Many businesses today have the need for specialized pressure sensing equipment. This could be anything from an absolute pressure transducer to a draft range transmitter unit. In fact, you could have a large variety of needs within one plant or system. Here are some of the options you may face, with an explanation of each one.
Full Scale Measurement
When you see a measurement unit you’ll encounter a term like “full scale pressure measurement”. The term “full scale” refers to the limit of the highest amount of pressure you expect your system to encounter. For example, most units run from zero to the full scale limit.
What Kind of Measurements Do You Need to Take?
There are three basic choices for measuring devices. They can either take care of gage, absolute or differential pressures. Here is a basic description of each one:
Gauge – uses atmospheric pressure as the constant and the pressure you need to check as the variable. In other words, it’s the difference between the two.
Absolute – an absolute pressure transducer is considered hard vacuum.
Differential – can measure gauge pressure with the minus port open. It’s the difference between pressure “in” and “out”.
In Search of the Lowest Costs
If costs are very important, analog gauge units are the cheapest on average. They are also the simplest in operation and have been around for many decades.
What is a Transducer?
You may often see the term “transducer” when looking at pressure management systems. A transducer is not a gauge. It is part of a system which takes analog measurements and turns them into digital signals. This is an important consideration because most pressure management applications are computerized and use hardware and software programs to monitor conditions and supply an automated response to specific pressure readings or conditions. Computers use a numeric or digital code and data must first be changed from analog to digital.
A Word about Differential Pressure Transducers
When you choose a differential pressure unit, the term “maximum line pressure” is very important. This is the line pressure for the negative and positive ports and it’s used to take a differential measurement. For instance, if you have 400 pounds of pressure on the positive port and 350 pounds on the negative port, your differential is 50 pounds (psig). This is a typical application for hydraulic systems. It’s important to note that this feature is only relative to differential measurements and would not be used for gauge of absolute pressure transducer units.
Choosing an Absolute Pressure Transducer or Another Source
With so many options to consider for modern day pressure system management, it is vital to choose an experienced company with qualified professionals and engineering staff. This ensures you get the right products to fit your budget.
