DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONICS ENGINEER

MEASUREMENT AND INSTRUMENTATION (EEEE4103)

INDUSTRIAL MEASUREMENT OF PRESSURE
PRESENTED BY GROUP 2
NAME REGISTRATION
NUMBER
Taah Patience Tifuh UBa17E0063
Awangum Noel Nkwa UBa17E0064
Djitsa Marshal Galilee UBa17E0065
Fozo Fru Alfred UBa17E0066
Mukoro Samuel Tinya N UBa17E0067
Sylvester Nicoh Njoke UBa17E0069
Ambe Clovis Ngwa UBa17E0070
Nanyem Njoussi Ytel Y UBa17E0061
Ngongbi Boris Siwoom UBa17E0062
Neba Elvis Ngwa UBa17E0305

COURSE INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Fombu Andrew

 INTRODUCTION
• Pressure is defined as force divided by the area over which the
force is distributed, i.e., P=F/A.
• As this equation suggests, a larger force equals larger pressure
when area remains constant. The physical state of pressure is a
difficult one to describe because it cannot be seen with the
naked eye, but rest assured pressure is all around us all the
time.
• What is more difficult to understand from this definition,
though, is that the existence of pressure requires a medium.
• When we speak of pressure in industrial settings, we are
talking about the force that a liquid or gas exerts onto a fixed
area. Since pressure is a force, it cannot be measured directly;
instead, the effect that force has on an area is what is actually
measured.
 INTRODUCTION
• Fluid pressure is a critical operating parameter in chemical
process industries (CPI) plants; in fact, it is the second most
common parameter measured after temperature. Pressure
measurement applications, range from simple set-point
monitoring to ensure sufficiently high or low pressure levels,
to continuous monitoring as part of a complex automation
system.
• There are two commonly used measurements of pressure,
both directly related to atmospheric conditions. These
measurements are vacuum or negative pressure, and gauge
pressure. Vacuum is a word with a Latin origin meaning
empty. It means to draw matter from a vessel in order to
create pressure conditions less than atmospheric. The quality
of vacuum refers to how closely the measurement approaches
zero PSIA.
 SENSORS USED FOR PRESSURE MEASUREMENT

• Generally, sensors are classified according to the technique

used on the mechanical pressure over a proportional
electronic signal.
• All techniques have a single purpose: turning the pressure
applied on a sensor into an electronic signal proportional to it.
• The various sensors used in industrial measurement of
pressure are as follows:
 SENSORS USED FOR PRESSURE MEASUREMENT

Piezo-resistive or Strain Gauge

• Piezo-resistivity refers to the alteration of the electric
resistance with the deformation/contraction as a result of the
applied pressure. They are mostly formed by crystal elements
(strain gauge) interconnected in bridge (wheatstone) with
other resistors that provide zero adjustment, sensitivity and
temperature compensation.
• The construction material varies according to the
manufacturer and today solid state sensors are easy to find.
These sensors have a limited operation temperature range
and are applicable on low pressure ranges because they
generate a very low, unstable, and excitation signal.
SENSORS USED FOR PRESSURE MEASUREMENT

Piezo-Resistive Sensor
 SENSORS USED FOR PRESSURE MEASUREMENT

• The piezo-electric material is a crystal that produces a

differential tension proportional to the pressure applied on its
faces: quartz, Rochelle salt, barium titanium, tourmaline, etc.
This material cumulates electric loads in certain areas of its
crystal structure, when they suffer physical deformation by
the action of a pressure. The piezo-electricity was discovered
by Pierre and Jacques Curie in 1880.
• Their disadvantage is that they require a high impedance
circuit and a high gain amplifier and are susceptible to noises.
• Furthermore, due to their dynamic nature they do not
perform solid state pressure measurement. However, their
advantage is a quick response.
• The relation between electric load and the pressure applied
to the crystal is practically linear:
SENSORS USED FOR PRESSURE MEASUREMENT

q = Sq x Ap
• p – applied pressure,
• A - electrode area,
• Sq - sensitivity,
• q - electric load,
• C – crystal capacity,
• Vo –voltage output

