Simulating the Effect of Quartz Sensor Thermal Deformation on Q-Flex Accelerometer Zero Shift

Abstract—In the paper, simulation is used to study the thermal deformation of Q-flex accelerometer quartz sensitive element (SE) with technological geometrical deviations of elastic beams with conductors within the operation temperature range. It has been shown that the largest bending moment in the SE appears when conductors from the front and back sides of elastic beam have different thickness and width. A method for static thermal tests simulation has been developed, which allows estimation of accelerometer zero shift with account for the geometrical imperfections of SE elastic beams. It has been revealed that the thermal hysteresis and non-repeatability of accelerometer zero shift are due to the plastic deformation of conductors under near-boundary temperature loads. A SE modification with loose conductors has been developed, which, according to the simulation results, improves the thermal coefficient, hysteresis, and repeatability of zero shift.