Why use electronic pressure measurement?
Electronic pressure measurement is increasingly the preferred method to reliably provide comprehensive and accurate pressure data directly to the user control system. This includes a wide range of cost effective industrial pressure sensors, transducers and transmitters configured for gauge, absolute or differential pressure measurement with analogue, switch or digital outputs and employing high grade wetted materials to suit many different applications.
Ranges can be supplied from just a few mbar to thousands of bar. Examples of application specific configurations include miniature, high precision / test, flush diaphragm, high temperature, combined pressure / temperature sensor, hydrostatic / level, CANbus, HART, ATEX / Ex Intrinsically Safe transmitters and high reliability / SIL approved. Often these can be supplied from modular based designs due to the compact and flexible nature of electronic sensor technologies, but for more complex requirements custom designs can often be readily accommodated.
What is a pressure sensor?
A pressure sensor is the basic module of an electronic pressure measurement system. It converts a physical pressure value into an analogue electrical signal by accurately measuring the deflection of a pressure sensitive diaphragm and providing a high speed proportional output signal that can interface directly with a centralized data monitoring / acquisition system or a local readout or display. Using a variety of sensing principles / materials and enclosure designs, modern electronic pressure sensors (when correctly applied for the intended purpose) will provide a compact, robust and highly accurate cost effective solution for optimizing process measurement performance.
Pressure media is typically hydraulic (liquid) or pneumatic (gas) based. In some liquid applications the media can be relatively viscous or contain solid particulates, requiring a flush mount diaphragm.
Dependant on specific physical properties of the pressure media and the general environmental / operating conditions, pressure transducers and pressure transmitters can be supplied in many different configurations and adapted to provide the best cost effective solution for an individual measurement application. This is achieved by a modular standard design that covers most common variations, or by customised design for more complex requirements. “Fit, form and function” of the sensor is paramount for a successful application – this includes pressure media compatibility, accuracy requirements, response time, overload, temperature range, size and weight restrictions, environmental factors such as ingress protection, shock and vibration, EMC compliance and hazardous area / ATEX certification etc.