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
Pressure conversion table
PRESSURE MEASUREMENT
Methods and Applications

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 Pressure Measuring Devices
Bourdon Gage:

http://www.efunda.com/DesignStandards/sensors/bourdon_tubes/images/Bourdon_tube_A.gif
http://www.cpigauges.com/images/gauges/WeldGageStlCsBM400psi.jpg http://www.hydraulicspneumatics.com/FPE/images/sensors1_1.jpg

Principles: change in curvature of the tube is proportional to difference of

pressure inside from that outside the tube
Applications: tire pressure, pressure at the top or along the walls of tanks or
vessels

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 Pressure Measuring Devices
Strain Gage

Principles: ∆ P  ∆ Resistance  ∆ Voltage

Applications: Sensors for internal combustion engines, automotive, research etc.

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 Pressure Measuring Devices
Quartz Gage
Piezoelectric transducers

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/SchemaPiezo.gif
http://www.ransohoff.com/images/systems/transducerlgr.jpg

Principles: ∆ Pressure  ∆ Charge  ∆ Voltage

Applications: measurements with high accuracy, good repeatability, high resolution.

e g. Quartz Clock

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 Pressure Measuring Devices
Piezoresistive Gage

Digital Manometer

Principles: ∆Pressure = ∆Charge = ∆Resistance = ∆Voltage

Applications: Very accurate for small pressure differentials

e.g. Difference between indoor and outdoor pressure

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 Pressure Measuring Devices
U-tube Manometer

http://www.efunda.com/formulae/fluids/images/Manometer_A.gif

Principles: Hydrostatic Law

∆P=ρ g h

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 Pressure Measuring Devices
U-tube Manometer

http://www.armfield.co.uk/images/H12.gif http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/Hbase/fluids/flupic/bern5.jpg

Mercury Water Manometer Air Water Manometer

Applications: air pressure, pipe pressure, etc.

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Questions?