage input?
Digital to Analog Converters.

Vout = (VR /2N) x ( Decimal value of the Binary input)

Example

What is the output voltage of a 10 bit DAC with a 10.0 V

reference if the input is

a. 0B5H

b. 20FH

c. What input is needed to get a 6.5V output?

Example

Determine how many bits a D/A converter must have to

provide output increments of 0.04V or less. The reference is
10V.
Example

A control valve has a linear variation of opening as the input

varies from 0 to 10V. A microcomputer outputs an 8 bit word
to control the valve opening using an 8 bit DAC to generate
the valve voltage.

a. Find the reference voltage required to obtain a full open

valve ( 10V)

b. Find the percentage of valve opening for a 1 bit change in

the input word.