KITS OF VARIOUS TYPES OF BRIDGE CIRCUITS

International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056

Volume: 10 Issue: 04 | Apr 2023 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072

Mr. Chandrakant Pradip Bhalekar

, Mr. Tanmay Anant Rawool

, Mr. Jayesh Kishor Desai

, Mr.

Rahul Narayan Gawas

, Mr. Harsh Chandrashekhar Sonsurkar

Prof. S. N. Nirmalkar

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

Students, Yashwantrao Bhonsale Polytechnic, Sawantwadi, Maharashtra, India

Faculty, Yashwantrao Bhonsale Polytechnic, Sawantwadi, Maharashtra, India

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Abstract - Bridge circuits are important electronic circuits

that are commonly used in various applications, including

sensor measurements, strain gauges, and thermistors. There

are different types of bridge circuits, including Wheatstone,

Kelvin, Maxwell, Wien and H bridge circuits. A Wheatstone

bridge circuit is primarily used for measuring unknown

resistance values. A Kelvin bridge circuit is used for measuring

low-resistance values with high accuracy. A Wien bridge

circuit is used for measuring the frequency of an AC signal,

while a Maxwell bridge circuit is ideal for measuring the

inductance of an inductor. These different types of bridge

circuits involve different components, configurations, and

calculations. They are essential tools in the field of electronics,

providing accurate measurements and facilitating precise

control of electronic devices. The availability of different kits

for various bridge circuits enables enthusiasts and

professionals to build and experiment with these circuits,

further advancing the field of electronics.

Key Words: Bridge Circuits, Resistance, Inductance,

Capacitance, measurements.

1. INTRODUCTION

Bridge circuits are an essential component of electronic

circuits, and they are used to measure various parameters

such as resistance, capacitance, and inductance. A bridge

circuit is essentially a circuit that contains four arms, with

two of these arms containing variable components, such as

resistors, capacitors, or inductors. The objective of a bridge

circuit is to balance the circuit, equalizing the voltage across

the bridge. In this technical paper, we will explore various

types of bridge circuits, including Wheatstone, Kelvin,

Schering, Maxwell, and Wien Bridge circuits.

1.1 Wheatstone Bridge

The Wheatstone Bridge Circuit is perhaps the most

commonly used bridge circuit. It is named after Sir Charles

Wheatstone, who invented this circuit back in 1833. The

Wheatstone Bridge Circuit consists of four resistors, with two

resistors in each arm. The ratio of the resistors in the

Wheatstone Bridge Circuit can be varied to measure

unknown resistance with great precision. The Wheatstone

bridge is commonly used for DC resistance measurements,

and it is highly reliable due to its accuracy and simplicity.

1.2 Kelvin Bridge

The Kelvin Bridge Circuit is also known as the Thomson

Bridge Circuit, named after its creator William Thomson, who

was later known as Lord Kelvin. The Kelvin Bridge Circuit is

an extension of the Wheatstone Bridge Circuit and is

designed to eliminate the effects of lead resistance, which can

often be a source of error in measurements. The Kelvin

Bridge Circuit incorporates four additional resistors, two of

which are placed in series with each of the two arms of the

Wheatstone Bridge Circuit. The Kelvin Bridge Circuit is

commonly used for measuring low resistance values.

1.3 Maxwell Bridge

The Maxwell Bridge Circuit is type of AC bridge circuit,

which is used to measure inductance. The Maxwell Bridge

Circuit was first developed by James Clerk Maxwell. It

consists of four arms, with two of these arms containing a

variable inductor. The Maxwell Bridge is commonly used for

measuring the inductance of inductors, and it is highly

reliable due to its accuracy and simplicity.

1.4 Wien Bridge

The Wien Bridge Circuit is a type of AC bridge circuit that

is used to measure the frequency of a signal. The Wien Bridge

Circuit was invented by Max Wien. The Wien Bridge Circuit

consists of four resistors, with two resistors in series with a

capacitor in each arm. The Wien Bridge Circuit is commonly

used for testing audio frequency circuits, and it is highly

reliable due to its simplicity and precision.

1.5 H-bridge

An electrical circuit known as an H-bridge allows the

application of a voltage across a load in both directions. The

H-bridge circuit can control the direction of rotation and the

speed of the DC motor.

International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056

Volume: 10 Issue: 04 | Apr 2023 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072

2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

1) Define the Research Problem: The first step is to define the

research problem, which, in this case, is to create kits of

various types of bridge circuits for use in a technical paper.

This requires an understanding of the different types of

bridge circuits, their applications, and the required

components.

