PRESSURE DETECTORS

BY: FRANCISCO EDUARDO BADE

JOHNKARYL GATILOGO
MIKE JONES QUITIOL
JEFFERSON EVANDER ROCHA

WHAT IS A PRESSURE
DETECTORS/SENSORS?

It measures pressure, typically of gases or liquids.

Are used to indirectly measure other variables such as
fluid/gas flow, speed, water level, and altitude.

Usually acts as a transducer

Transducer Is a device that converts one form of

energy to another. Usually a transducer converts a

signal in a form of energy to a signal in another.

TWO TYPES OF PRESSURE DETECTORS

Bellows-Type Detectors
Bourdon Tube-Type Detectors

BELLOWS-TYPE
DETECTORS

The need for a pressure sensing

element that was extremely
sensitive to low pressures and
provided power for activating
recording and indicating elements
resulted in the development of the
metallic bellows pressure sensing
element.

BELLOWS-TYPE
DETECTORS

The metallic bellows is most

accurate when measuring pressures
from 0.5 to 75 psig.

Some bellows can be used to

measure pressures over 1000 psig.

BELLOWS-TYPE
DETECTORS

The bellows is a one-piece,

collapsible, seamless metallic unit
that has a deep folds from very
thin-walled tubing.

BELLOWS-TYPE
DETECTORS

The diameter of the bellows ranges

from 0.5 to 12 in. and may have as
many 24 folds.

BELLOWS-TYPE
DETECTORS

System pressure is applied to the

internal volume of the bellows. As
the inlet pressure to the instrument
varies, the bellows will expand or
contract.

BELLOWS-TYPE
DETECTORS

The moving end of the bellows is

connected to a mechanical linkage
assembly.

As the bellows and linkage

assembly moves, either and
electrical signal is generated or
direct pressure indication is
provided.

BOURDON TUBE-TYPE
DETECTORS
METHOD OF DETECTION:

The bourdon tube pressure

instrument is one of the
oldest pressure sensing
instrument used today.

BOURDON TUBE-TYPE
DETECTORS
METHOD OF DETECTION:

The bourdon tube consists

of a thin-walled tube that
is flattened diametrically
on opposite sides to
produce a cross-sectional
area elliptical in shape,
having two long flat sides
and two short round sides.

BOURDON TUBE-TYPE
DETECTORS
OF DETECTION:
System
pressure is applied
METHOD
to the inside of a slightly
flattened arc-shaped tube.
As pressure increases, the
tube tends to restore to its
original round crosssection. This change in
cross-section causes the
tube to straighten.

BOURDON TUBE-TYPE
DETECTORS
METHOD OF DETECTION:

Since the tube is permanently

fastened at one end, the tip of

the tube traces a curve that is
the result of the change in
angular position with respect
to the center. The tip
movement can then be used to
position a pointer or to develop
and electrical signal.

PRESSURE DETECTORS
FUNCTION

 INDICATION
- Since the fluid system may operate at both
saturation and subcooled conditions, accurate
pressure indication must be available to maintain
proper cooling.

ALARM
- Some pressure detectors have audible and visual
alarms associated with them when specified preset
limits are exceeded.

CONTROL
- Some pressure detector applications are used as
inputs to protective features and control functions.

DETECTOR FAILURE

 If a pressure detector becomes inoperative:

- A spare detector element may be used (if

installed).
- A local mechanical pressure gauge can be
used (if available).
- A precision pressure gauge may be
installed in the system.

 If a pressure detector is functional:

- It may be possible to obtain pressure
readings by measuring voltage or current
values across the detector leads and
comparing this reading with calibration
curves.

ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS

Atmospheric pressure
Ambient temperature
Humidity

PRESSURE DETECTION
CIRCUITRY

Any of the pressure detectors previously

discussed can be joined to an electrical device to
form a pressure transducer. Transducers can
produce a change in resistance, inductance, or
capacitance.

RESISTANCE TYPE
TRANSDUCER

A STRAIN GAUGE MEASURES THE EXTERNAL FORCE

(PRESSURE) APPLIED TO A FINE WIRE.

R=K

where,
R = resistance of the wire grid in ohms
K = resistivity constant for the particular type of wire grid
L = length of wire grid
A = cross sectional area of wire grid

As the wire grid is distorted by elastic

deformation, its length is increased, and its
cross-sectional area decreases. These changes
cause an increase in the resistance of the wire
of the strain gauge.

As the wire grid is distorted by elastic deformation, its length is

increased, and its cross-sectional area decreases. These changes
cause an increase in the resistance of the wire of the strain gauge.

simple strain gauge

transducer

strain gauge pressure

Other resistance type transducer combine a bellows

or a bourdon tube with a variable resistor.

INDUCTANCE TYPE
TRANSDUCER

INDUCTANCE TYPE
transducer consist of
three parts:
1.) coil
2.) movable magnet
core
3.) pressure sensing
element

Coil - a length of
something wound or
arranged in a spiral or
sequence of rings
Electromagnetic coils
an electric conductors in
a shape of a spiral or
helix. Also known as
inductor.

Magnet core is a
material which has a
high
magnetic
permeability used to
confine
and
guide
magnetic fields.

Pressure
sensing
element functions as
detecting the pressure
level in a certain room.
They
are
used
in
pressure sensors like the
bourdon tube.

Structures and functions

- the pressure sensing
element is attached to
the core.
- the core will move
inside the coil as the
pressure varies.

Structures and functions

- the inductance of the
coil changes as the core
moves inside the coil (an
AC voltage is applied to
the coils).

Structures and functions

- the current through
the coils increases as
the
inductance
decreases.

Structures and functions

- the coils can be
separated
into
two
having a center tap
attached to the core.

Structures and functions

- as the coil moves,
the inductance of one
coil increases as the
other decreases.

DIFFERENTIAL
TRANSFORMER

- a type of inductance
transducer.
- which the (two) coils
wound on a single
tube. Primary coil and
secondary coil.

DIFFERENTIAL
TRANSFORMER

- the primary coil is

wound around the
center tube.
- secondary coil is
divided with one half
wound around each end
of the tube.

DIFFERENTIAL
TRANSFORMER
- When the core is in the
lower position, the lower half of
the secondary coil provides the
output.
- When the core is in the
upper position, the upper half
of the
secondary coil provides the
output.

DIFFERENTIAL
TRANSFORMER

- When the core is in

the mid-position, there is
no secondary output.

CAPACITIVE TYPE
TRANSDUCERS

Capacitive-type transducers,
consist
of
two
flexible
conductive
plates
and
a
dielectric. In this case, the
dielectric is the fluid.

CAPACITIVE TYPE
TRANSDUCERS
As
pressure
increases,
the
flexible conductive plates will
move farther apart, changing the
capacitance of the transducer.
This change in capacitance is
measurable and is proportional to
the change in pressure.

DETECTION CIRCUITRY