UNIT 5/PART-I

MEASUREMENT OF PRESSURE & VACUUM

 TOPICS
 Liquid Column Manometers

 Measuring elements for Gage Pressure and vacuum

 Indicating elements for Pressure Gages

 Measurement of Absolute pressure

 Measuring pressure in corrosive liquids

INTRODUCTION
 Pressure measurement is the analysis of an applied force by
a fluid (liquid or gas) on a surface.

 Pressure is typically measured in units of force per unit of surface
area.

 Many techniques have been developed for the measurement of

pressure and vacuum.

 A vacuum gauge is a pressure gauge used to measure pressures

lower than the ambient atmospheric pressure, which is set as the
zero point, in negative values (e.g.: -15 psi or -760 mmHg equals
total vacuum).

 Most gauges measure pressure relative to atmospheric pressure as

the zero point, so this form of reading is simply referred to as
"gauge pressure
LIQUID COLUMN MANOMETERS

 One of the oldest means of pressure measurement.

 It is the simplest, most desirable and most accurate out all

measuring means

 Normally used to measure differential pressures less than 30 psi.

 Types of manometers:
1. U-Tube Type
2. Enlarged Leg Type
3. Well Type
4. Inclined Tube Type
5. Ring Type
 U-TUBE TYPE (SIMPLE)
 The Vertical tubes (legs) are freely connected through a
metal fitting at the bottom.
 The entire assembly is partly filled with a manometer
liquid such as Mercury, oil and water.

Hydrostatic Balance: (p2-p1)=ρgh

here, h= Difference in level

ρ = Density of manometer liquid
p= Pressure

Assumption: Density of any fluid over the

manometer liquid is negligible
 U-TUBE TYPE (LIQUID HEAD CONSIDERED)
 When the fluid over the manometer liquid is of
appreciable density, then the additional head must be
taken into account.
Hydrostatic Balance: (p2-p1)=ρgh- gH

here, ρ = Density of manometer liquid

= Density of liquid over
manometer

For the measurement of

Guage Pressure:p1= Atmospheric Pressure
Vaccum pressure:p2=Atmospheric Pressure
 ENLARGED LEG FLOAT MANOMETER
 Used in Recording type Manometers
 It provides means of changing span of instrument

Hydrostatic Balance: (p2-p1)= ρgd {1+ (A2/A1)}

here, ρ = Density of manometer liquid

d = Float Displacement from the zero lines (inches)

Note: The span can be changed

by change in the area of
the both legs
 WELL MANOMETER
 Another type of Enlarged leg manometer.
 The purpose of which is to make the variation of the level
in the well of negligible magnitude
 Here Head can be read directly on a single scale instead of
differential like in U-Tube Manometers
Hydrostatic Balance: (p2-p1)= ρgd {1+ (A1/A2)}

Note: If the area of the well is 500

Or more times larger than vertical leg
Then the area term is neglected

Thus
Hydrostatic Balance: (p2-p1)= ρgd
 INCLINED TUBE MANOMETER
 Here the purpose of inclined leg is to expand the scale so
that lower pressure differentials may be read easily

Hydrostatic Balance: (p2-p1)= ρgd {1+ (A1/A2)} sinα

Here α is the angle made the leg with the horizontal

d is the distance along the tube through which level moves
RING DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE MANOMETER
 It is made from a tube in the form of a ring which is
supported near its center by knife edge pivot
 The Ring is divided into two parts by partition and the tube
is filled with manometer liquid
 The pressures p1 and p2 are led to the tube through flexible
connections.
 The rotation of the ring is caused by
difference in pressure acting against
cut portion of the tube
 The rotation of the ring is limited by
the counter weight W.

Hydrostatic Balance: (p2-p1)= g (d/r) {W/A}Sinθ

RING DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE MANOMETER
 WHY MERCURY AS MANOMETER FLUID
Advantages:
 Low Freezing Point (-38 0F)

 High Boiling Point (+675 0F)

 Low vapor pressure

 Insoluble in many common liquids

Disadvantages:
 It Amalgamates and Corrodes many metals

 Expensive, Poisonous

 Its high density is advantage in some applications and

disadvantage for some cases
 WATER AS MANOMETER FLUID
For low pressure manometers water with coloring agent
used as manometer fluid (agent reduces the surface
tension and so that capillary rise is reduced

Disadvantages:
 Its high vapor pressure

 Soluble in other liquids

Other Manometer Fluids:

Petroleum oil and Kerosene
MEASURING ELEMENTS FOR GAGE PRESSURE AND
VACUUM
 Measuring elements for pressures from 20,000 psi and less
are
1. pressure spring (bourdon),
2. The bellows
3. The diaphragm.

Pressure Spring Gage: Which employs a spiral, helix or

bourdon tube

 Bronze Pressure Spring-range up to about 600psi

 Berylium Copper Pressure Spring- range up to about 10000
psi
 Steel or Steel Alloy Pressure Spring-range up to about
10000 psi and higher
DIAL INDICATING PRESSURE GAGE WITH BOURDON
TUBE

