Department of Instrumentation and

control Engineering

TOPIC:-PITOT TUBE(METHODS FOR

COMPENSATING ERRORS IN STATIC
PRESSURE MEASUREMENT)

Submitted by:-

CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION(PITOT TUBE)
TYPES OF ERROR IN STATIC PRESSURE

MEASUREMENT
PITOT STATIC SYSTEM IN AIRCRAFTS
METHODS TO COMPENSATE ERRORS

INTRODUCTION: The Pitot tube (named after Henri Pitot in 1732) measures a fluid velocity

by converting the kinetic energy of the flow into potential energy. The
conversion takes place at thestagnation point, located at the Pitot tube
entrance (see the schematic below). A pressure higher than the freestream (i.e. dynamic) pressure results from the kinematic to potential
conversion. This "static" pressure is measured by comparing it to the flow's
dynamic pressure with a differential manometer.

Errors in Static pressure measurement

Reducing Error 2 and 3:Error 2 and 3 tend to cancel each other by

proper design of pitot tube(such tube is called

as Prandtl-Pitot tube)

By properly choosing value of d1 and d2 error 2

and 3 will cancel each other.

Misalignment error reduction:It was found that by locating static pressure taps as
shown in figure the measurement was essentially
insensitive to angle of attack for range -2 <<12
and 0.4<Nm<1.2. while this method is applicable
only in particular plane.
It can be extended to arbitrary direction of
misalignment by designing probe with a single vane
to rotate about its longitudinal axis and
automatically locate taps 37.5 from cross flow
stagnation point.

Application of Pitot Tube

Static and stagnation pressure readings are

utilized to measure speed of aircraft.

Static reading of pitot is utilized to measure
the altitude of the aircraft from the earth.
If the height is to be measured with an error
of 30 m,
static pressure reading must be
accurate to 0.5%.
To achieve this accuracy ,methods for
compensating errors mentioned above have
been developed.

PITOT STATIC SYSTEM IN AIRCRAFTS

Methods:1.If Pitot tubes are inclined along the flow

Drain Error Correction:-

References: V.S. Ritchie,SEVERAL METHODS FOR AERODYNAMIC

REDUCTION OF STATIC-PRESSURE SENSING ERRORSFOR

AIRCRAFT AT SUBSONIC, NEAR-SONIC, AND LOW
SUPERSONIC SPEEDS.
E.H. J Pllett AIRCRAFT INSTRUMENTS , 2nd EDITION
,PEARSON.
E.O. Doeblin Measurement system, 6th edition, Tata
McGraw-Hill Education.

THANK YOU