Sustainable Renewable Energy Engineering

Spring 2016
Fluid Mechanics Lab

Experiment 2
Calibration of Pressure Gauge

Section:
Group:
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Lab Instructor
Lab Engineer
Experiment Date
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ID

EXPERIMENT 2
CALIBRATION OF PRESSURE GAUGE
Objectives
Calibration of a Bourdon Gauge type.
Investigation of the encountered errors, evaluation of the maximum degree of uncertainty.
Theoretical Background
The most common type of pressure gauge used as an industrial instrument uses a Bourdon tube as the sensing
element. It consists of a curved tube of elliptical cross section which is closed at one end. When pressure is
applied at the open end of the tube the tube cross section tries to become circular which causes the tube to
straighten slightly. This change of shape is used as a measure of the pressure by clamping the open end to the
pressure gauge casing and allowing the subsequent movement of the free end of the tube to be transmitted by
a mechanical linkage to move a pointer over a scale. The movement of the pointer is dependent on the
mechanism and the elastic properties of the Bourdon tube.
Although it is possible to stress analysis of Bourdon tubes to determine the deflection produced by an applied
internal pressure the accuracy of such an analysis would be insufficient due to .departure- from the theoretical
loading model and uncertainties in material properties. The normal industrial practice is therefore to calibrate
pressure gauges by applying known pressures to the gauge. Pressure sources for calibrating pressure gauges
are derived using fundamental principles, the standard method being to use calibrated weights acting on a
piston of accurately - known dimensions.
When the piston is in equilibrium the total mass of the piston and weights is exactly balanced by the fluid
pressure acting on the face area of the piston. The pressure P can be calculated as a function of the force F
and cross-sectional area A, as follows:

F
A

mg
A

eq (1)

Data at manufacturing time with allowable accuracy:

Piston Area = A = 315 mm2
Substituting known values:

9.81m N
N
0.03114 m

2
2
3.15 mm
mm

Converting the units:

kN
P 31.14m 2
m

eq (2)

Experimental Uncertainties & Error Analysis

In engineering, experimentally measured values are reported with their uncertainties, as follows:
X X measured X
eq (3)
Where Xmeasured is the best estimate of the measured value and X is the uncertainty in the measurement. The
uncertainty may have two components: bias, which is related to the accuracy of the measurement tools, and
the unavoidable random variation that occurs when making repeated measurements, which is related to the
precision of the measurement tools.
A precise measurement is one where independent measurements of the same quantity closely cluster about a
single value that may or may not be the correct value. An accurate measurement is one where independent
measurements cluster about the true value of the measured quantity.
These uncertainties in measure quantities propagate through the derived quantities. Uncertainty analysis is
often called the "propagation of error".
General Rules for Combination of Errors:
y f x1 , x2 ,..., xn
If
And if dy is the error in y, then the uncertainty in y can be given as:
2

f
f

dy
dx1
dx2 ...
dxn
x1
x2

xn

Considering the case of this experiment:

F
mg
4mg
P

2
A D 4 D 2

eq (4)

eq (5)

As it can be seen, the uncertainty in the measured values (m and d) results in an error that propagates to
uncertainty in the derived value (P).
Since

P f m, d

Equation 4 can be written as:

P
P

dP
dm
dD
m
D

eq (6)

dP

P
P

dm
dD

m
D

or

dP

P
P
2
2

dm
dD
D
m

2
P
P2

or

dP
P

2
2

P dm
P dD
P
m

or

eq (7)

Where

P
4mg 4 g m 4 g

m m D 2 D 2 m
D 2

or

P
4g

m D 2

eq (8)

and

P 8mg

D
D 3

eq (9)

Therefore,
P
4 g 4mg 1
P

m
D 2 D 2 m
P
8mg 4mg 2
P

D
D 3
D 2
D

eq (10)
eq (11)

Substituting from eq (10) and eq (11) back into eq (7):

dP
1
2
2
2
dm
dD
P
m
D
2

or

dP
dm
dD

4

P
m
D

eq (12)

As seen from eq (12), uncertainty in diameter would propagate and could contribute to the uncertainty in
pressure four times as much as the uncertainty in mass.
The possible sources of error in the calibration are:
1. The area of the face of the piston: The error in diameter can be reduced by measuring the diameter of
the piston with micrometer with a known degree of uncertainty.
2. The weight of the masses: These can be reduced to a minimum by careful weighing of the piston and
weighing platform and of each of the two weights by using a balance of known degree of uncertainty.
3. The temperature: There will be an error introduced if the apparatus is used at a different temperature
than the temperature at which the piston diameter was measured. This error could be eliminated by
measurement of these two temperatures and correction of the result for any resultant expansion.

