BARC OCES Instrumentation Engineering Syllabus

BARC OCES Instrumentation Engineering: topic-wise syllabus

1. 1

   Sensors & Transducers

   ~14 marks

   • Classification & Characteristics — Static/Dynamic, Range, Sensitivity, Accuracy, Precision, Linearity, Hysteresis, Repeatability
   • Temperature Sensors — RTD (Pt100), Thermocouple (J, K, T, R, S), Thermistor, Pyrometers, IC Sensors
   • Pressure Sensors — Bourdon Tube, Bellows, Diaphragm, Strain Gauge, Piezoresistive, Capacitive, LVDT-based
   • Flow Sensors — Orifice, Venturi, Rotameter, Turbine, Electromagnetic, Ultrasonic, Coriolis, Thermal Mass
   • Level Sensors — Float, Displacer, Hydrostatic, Capacitive, Ultrasonic, Radar, Nuclear, Guided Wave Radar
   • Strain, Force & Torque — Strain Gauges (Bonded, Unbonded), Load Cells, Proving Rings, Torque Sensors
   • Position & Displacement — LVDT, RVDT, Potentiometer, Encoders (Incremental, Absolute), Hall Effect Sensors
   • Accelerometers & Vibration — Piezoelectric, MEMS Capacitive, Seismic, Velocity Pickups
   • Analytical Sensors — pH Electrode, Conductivity, Dissolved Oxygen, ORP, Gas Sensors (Electrochemical, IR, Zirconia)
   • Nuclear Instrumentation — Ionization Chamber, Geiger-Muller Counter, Scintillation Detectors, Neutron Detectors
2. 2

   Electrical & Electronic Measurements

   ~12 marks

   • Measurement Bridges — Wheatstone, Kelvin, Maxwell, Anderson, Schering, Hay, Wien Bridge
   • Analog Instruments — PMMC, Moving Iron, Electrodynamometer, Wattmeter, Energy Meter, Power Factor Meter
   • Digital Instruments — DVM (Ramp, Dual-Slope, Integrating), DMM, Frequency Counter, LCR Meter
   • Oscilloscopes — CRT, DSO, Digital Storage, Probes, Bandwidth, Sampling Rate, Triggering
   • Signal Generators & Analyzers — Function Generator, Spectrum Analyzer, Network Analyzer, Logic Analyzer
   • Instrument Transformers — CT, PT, Ratio & Phase Angle Error, Burden, Saturation
   • Potentiometers — DC/AC, Crompton, Calibration of Ammeter/Voltmeter/Wattmeter
   • Power Quality Measurement — Harmonics, THD, Flicker, Sag/Swell, Power Analyzers
3. 3

   Analog Electronics & Signal Conditioning

   ~10 marks

   • Operational Amplifiers — Ideal/Non-ideal Characteristics, Applications (Amplifiers, Filters, Comparators)
   • Active Filters — Low-Pass, High-Pass, Band-Pass, Band-Reject, Butterworth, Chebyshev, Bessel
   • Instrumentation Amplifiers — Three-Op-Amp Design, CMRR, Applications, Isolation Amplifiers
   • Signal Conditioning — Bridge Amplification, Linearization, Cold Junction Compensation, Excitation
   • Multiplexing & Telemetry — Analog Multiplexer, PAM, PCM, Remote Sensing, SCADA Communication
   • Noise & Filtering — EMI/RFI, Shielded Cables, Ground Loops, Instrumentation Grounding, Guarding
   • Signal Converters — V/I, I/V, F/V, V/F Converters, Optocouplers, IS Barriers
4. 4

   Digital Instrumentation & Data Acquisition

   ~10 marks

   • Data Acquisition Systems — Single/Multi-channel, Sampling, Anti-aliasing, Sample & Hold, Analog/Digital Filtering
   • Digital Logic — Combinational Circuits, Sequential Circuits, Counters, Registers, Timers
   • ADC & DAC — Flash, SAR, Dual-Slope, Sigma-Delta, R-2R, Weighted Resistor, Specifications
   • Microprocessors & Microcontrollers — 8085, 8051, ARM, Programming, Interfacing
   • Interfacing Standards — RS-232, RS-485, GPIB, USB, Ethernet, Modbus, HART, Foundation Fieldbus, Profibus
   • FPGA & PLDs — Architecture, Design Flow, VHDL/Verilog Basics, Applications in Instrumentation
5. 5

   Control Systems & Process Control

   ~14 marks

   • Process Dynamics — First/Second Order, Dead Time, Self-Regulating/Non-Self-Regulating Processes
   • Feedback Control — Open/Closed Loop, Transfer Functions, Block Diagrams, Sensitivity
   • PID Controllers — P, I, D, PI, PD, PID Modes, Tuning Methods (Ziegler-Nichols, Cohen-Coon, IMC)
   • Advanced Control — Cascade, Feedforward, Ratio, Split-Range, Override, Smith Predictor, MPC
   • Stability Analysis — Routh-Hurwitz, Root Locus, Bode, Nyquist, GM/PM
   • Final Control Elements — Control Valves (Globe, Ball, Butterfly, Diaphragm), Valve Sizing, Actuators, Positioners
   • PLC & DCS — Architecture, Ladder Logic, Programming Standards, SCADA, RTU, Distributed Control
   • Safety Instrumented Systems — SIL, SIS, Emergency Shutdown, Fire & Gas Detection, Interlocks
6. 6

   Industrial & Analytical Instrumentation

   ~10 marks

   • Chemical Analysis — Spectroscopy (UV-Vis, IR, AAS, AES), Chromatography (GC, HPLC), Mass Spectrometry
   • Environmental Monitoring — Stack Emission Analyzers, CEMS, Water Quality Analyzers, Weather Stations
   • Nuclear Instrumentation in DAE — Reactor Monitoring, Radiation Detection, Neutron Flux Measurement, Rod Position
   • Biomedical Instrumentation — ECG, EEG, Blood Pressure, Pulse Oximetry, Ventilator Basics
   • Industrial Automation — DCS, SCADA, PLCDCS Integration, Batch Process Control, MES, Industry 4.0, IoT
   • Calibration & Standards — Traceability, Standards Labs, ISO 17025, Calibration Procedures for T/P/Flow/Level
7. 7

   Electrical Circuits & Power Electronics

   ~5 marks

   • Circuit Analysis — DC/AC Circuits, Network Theorems, Three-Phase Power Measurement
   • Electrical Machines — DC Machines, Transformers, Induction & Synchronous Motors, Stepper Motors
   • Power Electronics — Rectifiers, Inverters, Chopper, Switched-Mode Power Supply, UPS
   • Electric Drives — Motor Speed Control, VFD, Servo Drives, Application in Nuclear Facilities