Integrator

Integrator

An integrator is a device to perform the mathematical operation known as integration, a fundamental operation in calculus.

The integration function is often part of engineering, physics, mechanical, chemical and scientific calculations.

Contents

Integrator in signal processing

See also Integrator at op amp applications

Electronic devices have been constructed to perform integration (usually with respect to time) of signals. This operation is a form of first-order low-pass filter, which can be performed in the continuous-time (analog) domain or approximated (simulated) in the discrete-time (digital) domain. An integrator will have a low pass filtering effect but when given an offset it will accumulate a value building it until it reaches a limit of the system or overflows.

A voltage integrator is an electronic device performing a time integration of an electric voltage, thus measuring a total electric flux.

A current integrator is an electronic device performing a time integration of an electric current, thus measuring a total electric charge. Charge amplifier is an example of current integrator. A current integrator is also used to measure the electric charge on a Faraday cup in a residual gas analyzer to measure partial pressures of gasses in a vacuum. Another application of current integration is in ion beam deposition, where the measured charge directly corresponds to the number of ions deposited on a substrate, assuming the charge state of the ions is known. The two current-carrying electrical leads must to be connected to the ion source and the substrate, closing the electric circuit which in part is given by the ion beam.

Integrator in computer simulation

In some computational physics computer simulations, such as numerical weather prediction, molecular dynamics, flight simulators, reservoir simulation, noise barrier design, architectural acoustics, and electronic circuit simulation, an integrator is a numerical method for integrating trajectories from forces (and thereby accelerations) that are only calculated at discrete time steps.

There are a variety of explicit and implicit methods used in computer simulations. The most basic and least accurate kind of numerical integration is Euler integration. Verlet integration improves the accuracy of the integration to within fourth-order Taylor series terms, and the Runge-Kutta method which is gaining popularity further improves this accuracy to within fifth-order Taylor series terms.

Mechanical integrators

Mechanical integrators were key elements in the mechanical differential analyser, used to solve practical physical problems. Mechanical integration mechanisms were also used in control systems such as regulating flows or temperature in industrial processes.

See also

References


External links

Further reading

  • Keng C. Wu (2003). Transistor Circuits for Spacecraft Power System. Springer. pp. 85–87. ISBN 1402072619. 

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  • integrator — INTEGRATÓR, OÁRE, integratori, oare, adj., s.n. 1. adj., s.n. (Aparat) care efectuează calculul numeric al integralelor unei ecuaţii diferenţiale. 2. s.n. Circuit electric caracterizat printr o constantă de timp ce determină viteza cu care acest… …   Dicționar Român

  • integrator — UK US /ˈɪntɪɡreɪtər/ noun [C] IT ► a person or company that puts together pieces of computer equipment to form computer systems: »Chipcom sells its products mainly through resellers and integrators, which sell and install computer systems. → See… …   Financial and business terms

  • integrator — intègrātor (integrȃtor) m DEFINICIJA tehn. precizna mehanička naprava za određivanje površine, statičkog momenta i momenta tromosti dijela plohe unutar zatvorene krivulje, nacrtane u mjerilu na ravnoj podlozi ETIMOLOGIJA vidi integralan …   Hrvatski jezični portal

  • Integrator — In te*gra tor, n. (Math. & Mech.) That which integrates; esp., an instrument by means of which the area of a figure can be measured directly, or its moment of inertia, or statical moment, etc., be determined. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Integrator — von lat. integrare (heil, unversehrt machen, ergänzen) oder integratio (Wiederherstellung eines Ganzen) bezeichnet in der: Mathematik: einen Begriff aus der Integralrechnung, siehe Stieltjesintegral Numerischen Mathematik: ein Computerprogramm… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • integrator — a public delivery authority in the Public Delivery Authority PPP model. It is worth noting that this term is also used to describe a private sector partner who uses a non tied supply chain for projects such as BSF. Practical Law Dictionary.… …   Law dictionary

  • integrator — [in′tə grāt΄ər] n. 1. a person or thing that integrates 2. a mechanical device for calculating integrals …   English World dictionary

  • integrator — /in ti gray teuhr/, n. 1. a person or thing that integrates. 2. Also called integraph. an instrument for performing numerical integrations. [1875 80; INTEGRATE + OR2] * * * ▪ instrument       instrument for performing the mathematical operation… …   Universalium

  • Integrator — integratorius statusas T sritis automatika atitikmenys: angl. integrator vok. Integrationsgerät, n; Integrator, m; Integrierer, m rus. интегратор, m; интегрирующий элемент, m pranc. intégrateur, m …   Automatikos terminų žodynas

  • integrator — integratorius statusas T sritis automatika atitikmenys: angl. integrator vok. Integrationsgerät, n; Integrator, m; Integrierer, m rus. интегратор, m; интегрирующий элемент, m pranc. intégrateur, m …   Automatikos terminų žodynas

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