 Most common type is the simple dial pressure gage

with bourdon tube element
 Obtained in sizes from 2 inch diameter dial up to 14
inch diameter
BELLOWS PRESSURE ELEMENT
 A metallic bellows acting with the pressure on one side and
a spring on the other is used
 Pressure range of the system is determined mainly by the
effective area of the bellows and the spring gradient
 Material of construction for bellows are brass or phosphor
bronze and sometimes Monel or Stainless Steel may be used.
 Measuring Gage Pressures or vacuum in the range of about
5 inches of water up to 100 psi
DIAPHRAGM PRESSURE ELEMENT
 Metal Diaphragm Pressure Element:
 Material of construction: Brass or Bronze
 Force against the effective area (pressure) causes deflection of
Diaphragm
 The motion of the diaphragm operates an indicating or Recording type
 Employed for low pressures or vacuums up to about 5 psi
 Non Metal Diaphragm Pressure Element:
 Material of construction: High quality leather, goldbeaters skin or a
thin neoprene-like material
 Force against the effective area (pressure) causes deflection of
Diaphragm
 For Higher pressures a flexible neoprene diaphragm can be employed
INDICATING ELEMENTS FOR PRESSURE GAGES
 The various forms of industrial pressure gages differs
mainly by the method by which the displacement of the
measuring element is arranged to operate indicating
pointer.
 Most Common Method: Displacement element is
directly connected to indicating pointer or a recording
pen
 In most cases indicating or recording system of
mechanical gage is same as that of pressure spring
thermometer.
 By Pressure tight bearing and torque tube the motion
of the float or Bellow is established
ELECTRIC PRESSURE GAGES
 It comprises an elastic element for converting pressure
into displacement and electric displacement gage for
measuring displacement
 An unbonded strain gage is employed with a bellow
element
 The bourdon tube or diaphragm could be used as the
elastic element and the variable transformer employed
in place of strain gage.
 The total displacement of the bellows is about two or
three thousands of an inch, and this small
displacement is characteristic of most electric pressure
gages
 Strain element serves only to measure displacement of
the bellows
 Electric pressure gages can be used to measure
absolute pressures if the upper side of the bellow is
evacuated
 Differential pressures can also be measured using
electrical gages
MEASUREMENT OF ABSOLUTE PRESSURE
 When the Barometric Pressure is constant then Difference
between Absolute and Gauge pressure is constant
 Error in Absolute pressure is with gage pressure instrument
is depend upon the magnitude of change in barometric
pressure fro normal
 i.e. the error is about 0.5 psi for every 1 in. Hg change in barometric
pressure
 For Absolute pressures above 500 psi errors are negligible.
 INDUSTRIAL INSTRUMENTS FOR MEASURING
ABSOLUTE PRESSURE
 The following are the industrial instruments used in plant
scale for measuring Absolute Pressure
The Bellows Gage

The McLeod Gage

The Pirani Gage

 The Thermocouple Gage

The Ionization Gage

The Bellows Gage
 Used to measure 5000-106 microns Absolute pressure
 It is simply double Bellow Gage for differential pressure
measurement.
 The Upper bellow is sealed and it is evacuated to a pressure of
about 5 microns or less.
 The Lower bellow is measuring

one and having the same are as

upper bellow
 The Deflection of the system

is proportional to the absolute pressure

in the measuring bellow
THE MCLEOD GAGE
 Used as primary standard for measurement of high vacuums
 Initially The Gage is filled with the Gas (for which Absolute pressure to
be measured) periodically by rotating the assembly by electrical motor
 The Gas is compressed to a smaller
volume by the action of mercury
 At this pressure the height of the
mercury column in the capillary
is directly related to vacuum by gas laws.
 The Capillary tube contains fine
platinum wire and the resistance
of platinum wire is measured with
resistance thermometer
 Advantage: Simple to use and its calibration is same as that of
condensable gases
THE PIRANI GAGE
 Useful in the range of 20-200 microns Absolute pressure
 Useful for gases like Argon, Caron dioxide, Air, Water vapor, Helium,
Acetylene and Hydrogen
 Principle: It operates on the principle of “Heat lost by the conduction
and convection fro a heated resistance wire depends on the pressure of
the gas surrounding the wire”.
 The Gases are filled in the bottom enclosure in which tungsten filament is
sealed The enclosure is made with hard glass
 The current through the filament is maintained constant by employing the
unit in a Wheatstone bridge circuit
 The another arm of Wheatstone bridge is connected to temperature
compensation cell, which is sealed at pressure less than 1 micron.
 The un balance of the bridge is measured by an instrument similar to
automatic balance potentiometer.
 Pirani Gage should not be operated above 450 0F, if organic vapors from
grase, oil are present in the system (Because High filament temperatures
decompose organic vapors and deposit on filament and causes errors)
 Advantage: Simple to use

 Disadvantage: its calibration depends on the type of the gas in which the
Absolute pressure is measured
THE THERMOCOUPLE GAGE
 Useful in the range of 500 microns Absolute pressure
 The basic principle of operation is same as that of Pirani Gage

 Here the temperature of the filament is measured by a fine wire

thermocouple directly attached to the filament
 The Compensating cell and Measuring cell used with thermocouples
connected in series so that compensating cell emf can be subtracted
from measuring cell emf.
 Has same advantages and disadvantages as Pirani gage
THE IONIZATION GAGE
 Useful in the range of 10-3 to 2 microns Absolute pressure (low pressures)
 Here the Gage tube is directly connected to the point of measurement

 Gage tube in the form of Triode consists of Grid, Cathode and Collector
Plate.
 Grid is maintained at high positive potential (about 150 volts) with
respect to cathode
 Plate is maintained at negative potential (about -25 volts) with respect
to Grid.
 Principle: Electrons emitted at hot cathode by thermionic emission are
attracted towards grid, and pass through the grid . These Electrons are
bombarded with Gas molecules and forms positive ions and formed
positive ions are collected on the plate.
 The amount of ion current is proportional to the amount of gas present
(provided the electron current is maintained constant)
 The ion current is measured by the automatic balance potentiometer.

Note: 1. This Ionization Gage cannot be used at pressures above 2 microns

because of the possibility burning of filament
2. An Ionic Gage in conjunction with Pirani gage can be used to
measure more than 2 microns.
3. Ionization Gage is not suitable for oxygen, hydrogen and carbon
dioxide, which decomposes on hot filament