PRESSURE GAUGE

BOURDON TUBE PRESSURE GAUGE:

 A bourdon tube pressure gauges are used for the measurement of relative
pressures from 0.6 to 7,000 bar. They are classified as mechanical pressure
measuring instruments, and thus operate without any electrical power.
 Bourdon tubes are known for its high range of differential pressure
measurement in the range of almost 100,000 psi (700 Mpa). It is an elastic
type pressure transducer.
CONSTRUCTION:
 The basic idea behind the device is that, cross-sectional tubing when
deformed in any way will tend to regain its circular form under the action
of pressure.
 The bourdon pressure gauges used today have a slight elliptical cross-
section and the tube is generally bent into a C-shape or arc length of about
27 degrees.

 As seen in the above figure, the pressure input is given to a socket which
is soldered to the tube at the base. The other end of the device is sealed
with a tip.
  The tip is connected to the segmental lever through an adjustable length
link.
 The segmental lever is suitably pivoted and the spindle holds the pointer.
 A hair spring is sometimes used to fasten the spindle of the frame of the
instrument to provide necessary tension for proper meshing of gear teeth
and thereby freeing the system.
 The mechanical construction has to be highly accurate in case of bourdon
tube gauge.
 If we consider a cross section of the tube, its outer edge will have the larger
surface than the inner portion. The tube walls will have a thickness between
0.01 and 0.05 inches.
WORKING:
 As the fluid pressure enters the bourdon tube, it tries to reform and because
of a free tip available, this action causes the tip to travel in free space and
the tube unwinds.
 The simultaneous actions of bending and tension due to the internal
pressure make a non-linear movement of the tip. This travel is suitable and
amplified for the measurement of the internal pressure.
 But the main requirement of the device is that whenever the same pressure
is applied, movement of the tip should be same and on withdrawal of the
pressure tip should return to the initial point.
 Other than C-type, bourdon gauges can also be constructed in the form of
a helix or a spiral. This types are varied for specific uses and space
accommodations for better linearity and larger sensitivity.

DP TRANSMITTER
How the Differential Pressure Transmitter works?
It measures the difference between the two ports of a transmitter. Due to the
difference in pressure, diaphragm or capsule deflects. The deflection of the
diaphragm is measured by the pressure sensor using many principles such as
capacitance, inductance, Piezo resistance. Using signal conditioning in
transmitter, variation in sensor is measured and converted to signal suitable for
transmission such as mA, HART, fieldbus.
IMPORTANCE OF DPT
 1. It can be used to measure differential pressure across exchangers, reactors,
compressors etc., to maintain the correct process condition.
2. It can be used to measure flow in a pipe line using variable head flowmeters
like orifice, venturi tube, pitot tube.
3. It can be used to measure level in a vessel.
Due to usage of DPT in wide range of applications in automation industry, it is
necessary to have deep understanding of it.
PRESSURE SENSORS
The basic principles to measure the pressure by the sensor in DPT include
 Capacitive type pressure sensor
 Piezoresistive type pressure sensor
 Inductive type pressure sensor
CAPACITIVE TYPE PRESSURE SENSOR:
In general, the capacitance is given by
𝜀𝐴
C=
𝑑

Where
𝜀 =𝜀𝑜 𝜀𝑟 = dielectric constant
Where 𝜀𝑜 is the permittivity of free space (8.85 pF/m)
𝜀𝑟 is the relative permittivity also called as dielectric constant of the insulating
material between the two plates.
A = total area of the capacitor surfaces (m2).
d = distance between two capacitive surfaces (m).
WORKING:
 A capacitive transducer has a static plate and a deflected flexible
diaphragm with a dielectric in between them.
 When a force is exerted to the outside of the diaphragm the distance
between the diaphragm and the static plate changes.
 This change produces the change in capacitance which is converted to
electrical signal using an alternating current (AC) bridge like Schering’s
bridge or a tank circuit.
  Electrical signal will be converted to digital signal using A/D converter and
given to microprocessor as counts. This count is calibrated in terms of
pressure.

PIEZORESISTIVE PRESSURE SENSOR:

 It operates based on the resistivity dependence of silicon under stress.
 They can detect pressure between 0.1 and 10000 psi (0.7kpa to 70mpa)
 Similar to a strain gauge it consists of a diaphragm onto which four pairs
of silicon resistors bonded.
The Piezoresistive type pressure sensor expressed by gauge factor,
GAUGE FACTOR:
The gauge factor (or) strain factor of a strain gauge is the ratio of relative change
in electrical resistance R, to the mechanical strain ∈.
⧍𝑹/𝑹 ⧍𝑹/𝑹
𝐆. 𝐅 = =
𝑺𝑻𝑹𝑨𝑰𝑵 ⧍𝑳/𝑳

By young’s Modulus
𝑺𝑻𝑹𝑬𝑺𝑺 𝑭/𝑨
E= = ,Where E is the young’s Modulus
𝑺𝑻𝑹𝑨𝑰𝑵 ∈

Since ∈ = ⧍𝑳/𝑳
Therefore,
∆𝑹
⧍𝑹/𝑹 . ∈
𝐆. 𝐅 = = 𝑹
𝑺𝑻𝑹𝑨𝑰𝑵 𝑭/𝑨

WORKING:
 This type of pressure sensor consists of a micro machined silicon
diaphragm with Piezoresistive strain gauges diffused into it, fused to a
silicon or glass back plate.
 The resistors have a value of approx. 3.5 k ohm. Pressure induced strain
increases the value of radial resistors(r), and decreases the value of the
resistors (t) transverse to the radius.
 The resistors are connected as a Wheatstone bridge, the output of which is
directly proportional to the pressure.
INDUCTIVE TYPE PRESSURE SENSOR:
 A simple, arrangement, wherein a change in the inductance of a sensing
element is produced by a pressure change.
 The pressure acting on a movable magnetic core causes an increase in the
coil inductance corresponding to the acting pressure.
 The change in inductance can again be made on the basis of electrical
signal, using an ac bridge.

COMPONENTS OF A TRANSMITTER
FRONT VIEW OF TRANSMITTER: