How they work and how to use them with a third-party LVDT signal conditioner designed specifically for Power Gen Applications

LVDTs (Linear Variable Differential Transformers) are very commonly used as position sensors in power plants throughout the world. Working from AC voltages and frequencies not available from power lines, LVDTs require a signal conditioner to provide the necessary operating power. Alliance Sensors Group's model S2A module, designed specifically to be used in power gen applications, is considered by many power gen users be the most advanced and easy to use single channel LVDT signal conditioner on the market today. It can operate practically any inductive or LVDT-type position sensor currently in use.

Most snow plows utilize hydraulic actuators to raise and lower the plow blade, change the blade’s left-to-right surface contact angle, and adjust the plow blade’s front-to-back tilt angle. Typically, these plow positioning functions are under the plow operator’s control. However, the operator’s productivity can be improved and plow maintenance reduced if plow position feedback is made available to the operator in the vehicle’s cab. A further benefit to plow fleet operators is that the position sensors’ output could be transmitted along with the GPS location of the plow vehicles to a remote site, where the plow operating parameters can be logged and evaluated for productivity and maintenance analysis. In addition, there can be electronic systems on board the plow vehicle that utilize various sensors to evaluate snow pack compaction and related factors to automatically control the most important plow position parameters.