PRESSURE

TRANSMITTER
DP /GP / AP

PART- I

SENSORS

Based on operating principle

a) Types of sensor

Flange design
Cell design

b) Specification of
sensors
c) Bid comparison for sensors
d) Selection of right model

POLYSILICON SENSORS

OPERATION
Pressure is applied to an isolating diaphragm and
transmitted to the polysilicon sensor by means of
silicon oil fill fluid.
Process pressure applied to the sensor creates a
very small deflection of the sensing diaphragm,
which in turn applies strain to a Wheatstone
bridge circuit in the sensor.

CAPACITIVE SENSORS

1151 - Rosemount

FCX - A & C - Fuji

RESONANT SENSORS

D P Harp - YBL

FLANGE DESIGNS
Conventional design

Input to sensor is given from two

different planes of transmitter.

Co-planar design

Inputs are brought to the same plane

and sensor is isolated thermally and
mechanically away from the process.

NON FLOATING Vs FLOATING DESIGN

1151

3051

SPECIFICATIONS
Accuracy

0.25% of calibrated span

Material Selection
Process flange

MOC as per pipe line/ vessel MOC

Measuring Element

Min. SS316L shall be specified but depending on

process fluid other std. materials used are
- Tantalum ~ Acidified Brine
-Hastealloy C ~ Sulphuric acid
- Nickel ~ NaOH
-Monel ~ High temperature

Manifold /
Oval
flange

Fill Fluid
Gaske
t

MOC as per transmitter body flange

Silicon is standard, but

inert fluid for O2 and Cl2
PTFE shall be specified as std. But different
manufacturers use diff. Stds. So check with
PE before accepting deviations

CONTINUED SPECS

Construction of
external parts

Ammonia (even in traces) attacks Cu & its alloys. So in

such plants exposed parts shall not be made of Cu or Cu
bearing materials.

Cleanliness

For O2 service, oils shall not be used for calibration as it

may cause explosion. Calibration is done with nitrogen or
inert gas. Also the transmitters need to be inspected for
traces of O2 and finally stamped as Suitable for O2
service. InMesser project we
came across MGI standard 06041 .

Accessories

mntd.manifold is not used.

Oval flange when integrally
3 valve manifolds for alldp transmitters except for level.

SELECTING THE TRANSMITTER RANGE

EXAMPLE:

Calibrated span required is 0-300 mbar.

Vendor has the following ranges for given model nos. with
turndown* of 1:15.
1) 0-75 mbar
~ DP3 2) 0-373 mbar
~ DP4
3) 0-1865 mbar ~ DP5 4) 0-6895 mbar ~ DP6
Step 1 Using the turndown find out the min. span possible
for each model
1) DP3 - 5 mbar 2) DP4 - 25 mbar
3) DP5 - 125 mbar
4) DP6 - 460 mbar
Step 2 Check for the accuracy of transmitter stated by vendor.
It generally says:
0.1 of calibrated span for spans from 1:1 t0 10:1
Between 10:1 and 15:1 of URL (Upper Range Limit),
accuracy = ( 0.02 x URL - 0.1 ) % of calibrated span
SPAN
* Turndown is the ability to adjust the span (sensing range) of the transmitter.
For ex, if a transmitter can operate from 25 psi to 150 psi full scale, its turndown
is 6 to 1.

CONTINUED SELECTION OF RANGE

Step 3 For our calibrated span of 0-300 mbar, we can select
either DP4 or DP5.
For DP4, URL/10 = 373/10 = 37.3
ie, accuracy is 0.1% for spans above 37.3
If DP4 is selected, accuracy achieved is 0.1%.
For DP5, URL/10 = 1865/10 = 186.5.
So, DP5 also will give accuracy of 0.1%.
Assume if the calibrated span to be 0-130 mbar,
with DP4 accuracy is 0.1%.
With DP5 accuracy is
( 0.02 x URL - 0.1 ) % of calibrated span
span
= 0.02 x 1865 - 0.1
130
= 0.02 x 14.35 - 0.1 = 0.287 - 0.1 = 0.187 %
Step 4 DP4 shall be selected to reduce total performance error.
In fact as a thumb rule a model shall be selected having a
maximum range which is closer to the calibrated span.

COMPOUND RANGES
Absolute
Atmospheric
1 bar(a) = 0 bar(g)

Gauge
Compound

Total vacuum
0 bar(a)

Gauge Pressure Absolute Pressure -

The pressure above atmospheric.

Measured above total vacuum or zero absolute.

When the pressure range starts above 1 bar(a) i.e. 0 bar(g), we can
safely go for gauge pressure transmitter.
In gauge pressure transmitter, one side of the sensor is open to
atmosphere. Hence a small change in atmospheric pressure will affect
the reading. With atmospheric pressure as reference, we can measure
vacuum. Hence to measure absolute pressure we can use a gauge
pressure, but there are some constraints.

1) CALIBRATED SPAN REQUIRED~

Consider a span of 0~1 bar(a), for this we can select a 0~1 bar(g) gauge
pressure and suppress its zero to 1bar(a).
But if the span is 0~50mmHg(a) ie. 68 mbar so converting it into gauge
range is -760~-692 mm Hg or -1033~-965mbar(g). If we have to suppress
zero to -1033 mbar, gauge range of 1033 mbar(1 bar) is needed. Consider a
turndown of 15, so min. span is 70.2 mbar.
This proves that a GP cannot be used to measure absolute pressures of
such small spans.
2) CRITICALITY OF SERVICE~
If pressure of columns under high vacuum is to be measured and we use a
GP transmitter, a slight change in atmospheric pressure will affect the
reading whereas for AP transmitter always the same vacuum reference
pressure will be maintained.

TOTAL PERFORMANCE ERROR

FACTORS TO BE CONSIDERED ARE:

E ~ Inaccuracy determined under atmospheric conditions

Reflects linearity, repeatability and hysteresis
Tz ~ Zero shift due to temperature variation
Ts ~ Span shift due to temperature variation
Pz ~ Effect of static pressure on zero
Ps ~ Effect of static pressure on span
Now,
Ex

Et = (E2 + Tz2 + Ts2 + Pz2 + Ps2 )

Consider required span is 0 to 250 mbar.
The actual operating temperature is within
50 F at which the unit was calibrated.
The operating pressure is 1,000 psig.
The range selected is 0 to 1865 mbar.
E = 0.2 % of actual span,
Tz = 0.5 % of max. range per 100F,
ie. 0.5 x 1865 mbar x 50 F = 1.865 %
250 mbar 100 F

Ts = 0.5 % of actual reading,

ie. 0.5 x 50 F = 0.252 %
100 F
Pz = 0.25 % of max. range for 2000 psig,
ie. 0.25 x 1000 psig x 1865 mbar = 0.9325 %
2000 psig
250 mbar
Ps = 0.5 % of actual reading.
ie. 0.5 x 1000 psig = 0.25 %
2000 psig
So, Et = (0.22 + 1.86522 + 0.2522 + 0.932522 + 0.2522 )
= 2.124 %
CONCLUSIONS:Largest contributions to the total error come from the zero shifts caused by
pressure and temperature difference between the calibration & operating
conditions.
It shall be noted that the Et value calculated above is not the full measurement
error but only that part of it which the d/p cell is likely to contribute.
One advantage of SMART" transmitter is their ability to reduce the pressure &
temperature effects on the span & zero.