Piezoelectric sensor
 SENSORS USED FOR PRESSURE MEASUREMENT

Resonant Sensors
• They generally follow the technology principle known as
vibrating wire.
• A magnetic wire coil is attached to the diaphragm, which
oscillates when subject to a magnetic field that will conduct
an electric current.
• The oscillation frequency is proportional to the wire voltage
square root (expansion/compression).
• The sensor is formed by a silicon capsule set on a diaphragm
that vibrates when a pressure differential is applied and the
vibration frequency depends on the applied pressure.
• Some resonant sensors require temperature compensation
techniques via complicated hardware/software
 SENSORS USED FOR PRESSURE MEASUREMENT
Capacitive Sensors
• These sensors are the most reliable and have been used on
millions of applications.
• They are based on transducers whose pressure applied to
diaphragm sensors produces a variation of capacitance
between them and a central diaphragm, for instance.
• This variation is typically used to vary an oscillator frequency,
used as a capacitor bridge element and also to vary an
oscillator frequency.
• This frequency can be measured directly by the CPU and
converted into Pressure.
• It is worth remembering that this reading principle is totally
digital and is used by Smar since the middle 80s. Smar is the
only Brazilian company and one of the few in the world to
make this type of sensor. Some of their best features:
 SENSORS USED FOR PRESSURE MEASUREMENT

• Ideal for low and high pressure applications.

• Minimize the Probable Total Error and consequently process
variability.
• Ideal for flow applications.
• Their lineal response allows high rangeability exactness.
SENSORS USED FOR PRESSURE MEASUREMENT

Capacitve Sensors
 SENSORS USED FOR PRESSURE MEASUREMENT

Optical Sensors
• Optical fiber sensors are compact and show sensitivity
comparable to similar conventional devices.
• Pressure sensors are built using a moving membrane on one
of the fiber ends.
• The advantages of these sensors are: high sensitivity, small
size, flexibility and resistance, low weight, long life span, long
transmission distance, low material chemical reactivity, ideal
to operate on intrinsically safe, high voltage and hazardous
ambient, electric isolation, electromagnetic immunity,
multiplexing of signals etc.
 INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT FOR PRESSURE MEASUREMENT
• In the industry, among several equipment used for pressure
measurement two of them can be enhanced: the manometer
and the pressure transmitter.
• The gauge meter is used for local pressure reading and
normally has a connection to the process and a display (when
electronic) or a pointer (when mechanical) for local pressure
reading.
• They are usually inexpensive devices to be used when the
pressure does not have to be transmitted to a control system
and no exactness is required. For example, static pressure,
pump pressure, etc.
INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT FOR PRESSURE MEASUREMENT

Pressure Manometers
 INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT FOR PRESSURE MEASUREMENT

An intelligent pressure transmitter combines the sensor technology and its

electronics. Typically, it must provide the following characteristics:
• Digital output signal;
• Digital communication interface;
• Pressure and temperature compensation;
• Stability;
• Easy calibration;
• Self Diagnostics;
• Easy installation and calibration;
• High reliability;
• Low costs and short installation and maintenance periods;
• Space saving in installation;
• Transient protection, without power supply polarity;
• Physical locking for custody transference.
INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT FOR PRESSURE MEASUREMENT

Block diagram of pressure transmitter with capacitive

sensor, single electronic plate, and high performance
 INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT FOR PRESSURE MEASUREMENT

• The microprocessed pressure transmitters have the great

advantage of allowing better interaction with the user, with
friendly interfaces.
• Furthermore, their self-diagnostics features help in identifying
problems.
• These transmitters have more exactness, electronic stability
superior to analogical models, in addition to making
adjustments and calibrations easier.
• Digital technology also enables the implementation of
powerful algorithms to improve the performance and
exactness of the measurement and the on-line monitoring of
the equipment life.
 INDUSTRIAL EQUIPMENT FOR PRESSURE MEASUREMENT

Below are other examples of pressure

transmitter applications.
• Liquid Level Measurement
• Flow measurement
• Volume measurement.
• Mass Measurement
 CONCLUSION

• Generally, pressure is measured for process monitoring or

control; safety; quality control, fluid commercial transactions,
like custody transference, fiscal measurement; studies and
research; mass and energy balances.
• These objectives must be considered when choosing the
equipment. More rigorous questions on performance such as:
exactness, overpressure and static pressure limits, stability
etc., may increase the project costs unnecessarily.
• Practically all manufacturers offer more than one version of
transmitters with different technical features and obviously
with different prices.