Pressure Measurement

Why is it important?

Pressure Measurement
Asses the situation
What is the range of pressures to be
measured?
Is pressure dynamic or static?
What is more important: absolute accuracy or
good repeatability?
How much overpressure protection is
required?

Types of Measurement
Mechanical
U-tube manometer, Bourdon tube, Diaphragm
and Bellows

Electrical
Strain Gauge, Capacitive sensor,
Potentiometric, Resonant Wire, Piezoelectric,
Magnetic, Optical

Mechanical
Mechanical pressure measurement devices are
large and cumbersome.
Not suited for automated control loops typical in
industry.
Mechanical devices:
U-tube Manometer
Bourdon tube
Diaphragm and Bellows element

U-tube Manometer
Measures difference in
pressure between two points in
a pipe.
Typical in laboratories.

Bourdon Type
Flexible element used as sensor.
Pressure changes cause change in element
position.
Element connected to pointer to reference
pressure.

Diaphragm and Bellows Element

Similar concept to Bourdon type.
Widely used because they require less space
and can be made from materials that resist
corrosion.

Electrical
Have become more common with increased
reliance on computerized control systems.

Strain Gauge
Measures deflection of elastic diaphragm due to
pressure difference across diaphragm.
Widely used in industry.
Used for small pressure ranges.
Measurements tend to drift.

Capacitive Sensor
Measures changes in capacitance of electrically
charged electrodes from movement of metal
diaphragm due to pressure difference across
diaphragm.

Capacitive Sensor, cont.

Can be operated in balanced or
unbalanced mode.
Balanced always has capacitance of zero.
Measures pressure indirectly by measuring
drift in capacitor arms.
Unbalanced measures ratio between output
voltage and excitation voltage.

Widely used in industry.

Large rangeability.

Resonant Wire

Wire is oscillated at resonant frequency

by oscillator circuit.
Pressure changes cause change in
wire tension which changes oscillatory
frequency.
Generates digital signal.
Very precise, used for low differential
pressure measurements.
Sensitive to temperature variation and
has non-linear output

Piezoelectric

Measures the charge developed

across quartz crystal due to change
in pressure.
Charge decays rapidly making
unsuitable for static pressure
measurements.
Sensors are very rugged. Pressure
can be applied longitudinally or
transversally.
Used to measure dynamic pressure
changes associated with explosions
and pulsations .

Magnetic
Measures induced current caused by movement of
magnetic components from pressure changes.
Used in applications where high resolution in small range is
desired due to very high output signals.
Sensitive to stray magnetic fields and temperature
changes.

Optical

Detects effects of minute motions due to process pressure changes

through partial blocking of an LED.
Immune to temperature effects.
Excellent stability and long-duration capability.

Various types of pressure gauges

Questions?