Compensation (technology)
In technology, compensation is understood to be an effect in which various influences due to technical conditions or their design act against one another in such a way that they cancel each other out.
Measure against interference
If one influence of a physical quantity is assessed as a disturbance, the aim of the compensation is to counter the undesired influence with a second one that is supposed to cancel out the original influence.
- In temperature compensation , for example, an attempt is made to reduce an undesired temperature influence as much as possible. Institutions that create differences are suitable for this.
- For example, the temperature influence on the expansion of a strain gauge can be canceled out by means of the Wheatstone bridge in its electrical signal by a second, mechanically unstretched gauge that is exposed to the same temperature.
- Currently, attempts are the global warming to slow inter alia, by collecting and depositing of carbon dioxide .
- In the electrical AC voltage network, motors require inductive reactive current , which loads the network without contributing to the transport of energy. The load on the grid is reduced by means of reactive current compensation. For this purpose, for example, capacitive reactive current is added to the inductive reactive current in the opposite direction, preferably by means of additionally operated capacitive consumers of an appropriate size.
- Thermal expansions , vibrations or settling phenomena in pipes by mechanical compensators balanced. The compensation takes place by means of an elastic bellows made of metal, fabric, PTFE or other materials.
Measurement method
The compensation or zero balance measurement method is one of the basic methods of measurement technology according to DIN 1319-2 . It works according to the following principle: The variable to be measured is compared with a compensation variable. This variable is physically identical, adjustable and its value can be determined. It is readjusted until equality is determined (comparison to zero difference). The value of the compensation variable set is the measured value . In some cases a correction factor has to be included.
- Example: Beam balance with display for torque balance.
With this method, a set of weights or movable weights is used to set the counter-torque.
When the torques are in equilibrium, the equality of the masses is only obtained after correcting for the ratio of the lever arm lengths. - Example: Voltage compensator with display for voltage equality
With this method, a precision voltage source and an adjustable voltage divider are used to set the compensation voltage .
With an electronically digitally adjustable compensation voltage, this method creates an analog-digital converter . Details are explained under digital metrology .