Chapter 5

Pressure Measurement
• Pressure: The Pressure is defined as force per
unit area.
• The SI unit of pressure is pascal (Pa).

• 1 Pa = 1 Newton/m^2
• Gauge Pressure:
• Most liquid pressure gauges use atmospheric
pressure as a zero point. They indicates a
pressure of zero psi at the surface of liquid
even though the pressure is actually 14.7 psi.
• A gauge that indicates zero at atmospheric
pressure measures the difference between
actual and atmospheric pressure. This
difference is called “gauge pressure”.
• Absolute pressure:
• Absolute pressure is actual total pressure
acting on surface.
• Vacuum or Differential Pressure:
• Gauges that indicate gauge pressure may be
designed to indicate pressure below zero.
Such gauge is called a “Vacuum gauge”.
• In a differential pressure measurement, the
gauge pressure is the difference between the
absolute pressure of the fluid and the
atmospheric pressure.
 Diaphragms
• Diaphragm is a thin circular plate fastened and
stretched at its periphery.
• Pressure is exerted on diaphragm and
displacement is measured with an pointer.
• Sensing material are made form elastic metal
alloys i.e bronze, phosphor bronze, berillium
copper.
 Corrugated diaphragm
• For Large deflection
requirements
corrugated diaphragms
are ideally suited.
Bellows
• By increasing the number of capsules the
performance can be further increased and the
structure is referred as bellows.
• The bellows type gauges are used for the
measurement of absolute pressure.
• It is somewhat more sensitive than bourdon
tube gauges.
• Pressure is applied to one side of the bellows
and the resulting deflection is counter
balanced by a spring.
Bourdon Pressure Gauge
• It consist of seamless metal tubing having
elliptical cross section.
• The tube is supported in a socket which
contain pressure inlet.
• The free end of tube is called tip.
• Due to applied pressure bourdon tube tries to
become circular also tries to unwind. Due to
this displacement, Is used for measure the
pressure.
Piezoelectric pressure transducer
• When certain crystal elements are subjected
to force across its faces, an electrostatic
charge or voltage is induced. This
phenomenon is called the piezoelectric effect.
• When pressure is applied to crystal, it will
deform and produce a small voltage. The
proportional to the amount of deformation.
• When the piezoelectric effect is used in
pressure sensor, the sensor uses a diaphragm
that deflects slightly when pressure is
supplied. This movement is then transferred
directly to piezoelectric crystal.
• The piezoelectric materials are – quartz
crystal, Sintered powder.
• The amount of voltage that is produced is very
small and the internal impedance of crystal is
high, which makes the use of op amps to
produce usable signal.
 McLeod Gauge
• A known volume gas is compressed to a smaller
volume whose final value provides an indication
of the applied pressure. The gas used must obey
Boyle’s law given by;
P1V1=P2V2
• Where, P1 = Pressure of gas at initial condition
(applied pressure).
• P2 = Pressure of gas at final condition.
V1 = Volume of gas at initial Condition.
V2 = Volume of gas at final Condition.
• A known volume gas (with low pressure) is
compressed to a smaller volume (with high
pressure), and using the resulting volume and
pressure, the initial pressure can be
calculated. This is the principle behind the
McLeod gauge operation.
 Construction
• A reference column with reference capillary tube.
• The reference capillary tube has a point called
zero reference point. This reference column is
connected to a bulb and measuring capillary and
the place of connection of the bulb with
reference column is called as cut off point.
• Below the reference column and the bulb, there
is a mercury reservoir operated by a piston.
 Working
• The pressure to be measured (P1) is applied to
the top of the reference column of the
McLeod Gauge.
• The mercury level in the gauge is raised by
operating the piston.
• When this is the case (condition – 1), the
applied pressure fills the bulb and the
capillary.
• When the mercury level reaches the cutoff
point, a known volume of gas (V1) is trapped
in the bulb and measuring capillary tube.
• The mercury level is further raised by
operating the piston so the trapped gas in the
bulb and measuring capillary tube are
compressed.
• This is done until the mercury level reaches
the “Zero reference Point” marked on the
reference capillary (condition – 2).
• In this condition, the volume of the gas in the
measuring capillary tube is read directly by a
scale besides it.
• Now as V1,V2 and P2 are known, the applied
pressure P1 can be calculated using Boyle’s
Law.
 LVDT type pressure transducer
• When pressure P is
applied, diaphragm
capsules senses it and
links the resulting
deflection to the core of
LVDT. Thus movement of
core is proportional to
the pressure being
sensed.
• Output voltage calibrated
in terms of volt.
 Capacitive Pressure Transducer
• It consists of a fixed plate and a movable plate
which is free to move as the pressure applied
changes.
• According to change the change in pressure
the movable plate also changes its position,
due to which the distance d is changed.
• With a increase in pressure, the distance d
becomes less, due to which the capacitance C
is increased.
• With a decreased in pressure, the distance d
increases and thus capacitance C is decreased.
• This change in capacitance can be calibrated
can be calibrated to measure the change in
pressure.
 Pirani Gauge
• It consists of two wire filaments. One filament
serves as a reference and is sealed in an
evacuated glass, while the other filament is
kept in an container connected to the source
of pressure.
• This two filaments are connected in a bridge
circuit.
• If the resistance of the two pirani elements
are equal, no current flows through the
ammeter. But if the resistance of one pirani
element changes, current will flow through
the ammeter.
• The current flow indicates a change in
pressure of the gas being pressure.