Lecture # : Introduction

Pressure Measurement

Objective of lesson

The objective is to discuss commonly used instruments for pressure

measurement, operating principles of these instruments and their
applicability.
 Lecture # : Pressure Measurement

Pressure and Units

Pressure is force per unit area

Units:
SI unit for pressure is Pascal (Pa) – the pressure or stress that arises when a force of
one newton (N) is applied uniformly over an area of one square meter (m2).
USCS unit for pressure is Pound-force per square feet. It is more common to use
pound-force per square inch (psi).

Multiples of SI unit (GPa, MPa, kPa, mPa, μPa), bar (105 Pa), atmosphere (atm)
(101325 Pa) and torr (133.3Pa) are other commonly used units.

Also measured as pressure head of a fluid most commonly mercury (Hg) and water
(H2O);
1 atmosphere = 101325 Pa = 14.7 psi = 760 mm Hg = 10350 mm of H2O

formula for conversion: pressure = density x acceleration due to gravity x pressure

head
 Lecture # : Pressure Measurement

Absolute, Gage, Vacuum and Atmospheric Pressure

Absolute Pressure = Atmospheric Pressure + Gage Pressure

Type of Pressure Type of Subtypes/
Transducers Examples
Normal Mechanical U-tube Manometer
Liquid Level Bourdon tube
Pressure
Elastic Deformation Diaphragm
Bellows
Electrical
Piezoelectric Piezoelectric transducer
Inductance LVDT
Capacitance Capacitive transducer
Resistance Strain gauge
Mechanical
Low Pressure Liquid Level McLeod Gauge
Electrical
Thermal Conduction Thermal Pirani Gauge
Ionization gauge Ionization gauge
Radiation Alphatron
Capacitance Capacitive transducer
(2x10^-9cm, deflection )

High Pressure Electrical THE Bridgman Gauge

Resistive gauge Manganin (84%
Cu,21%Mn,4% Ni)
 Pressure Measurement
Mechanical Pressure Measuring Devices - Manometers
Fluid manometer is widely used device for measurement of fluid pressure under steady state and
laboratory conditions

h’

pa +  m gh = p +  f gh h' A2 = ( h − h ' ) A1
 A2 
p − pa = (  m −  f ) gh p − pa = (  m −  f ) gh  + 1 '

 A1 
 Pressure Measurement
Mechanical Pressure Measuring Devices – Barometer
 Pressure Measurement
Flat Diaphragm Corrugated Diaphragm Capsule Diaphragm

Bellows Straight Tube C-shaped bourdon Tube

 Pressure Measurement
Bellows Straight Tube C-shaped bourdon Tube

Twisted Bourdon Tube Helical Bourdon Tube Spiral bourdon Tube

 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
 Pressure Measurement
Mechanical Pressure Measuring Devices – Bourden Tube Pressure Gage

• Enjoy a wide range of application where

consistent, inexpensive measurements of static
pressure are desired

• In 1849 the Bourdon tube pressure gauge was

patented in France by Eugene Bourdon.
Applications of Bourdon Tube pressure gauge:

• They are used to measure medium to high pressures. Measuring spans from 600 mbar
to 4,000 bar.

Advantages of Bourdon tube pressure gauge:

• Accurate results.
• Low cost.
• Simple in construction.
• Modified to give electrical outputs.
• Safe even for high pressure measurement.
• Accuracy is high especially at high pressures.

Limitations of bourdon tube pressure gauge:

• Respond slowly to changes in pressure.

• Subjected to hysteresis.
• Sensitive to shocks and vibrations.
• Amplification is must as the displacement of the free end of the bourdon tube is low.
• Cannot be used for precision measurement.
 Diaphragm Gauge

• With ERSG, accuracies of ±0.5% are typical.

• Relation is linear up to the deflection equal to 1/3rd of

diaphragm thickness
 Diaphragm Gauge

• Their core, the diaphragm element, is a circular,

corrugated diaphragm which is clamped or
welded between two flanges. This element is
generally manufactured from resilient steels such
as stainless steel or Inconel.

