Industrial pressure transducers are used in a wide variety of applications ranging from HVAC/R compressors, refrigeration and variable speed pumps to hydraulic pressure, oil and water. A transducer can be used anywhere there's a pipeline or chamber, its function is to sense and convert pressures into a proportional electrical output signal that is transmitted to monitoring or control system.
These sensors monitor the performance and efficiency of systems and help optimize their operation. Selecting and installing the correct transducer for a new application is a very important decision. Selecting the wrong transducer can result in system problems.
The Top 5 Considerations For Selecting a Pressure Transducer
1. Pressure
Pressure is the most important consideration when it comes to pressure transducers. In order to select the right one, several questions must be considered beforehand. What is the pressure range that the transducer will measure? What is the maximum pressure the transducer will encounter? What is the potential for over pressure in the system? What is the proof and burst pressure? The answer to these questions can be found in the transducer's data sheet, and manufacturers will have application engineers available to dive deeper into application requirements.
2. Media
Any wetted surfaces of the transducer must be compatible with the media, which can include motor oil, brake fluid, refrigerants, hydraulic fluids, seawater, waste water, tap water, oxygen, compressed air, and nitrogen, to mention just a few. Special considerations must be made for harsh media such as ammonia, ionized water, salt water, hydrogen, acids,, and jet fuel. Also, be sure that the diaphragm, fittings and welds are compatible with the media.
3. Temperature
The considerations of temperature refers to the temperature of both environment and process media. It is important to note that transducers can operate in most environments and process media temperatures. When an application involves high temperatures, the purchaser should open a dialog with the transducer manufacturer to find solutions for seemingly difficult or impossible installations.
4. Environment
The environment in which the transducer will operate needs to be closely examined. This includes not only temperature and humidity, but also ingress protection. Sometimes the true ingress protection needed for the application isn't documented in the design specification and customer create specialized tests for critical components like the industrial pressure transducer.
5. Accuracy
A transducer's accuracy is the combined effects of the its linearity, hysteresis, and repeatability. Accuracy can be found on each model's specification sheet. A very common accuracy rating would be +/-0.25.
A lot of the time, a transducer can be selected from a supplier's catalog or website. But if it's not an obvious decision, with extreme temperatures, pressures or environments are involved, it's a good idea to contact the supplier to review options.
CLICK HERE to read about the top 3 design considerations for selecting a pressure transducer.