2) Conduct a Literature Review: The next step is to conduct a

literature review to gather information about the different

types of bridge circuits, their specifications, and the

components required. This will involve researching books,

academic journals, and technical papers on the subject.

3) Formulate a Hypothesis: Based on the information

gathered from the literature review, formulate a hypothesis

about the design and development of kits of bridge circuits

for use in the technical paper.

4) Design the Kits: Using the hypothesis as a guide, design the

kits of various types of bridge circuits. This involves selecting

the necessary components, designing the circuit board layout,

and testing the circuit performance.

5) Conduct Experiments: Test the kits in various experiments

to verify their performance and efficiency. This will involve

measuring parameters such as voltage, current, resistance,

and frequency.

6) Analyze Results: Analyze the results obtained from the

experiments, compare them with the performance

specifications of the individual bridge circuits, and draw

conclusions about the effectiveness of the kits.

7) Draw Conclusions: Based on the results obtained from the

experiments, draw conclusions about the hypothesis, and

determine whether the design and development of kits of

various types of bridge circuits was successful.

8) Communicate Results: Finally, communicate the results

and conclusions in a technical paper or report, providing

detailed information about the kits design and development,

their performance, and their practical applications.

3. LITERATURE REVIEW

A bridge circuit is a fundamental electronic component that

is used to measure resistance, capacitance, and inductance. It

is a type of electrical circuit that is typically composed of

four resistive legs in a diamond shape, with an electrical load

placed across one of the vertices. There are several types of

bridge circuits that are commonly used in electronics,

including the Wheatstone bridge, the Kelvin Bridge and the

Maxwell Bridge. In this literature review, we will explore the

various types of bridge circuits, their advantages and

disadvantages, and their applications.

3.1 Wheatstone Bridge

The Wheatstone bridge is perhaps the most well-known

and widely used type of bridge circuit. Samuel Hunter

Christie designed it in 1833, and Sir Charles Wheatstone

modified it in 1843. The Wheatstone bridge consists of four

resistive elements that are connected in a diamond shape,

with an electrical load connected between two opposite

vertices. The bridge is balanced when the ratio of the two

resistive legs on one side of the bridge is equal to the ratio of

the two resistive legs on the other side. The Wheatstone

bridge is commonly used in applications where high accuracy

is required, and is particularly useful in measuring small

changes in resistance.

3.2 Kelvin Bridge

The Kelvin Bridge, also known as the Kelvin Double

Bridge or the Thomson Bridge, is a modification of the

Wheatstone bridge that is used to measure low resistance

values. It was developed by Lord Kelvin (William Thomson)

in the mid-19th century. The Kelvin Bridge uses two

additional resistive elements to reduce the effects of lead

resistance and contact resistance, which can cause errors in

resistance measurements. The Kelvin Bridge is commonly

used in applications such as measuring the resistance of

electrical contacts, measuring the resistance of conductive

coatings, and measuring the resistance of soldered

connections.

3.3 Maxwell Bridge

The Maxwell Bridge is a type of bridge circuit that is used

to measure small inductance values. It was developed by

James Clerk Maxwell in the mid-19th century. The Maxwell

Bridge consists of four resistive elements and an inductive

load. The bridge is balanced when the ratio of the two

resistive legs on one side of the bridge is equal to the ratio of

the two resistive legs on the other side, and when the product

of the two inductances on each side of the bridge is equal. The

Maxwell Bridge is commonly used in applications such as

measuring the inductance of small inductors, measuring the

self-inductance of coils, and measuring the mutual inductance

of transformers.

3.4 Wien Bridge

The Wien Bridge is a type of electronic circuit that is used

as a frequency generator and a filter in electronic and

communication systems. Its main advantage over other

circuits is that it provides a constant output amplitude over a

wide range of frequencies. The Wien Bridge circuit was

introduced in 1938 by Max Wien. Over the years, the circuit

has been modified and improved to suit various applications.

One popular modification is the Wien Bridge oscillator, which

is used to generate a stable sine wave. The oscillator consists

International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056

Volume: 10 Issue: 04 | Apr 2023 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072

of a Wien Bridge circuit and an amplifier. The circuit is

designed to oscillate at the frequency determined by the

values of its components. The amplifier is used to compensate

for the lost energy in the circuit.

3.5 H-bridge

An electrical circuit known as an H-bridge allows the

application of a voltage across a load in both directions. The

H-bridge circuit can control the direction of rotation and the

speed of the DC motor.

4. DETAIL OF IMPLEMENTATION

Bridge circuits are very common in electrical engineering

and are used to measure or compare various electrical

parameters such as resistance, capacitance, and inductance.

There are various types of bridge circuits available, each

designed to perform a specific task. In this technical paper,

we will discuss the different types of bridge circuits and their

applications.