• On pressure loading, the deflection of the

element, proportional to the incident pressure, is
translated to a movement via a link.
• When compared with Bourdon tube gauges, these will always take second place.
• They are the specialists in the process industry when it comes to critical measuring
tasks such as with highly corrosive or viscous media or when it comes to low
pressure and also overpressure.

Applications of Diaphragm pressure gauge:

• Diaphragm pressure gauges measure pressures from 16 mbar - 25 bar

Advantages of Diaphragm pressure gauge:

• Low measuring ranges,

• high overpressure safety,
• special materials for aggressive media,
• open flanges for viscous media

Disadvantages of Diaphragm pressure gauge:

• Seismic, impact resistance is not good

• Difficulty in maintenance
 Bellows Gauge

• Bellows are thin-walled metallic cylinders, with deep

convolutions, of which one end is sealed and the other end
remains open. The closed end can move freely while the
open end is fixed.

• When pressure is applied to the closed end, the bellows will

be compressed. The closed end will move upwards and the
link, which is the rod in between the closed end of the
bellows and the transmission mechanism, will go up and
rotate the pointer.

• The bellows gauge is generally unsuitable for transient measurements because of

the larger relative motion and mass involved.
• The diaphragm gauge, on the other hand, which may be quite stiff, involves rather
small displacements and is suitable for high-frequency pressure measurements.
 Bellows Gauge
Relative pressure measurement

• A compound pressure gauge can be

made with a single bellows when the
inside of the bellows is exposed to
atmospheric pressure and the process
pressure can vary between vacuum and
positive pressure.
• If the pointer rotates to the left, under
pressure is measured, to the right means
overpressure.

Compound gauge with a single bellows

Compound gauge with a single bellows
 Bellows Gauge
Absolute pressure measurement

• To measure absolute pressure we need two

bellows. The first one is the reference bellows,
which is provided with a perfect vacuum on the
inside. The second one is the measuring bellows,
which is subjected to the process pressure.

• Since these absolute pressure sensors are

generally used to measure low pressures, the
bellows are not equipped with calibrated springs
and they are used in expansion. The bellows will
stretch with increasing process pressure.
 Bellows Gauge
Differential pressure measurement

• Just as differential pressure can be

measured with a single bellows, dual
bellows can also be used.
• The low process pressure is connected
to the first bellows while the high
process pressure is connected to the
second bellows.
• Both of these process pressures will
exert a force on the effective area of
the bellows upon which they act. The
resultant force rotates the pointer.
To compensate for these drawbacks, a bellows is generally used in combination with a
calibrated spring.

Advantages of bellow pressure gauge:

• No maintenance is required.
• Low cost
• Can be used to measured differential pressure

Disadvantages of bellow pressure gauge:

Bellows are sensitive to temperature changes, work hardening, drift, friction, hysteresis and
vibrations.
“Electric pressure transducers are preferred over
mechanical devices because of their quick response, low
hysteresis, better linearity properties, and high accuracy in
digital measurement systems”
Pressure Measurement
Low Pressure Measurement – Ionization Gage

It is found that the pressure of the gas is proportional to

the ratio of plate current to grid current.
1 ip
P=
S ig
Where S is called the sensitivity of the gage. Typical
value of S for Nitrogen is 20 torr-1. It is a function of
tube geometry and the type of gas.
Range of application is 0.13 to 1.3 x 10-6 Pa (1 to 10-
5µm)

Special type of ionization gages are suitable for

measurements of pressures as low as 0.13 nPa

Cathode may burn at pressures above 13 Pa

 Pressure Measurement
Low Pressure Measurement – Alphatron Gage

Alpha particles emitted by Radium source, ionizes the gas. The degree of ionization is determined by Eo

The degree of ionization is a direct linear function of pressure for wide range of pressures from 10-3 to 103
torr (0.1 to 105Pa)

Alphatron has the advantage that it can be used at atmospheric pressure as well as high vacumm
Pressure Measurement