While many engineers and system designers are very familiar with the workings of each component in a system, this is not always the case. Project managers or people not used to working with the components may have to make decisions on the best option for any given part.
Creating prototypes and setting up production of new machines, equipment, processes or industrial applications is also a time when choosing the right part of the job is critical. Sometimes not knowing the details about something as small as a differential pressure sensor can create a significant problem.
If you are new to this technology, it is important to realize there are several different terms that can be interchanged when talking about a pressure sensor. This will often be a result of the specific industry as well as your geographic location. It is not uncommon to see them sold as:
* Pressure indicators
* Pressure transmitters
* Pressure transducers
* Pressure senders
* Piezometers (specifically used in measuring the pressure of ground water)
Pressure Measurement
There are different types of pressure measurement. Differential pressure is the pressure between two different mediums in relationship to each other. It is not based on an absolute pressure or a difference between a pressure to be measured and the atmosphere.
This makes a differential pressure sensor an important component in a system as it can monitor changes in one part of a system to that of another part. As it is not dependent on a standard, it is very accurate in reflecting the internal changes in the system without relevance to other environmental conditions. In this way, it can record a change that is either an increase in the pressure or a decrease in the pressure on one side of the measurement diaphragm or sensor element.
With this ability to provide the measurement independent of any set or fixed pressure measurement there is a very high degree of accuracy possible even for high pressure system requiring the measurement of very small changes in pressure.
These types of pressure sensors are used across most type of industrial and processing applications including those with any type of fluid flow, viscosity, density or level measurements required. The transmitter converts the difference noted between the two pressures into an electronic output, or it can also transmit directly to a networked computer or control system. With fully automated systems this is a critical factor to keep in mind as it reduced the need for direct operator control.
