PRESSURE MEASUREMENT BENCH

Experiment No. 4

EXPERIMENTAL CAPABILITIES

 Comparison of two methods of

measuring pressure
 Comparison of two methods
of measuring vacuum
 Measurement of differential
pressure using a manometer
 Digital pressure calibrator
 Calibration of pressure
transducer

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1.0 Title:
Determination of Pressure using different pressure measuring devices such as U-tube
manometer and pressure gauge.

2.0 Learning objectives:

a) To compare two methods of measuring a vacuum.
b) To develop the ability to select and use appropriate device for pressure measurement.
c) To understand concept of various pressure measuring devices.
d) To develop the ability to take correct manometer reading.

3.0 Apparatus:
Cussons P4811 Pressure Measurement Bench provides the Student with the means of
taking various pressure measurements within the laboratory by several different methods
and allowing comparisons to be made of the accuracy of one measurement against
another.

Fig.1: PRESSURE MEASUREMENT BENCH

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3.1 Description

The apparatus consists of a series of pressure/vacuum measuring instruments

mounted on a frame along with an electricity driven rotary pump. The
measuring instruments consist of:

 A sloping liquid-filled manometer, reading from 0 to 75 mm of water.

 A vertical manometer, reading from 0 to 200 mm of water.
 A “U” tube mercury manometer reading a differential column from 0 to
760 mm of mercury.
 A pressure transducer with readout.
 A pressure gauge, for reading both pressure and vacuum.

The source of pressure and vacuum is the rotary fan pump, provided with
needle valves at entry and discharge, for variation of pressures. A farther valve
is provided on the pump outlet with pressure tapping either side of it, to enable
differential pressure measurements to be made. Plugs are supplied to blank off
any connections not in use.

Fig.2: Rotary fan pump

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3.2 The Manometer

A device is commonly used to measure small and moderate pressure differences. A

manometer mainly consists of a glass or plastic U-tube containing one or more fluids such
as mercury, water, alcohol, or oil. To keep the size of the manometer to a manageable
level, heavy fluids such as mercury are used if large pressure differences are anticipated.
This type of manometer can be easily built as part of a laboratory experiment to
demonstrate the effect of pressure on a liquid column that measures pressure as shown
in fig.3.

Fig.3: Manometer shape

3.2 The pressure gauge

A pressure gauge is an instrument that measures the pressure in a vessel, a line,

or whatever the pressure gauge is connected to. Pressure gauges come in at
least two different types: differential pressure gauges, and absolute pressure
gauges.

 Differential pressure gauges measure DIFFERENCES in pressure.

Pressure gauges that read "zero" when not attached to anything would
actually be differential gauges that measure the difference between
atmospheric pressure and the pressure of whatever they are attached to.
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 Vacuum gauges are differential gauges that measure how far BELOW
atmospheric pressure. Gauges that measure "gauge pressure" are just
differential gauges that are calibrated to measure zero at atmospheric
pressure.

Fig.4: The pressure gauge

 Absolute pressure gauges would only read "zero" if they were attached
to an absolute vacuum. A common type of absolute pressure gauge is a
barometer. Strictly speaking, a mercury barometer is really a differential
gauge that measures the difference between the vapor pressure of the
mercury and the surrounding atmosphere, but the vapor pressure of the
mercury is so low that the error in treating it as an absolute pressure gauge
is generally negligible.

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4:0 Method:

 Care should be taken when using the manometers and the regulating
valves should be adjusted carefully while observing the level of
manometer fluid.
 Manometer connections should not be removed before switching the
pump off.
 Blank the following connections with the plugs supplied on the
schematic diagram.
 Pressure connections: none
 Vacuum connections: none
 Make the following connections between the schematic diagram and
components with the flexible tube supplied:
 Pressure connections: none
 Vacuum connections: Mercury manometer, pressure gauge.
 Adjust each needle valve to the following setting:
 Adjust pressure: fully open
 Adjust pressure differential: fully open
 Adjust vacuum: Opened
 The pump is set in motion by contacting the starter switch.
 Close the adjust vacuum needle valve slowly and observe the readings
on the manometer and pressure gauge at various setting up to a max.
differential pressure of ( )mm Hg.

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 2
3

5
1

4
6
7 8

1-Pump 2-Adjust pressure differential 3-Adjust pressure 4-Adjust vacuum 5-

Mercury manometer 6-Pressure gauge 7- plugs 8- Flexible tube
Fig. 3:Schematic diagram

6.0 Calculations and results

The actual pressure at a given position is called the absolute pressure, and it is measured
relative to absolute vacuum (i.e., absolute zero pressure). Most pressure-measuring
devices, however, are calibrated to read zero in the atmosphere , and so they indicate the
difference between the absolute pressure and the local atmospheric pressure. This
difference is called the gage pressure. Pressures below atmospheric pressure are called
vacuum pressures and are measured by vacuum gages that indicate the difference between
the atmospheric pressure and the absolute pressure. Absolute, gage, and vacuum pressures
(fig.4) are all positive quantities and are related to each other by:

𝑃𝑔𝑎𝑢𝑔𝑒 = 𝑃𝑎𝑏𝑠 − 𝑃𝑎𝑡𝑚 (1)

𝑃𝑣𝑎𝑐 = 𝑃𝑎𝑡𝑚 − 𝑃𝑎𝑏𝑠 (2)

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The pressure exerted by a column of fluid can be given by the equation P = h g 𝜌. In this
equation, P is the calculated pressure, h is the height of the fluid, g is the force of gravity
and 𝜌 is the density of the liquid.

𝑃 = 𝑃𝑔𝑎𝑢𝑔𝑒 = h g 𝜌 (3)

Because the manometer is measuring a pressure differential rather than an absolute

pressure.

Fig.4: Absolute, gage, and vacuum pressures

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Table-1 shows the required data to attend the comparison between the gauge and
manometer reading while the pressure decreases through the adjust vacuum needle valve.

1) U-Tube Manometer

No Gauge H1 H2 Diff.Hg P(kpa) ∆𝑃

reading(mm
(mm) (mm) height
Hg)
(h) m
1 24 24.5
2 10 11 36
3 15 6,1 39.8
4 20 4.2 41

2) Inclined-tube manometer

No Gauge H1 H2 Diff.Hg P(kpa) ∆𝑃

reading(mm
(mm) (mm) height
Hg)
(h) m
1 35 41
2 10 27 48
3 15 18 54.1
4 20 9.3 63