Experimental Apparatus

Figure 1: Calibration of pressure gauge apparatus

The Bourdon gauge shown in Figure 1 has a transparent dial through which the construction may be viewed. It
consists essentially of a thin-walled tube of oval cross section, which is bent to the circular arc encompassing
about 270 degrees. It is rigidly held at one end, where the pressure is admitted. The other end is free to move
and is sealed. When pressure is applied, the tube tends to straighten, so that the free end moves slightly. This
movement operates a mechanism, which drives a pointer round the graduated dial, the movement of the
pointer being proportional to the applied pressure. The construction of the dead weight tester is also shown in
Figure 1. A cylindrical piston, free to move vertically in a closely fitting cylinder, is loaded with known weights.
The space below the piston is filled with water, and the pressure is transmitted by the water to the gauge
under test through a transparent hose. The pressure generated by the piston is easily found in terms of the
total weight supported and the cross-sectional area of the piston.
Experimental Procedure
1. The weight of the piston and its cross-sectional area should be noted.
2. The piston is removed and water is poured into the cylinder until is full to the overflow level.
3. Clear any air trapped in the tube by tilting and gently tapping the apparatus.
4. The piston is then replaced in the cylinder and allowed to settle.
5. A spirit level placed on the platform at the top of the piston may be used to ensure that the cylinder
stand quite vertically.
6. Weights are now added in convenient increments, and at each increment the pressure gauge reading
is observed (Loading).
7. A similar set of result is then taken with decreasing weights (Unloading).
8. To guard against the piston sticking in the cylinder, it is advisable to rotate the piston gently while the
pressure gauge is being used.
9. Plot a graph of increasing and decreasing gauge readings (kN/m2) and against the actual pressure
(kN/m2) to get a visual indication of any hysteresis in the gauge.
10. Plot a graph of the average error(kN/m2) against the applied pressure (kN/m2) to get a visual indication
of the reading error across the pressure range.

Results and Calculations

Note: Max Load = 5.2 kg (including piston)
Given Specifications of H3a
Piston Area = 315 mm2 (0.488 in2)
Plunger & Platform = 1 kg (2.2 lb)
Calibration Constants: Total Mass (kg) x 31.14 = kN/m2 or Total Mass (lb) x 2.05 = lbf/in2
Table 1: Results for H3a TecQuipment

Mass
Added
to the
Piston
kg

Total
Actual
Mass Pressure
on
P
the
Piston
kg
kN/m2

Increasing Pressure
Gauge
Reading

Relative
Error

kN/m2

Decreasing
Pressure
Gauge
Relative
Reading
Error
kN/m2

Average
Gauge
Reading

Average
Error

Error of
Full
Scale

kN/m2

kN/m2

Gauge Error
100
Actual Pressure
Increasing Gauge Pressure Decreasing Gauge Pressure
Average Gauge Reading
2

Relative Error

Average Error Actual Pressure Average Pressure

Error of Full Scale

Average Error
100
Full Scale Reading

eq (13)
eq (14)
eq (15)
eq (16)

Sample Calculations: Take any one reading and perform the step by step procedure.
Discussion and Conclusion
References

CLASS WORK
EXPERIMENT 2: CALIBRATION OF PRESSURE GAUGE
Name
ID Number
Section
Group
Date
Given Specifications of H3a
Piston Area = 315 mm2 (0.488 in2)
Plunger & Platform = 1 kg (2.2 lb)
Calibration Constants: Total Mass (kg) x 31.14 = kN/m2 or Total Mass (lb) x 2.05 = lbf/in2
Table: Results for H3a TecQuipment

Mass
Added
to the
Piston
kg

Total
Actual
Mass Pressure
on
P
the
Piston
kg
kN/m2

Increasing Pressure
Gauge
Reading

Relative
Error

kN/m2

Decreasing
Pressure
Gauge
Relative
Reading
Error
kN/m2

Average
Gauge
Reading

Average
Error

Error of
Full
Scale

kN/m2

kN/m2