4.1 Wheatstone Bridge

The Wheatstone bridge is the most commonly used bridge

circuit in electrical engineering. It is named after Sir Charles

Wheatstone, who first described it in 1833. The Wheatstone

bridge can be used to measure an unknown resistance value.

The circuit consists of four resistors connected in a bridge

configuration. When the bridge is balanced, the current

through R1 and R2 is equal to the current through R3 and R4.

At this point, the voltage between point C and D is zero, and

the unknown resistance Rx can be calculated using the

following equation Rx = R2(R3/R4).

Fig -1: Wheatstone Bridge

The Wheatstone bridge is widely used in industry for the

measurement of very low resistances, and it is also commonly

used in strain gauge applications.

4.2 Kelvin Bridge

The Kelvin bridge is commonly used in electrical

engineering to measure low resistances, typically less than

one ohm. Its design includes four resistive arms instead of the

three in the Wheatstone bridge, which increases its accuracy

and sensitivity. The Kelvin bridge works by passing a known

current through two known resistances (P and Q) in series

with the unknown resistance Rx, and then measuring the

voltage drop across Rx using a highly sensitive voltmeter. The

voltage is measured at points A and B which are connected to

Rx. The resistance value at Rx can be calculated using the

equation Rx = P (Q/s), where s is the ratio of voltages

measured on either side of Rx. The Kelvin bridge is highly

effective at measuring low resistances because it uses four-

wire connections which eliminate any errors caused by

contact resistance in the connecting wires.

The Kelvin bridge is commonly used in industry for the

measurement of very low resistances such as contact

resistance. Kelvin bridges are commonly used for measuring

low resistances, typically in the range of milliohm or micro-

ohm. They are commonly employed in laboratories, scientific

research, and industrial applications where high-precision

measurements are necessary. Kelvin bridge is also known as

Thomson bridge or improved or modified bridge.

Fig -1: Kelvin Bridge

4.3 Maxwell Bridge

The Maxwell bridge is designed to measure the

inductance of an unknown inductor. The bridge consists of

three known resistors (R1, R2, and R3), an unknown inductor

(Lx), and a variable capacitor (Cx). When the bridge is

balanced, the equation for the inductance of the unknown

inductor is Lx = R2R3C4.

International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056

Volume: 10 Issue: 04 | Apr 2023 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072

Fig -1: Maxwell Bridge

The Maxwell bridge is commonly used in radio frequency

applications to measure the inductance of coils and antennas.

4.4 Wien Bridge

The Wien bridge circuit is a type of electronic oscillator

that produces an output signal with a fixed frequency

determined by the components of the circuit. The circuit

consists of a bridge of four resistors and two capacitors, in

which an active element, typically an operational amplifier, is

connected.

The advantage of this circuit is that the frequency of

oscillation can be easily adjusted by varying the values of the

resistors and capacitors. The gain of the circuit at the

frequency of oscillation is ideally unity, which means that the

input and output signals are in phase. The circuit can be used

as a filter, or as a sine wave generator with low distortion. A

Wien bridge can be used as a measurement tool by adjusting

the variables in the circuit to match the impedance of the

unknown component. The Wien bridge is also commonly

known as the Wien oscillator or the Wien-Robinson

oscillator.

Fig -1: Wien Bridge

4.5 H-bridge

The H-bridge circuit is a type of electronic circuit that is

commonly used to control the direction and speed of a DC

motor. It consists of four switches that are arranged in the

shape of an "H" and a DC motor. By controlling the switches

properly, the H-bridge circuit can control the direction of

rotation and the speed of the DC motor.

Fig -1: H-bridge

The basic operation of an H-bridge circuit is that when

two switches on one side of the H-bridge are closed while the

other two on the opposite side are open, current flows

through the motor in one direction, causing it to rotate in one

direction. By reversing the position of the switches, the

polarity of the voltage supplied to the motor is reversed,

causing the motor to rotate in the opposite direction.

5. CONCLUSIONS

Bridge circuits are an essential tool in the field of electrical

engineering. They are used to measure various electrical

parameters such as resistance, capacitance, and inductance.

Each bridge circuit is designed to perform a specific task, and

it is important to understand the circuit's principles and

applications before using it for a specific task. The

Wheatstone bridge is the most commonly used bridge

circuit, while other bridges such as the Maxwell bridge,

Kelvin, Wien and H bridge are also very useful in specific

applications.

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International Research Journal of Engineering and Technology (IRJET) e-ISSN: 2395-0056

Volume: 10 Issue: 04 | Apr 2023 www.irjet.net p-ISSN: 2395-0072

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