Chapter 1: Pressure Measurement

Process Control & Instrumentation

by Moaz Waqar

Pressure:

Force per unit area a fluid exerts on its surroundings. Pascal (Pa) or
Pounds per square inch (psi)

Vacuum: Vacuum is a pressure measurement made between total vacuum

and normal atmospheric pressure (14.7 psi).
Atmospheric pressure is the pressure on the earths surface due to the
weight of the gases in the earths atmosphere and is normally expressed at
sea level as 14.7 psi or 101.36 kPa.
Absolute pressure is the pressure measured with respect to a vacuum
and is expressed in pounds per square inch absolute (psia).
Gauge pressure is the pressure measured with respect to atmospheric
pressure and is normally expressed in pounds per square inch gauge (psig).
Differential pressure is the pressure measured with respect to another
pressure and is expressed as the difference between the two values..

Chapter 1: Pressure Measurement

Process Control & Instrumentation

by Moaz Waqar

Pressure measurement units:

A number of measurement units are used for pressure. They are as follows:
1. Pounds per square foot (psf) or pounds per square inch (psi)
2. Atmospheres (atm)
3. Pascals (N/m2) or kilopascal (1000Pa)
What pressure in
4. Torr = 1 mm mercury
Pascals
5. Bar (1.013 atm) = 100 kPa
corresponds to 15
psi?

Head is sometimes used as a measure of pressure. It is the pressure in terms

of a column of a particular fluid, i.e., a head of 1 ft of water is the pressure
that would be exerted by a 1 ft tall column of water, that is, 62.4 psfg, or the
pressure exerted by 1 ft head of glycerin would be 78.6 psfg
What is the pressure at the base of a water tower which has 50 ft
of head?

Chapter 1: Pressure Measurement

Process Control & Instrumentation

by Moaz Waqar

Low Range Pressure Measurement: (14.7 30 psi)

U-Tube Manometer
Range: 14.7 30 psi
Advantages: Highly accurate, linear and hysteresis free
Limitations: Cannot be used for higher pressures, fragile, special measurements are
required, temperature variation causes error

Chapter 1: Pressure Measurement

Process Control & Instrumentation

Low Range Pressure Measurement: (14.7 30 psi)

a) Inclined leg b) Well Type Manometer

Advantages: Higher sensitivity than U-tube manometer.

by Moaz Waqar

Chapter 1: Pressure Measurement

High Range Pressure Measurement: >14.7 psi

Process Control & Instrumentation

by Moaz Waqar

Chapter 1: Pressure Measurement

High Range Pressure Measurement: >14.7 psi
Diaphragms

Process Control & Instrumentation

by Moaz Waqar

Chapter 1: Pressure Measurement

High Range Pressure Measurement: >14.7 psi
Capsules

Process Control & Instrumentation

by Moaz Waqar

Chapter 1: Pressure Measurement

High Range Pressure Measurement: >14.7 psi
Bellows

Process Control & Instrumentation

by Moaz Waqar

Chapter 1: Pressure Measurement

High Range Pressure Measurement: >14.7 psi
Bourdon tubes

Process Control & Instrumentation

by Moaz Waqar

Chapter 1: Pressure Measurement

High Range Pressure Measurement: >14.7 psi
Bourdon tubes

Process Control & Instrumentation

by Moaz Waqar

Chapter 1: Pressure Measurement

High Range Pressure Measurement: >14.7 psi
Bourdon tubes

Process Control & Instrumentation

by Moaz Waqar

Chapter 1: Pressure Measurement

Process Control & Instrumentation

by Moaz Waqar

Vacuum Measurement: <14.7 psi

Thermal Type
Principal: At normal pressures, the heat conductivity of gases is
independent of its pressure but as pressure decreases to about 1 cm of
mercury and below, heat conductivity starts falling.

1. Pirani gauge
2. Thermocouple gauge

Chapter 1: Pressure Measurement

Process Control & Instrumentation

by Moaz Waqar

Vacuum Measurement: <14.7 psi

Pirani Gauge
The basic gauge probe consists of a fine wire of platinum or tungsten of 0.001
in. diameter mounted in a tube which is connected to the system whose
vacuum is to be measured.

Chapter 1: Pressure Measurement

Vacuum Measurement: <14.7 psi
Pirani Gauge
Calibration Curve

Process Control & Instrumentation

by Moaz Waqar

Chapter 1: Pressure Measurement

Vacuum Measurement: <14.7 psi
Thermocouple Gauge
The temperature of the hot wire is now
directly measured by a thermocouple
which is attached to the hot wire as
shown in Figure 4.34.

Process Control & Instrumentation

by Moaz Waqar

Chapter 1: Pressure Measurement

Vacuum Measurement: <14.7 psi
Thermocouple Gauge
Affect of current on sensitivity

Process Control & Instrumentation

by Moaz Waqar

Chapter 1: Pressure Measurement

Vacuum Measurement: <14.7 psi
Thermocouple Gauge
Vacuum comparison by thermocouple gauges

Process Control & Instrumentation

by Moaz Waqar

Chapter 1: Pressure Measurement

Process Control & Instrumentation

Vacuum Measurement: <14.7 psi

Thermocouple Gauge
Composition dependence of thermocouple gauges

by Moaz Waqar

Chapter 1: Pressure Measurement

Vacuum Measurement: <14.7 psi
Ionization gauge
Circuit arrangement of the ionization
gauge

Process Control & Instrumentation

by Moaz Waqar

Chapter 1: Pressure Measurement

Vacuum Measurement: <14.7 psi
Ionization gauge
Connections for the internal control
type ionization gauge

Process Control & Instrumentation

by Moaz Waqar

Chapter 1: Pressure Measurement

Vacuum Measurement: <14.7 psi
Ionization gauge
Calibration curves for
three different gases

Process Control & Instrumentation

by Moaz Waqar