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5.

MEASURING AMPLIFIERS

5.1. Tasks of the measurement


5.1.1. Measure the voltage of the given thermocouple using a DVM for one position of the
thermostat switch.
5.1.2. Using operational amplifier OP7 propose the circuit diagram
1) of an inverting voltage amplifier with voltage gain 100 and input resistance 1 kΩ,
2) of a noninverting amplifier with voltage gain 100 and input resistance 100 kΩ.
5.1.3. Use the inverting amplifier from point 5.1.2 to amplify the thermocouple voltage. The
amplifier output voltage should be measured by the same DVM that was used in point
5.1.1 and for the same position of the thermostat switch. Make correction of the error
of the method caused by finite input resistance of the amplifier.
5.1.4. Find the expanded uncertainty of the measurement of the thermocouple voltage
(coverage factor k = 2) both for the direct measurement of the thermocouple voltage
and for the thermocouple voltage amplified by the inverting amplifier according to
point 5.1.2. In the latter case take into account not only error of the DVM and
tolerances of the resistors used, but also the maximum input offset voltage of the
operational amplifier (disregard the influence of input bias currents of the operational
amplifier). The values that you need for computation are given below.
5.1.5. Find the temperature measured by the thermocouple according to points 5.1.1 a 5.1.3,
if the thermocouple constant is K = 54 µV/°C. Suppose that the temperature of the
reference end of the thermocouple is 20 °C (temperature of the laboratory).
5.1.6. Verify that the actual input offset voltage of the used operational amplifier is lower
than the maximum (or even typical) value of input offset voltage from the amplifier
data sheet.

Hints to the measurement


1. Parasitic thermoelectric voltages at the connecting points (both terminals and soldered
connections) of wires used in the measuring circuit can cause comparatively large
relative error of measurement. Therefore start measuring after sufficient time
necessary for the temperature balance of the circuit - wait till the voltmeter reading
does not change monotonically (allow for possible changes caused by noise).
2. Tolerances of the resistances are written on resistors. Thermocouple resistance is
given on the thermocouple box.
3. The used operational amplifier allows for the input voltage offset compensation. This
compensation is seldom used in practice and we do not use it in this laboratory
exercise either.
5.2. Schematic diagram

TC
U1 DV
ϑ1

ϑ0

Fig. 5.1 Direct measurement of thermocouple voltage by digital voltmeter

R2 R2

RT I1 R1 +
- -
1kΩ UX
UT UX + 100kΩ U2
U2 R1

Fig. 5.2 Inverting amplifier for amplification of Fig. 5.3 Noninverting amplifier with input
the thermocouple voltage resistance of 100 kΩ

5.3. List of the equipment used


DV - digital voltmeter, model number: ..., accuracy: ± ... % of reading ± ... % of range,
voltage range: ...;
TC - thermocouple in thermostat;
OA - operational amplifier type OP07;
DC - power supply +15 V, -15 V
Tab. 5.1 Basic parameters of selected operational amplifiers

OA ICL 7650 741 LT 1097 OP 07 LM 155


OA property
Voltage offset typ./max. 0.7 1500/5000 10/60 60/150 1000
(µV)
Voltage offset temperature 0.02 10 0,3 0,5 5
drift (µV/°C)
Input bias current typ./max. 5 50000 350 1800/7000 50
(pA)
CMRR (dB) 120 90 130 110 100
Slew rate (V/µs) 2.5 0.5 0.2 0.3 5
Notes: ICL 7650 automatically nulled OA
741 low cost obsolete bipolar OA
LT 1097 high accuracy OA
OP 07 high quality OA, the given parameters correspond to the low-
cost version of the OA (industry standard)
LM 155 low-cost BIFET OA (using FE transistors in input stage)

Theoretical background

See the textbook:


M. Sedláček, J. Holub, D. Hejtmanová: Laboratory Excercises in Electrical Measurements,
CTU Publishing House, Prague, 2005

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