MODIBBO ADAMA UNIVERSITY YOLA

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

COURSE: PROCESS INSTRUMENTION (CHE 303)

PRESENTATION ON THE TOPIC;

PRESSURE MEASUREMENT

GROUP ONE

CHE/20U/1157 CHE/20U/1160 CHE/20U/1165 CHE/20U/1168

CHE/20U/1171 CHE/20U/1179 CHE/20U/1181 CHE/20U/1185

CHE/20U/1191 CHE/20U/1199 CHE/21D/1119 CHE/19U/1278

CHE/18U/1304
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

➢ Introduction

➢ Pressure Measurement

➢ Instruments Used For Measuring Pressure

➢ Conclusion

➢ References
INTRODUCTION:

Pressure is defined as the force per unit area that can be exerted by a liquid, gas or

vapor on a given surface. The applied pressure can be measured as absolute, gauge or

differential pressure.

In physical sciences the symbol for pressure is “P” and the SI unit for

measuring pressure is Pascal (symbol: Pa). One Pascal is the force of one Newton per

square meter acting perpendicular on a surface. Other units commonly used to

represent pressure are; bar, torr, atm, psi (pounds per square inch). Use of pressure

units has regional application preference: psi is commonly used in the United States,

while bar the preferred unit of measure in Europe. In the industrial vacuum

community, the preferred pressure unit is torr in the United States, mbar in Europe and

pascal in Asia.

A major portion of all industrial measurements relates in some way to pressure in its

various forms.

Pressure can be measured directly by measurement of the applied force or

indirectly, e.g. by the measurement of the gas properties. Examples of indirect

measurement techniques that are using gas properties are thermal conductivity or

ionization of gas molecules. Before mechanical manometers and electronic diaphragm

pressure sensors were invented, pressure was measured by liquid manometers with

mercury or water.

In this presentation, different pressure measurement and instruments used for

measuring are explained extensively.

PRESSURE MEASUREMENT:

Pressure can be measured as Absolute Pressure, Gauge Pressure or Differential

Pressure.

Absolute Pressure:

Absolute pressure is the measure of pressure with respect to absolute

zero pressure, which is the pressure of a perfect vacuum; it is pressure relative to zero

pressure. In simpler terms, it can be defined as pressure measured above absolute zero

pressure. Absolute pressure is measured using a Barometer. Mathematically, absolute

pressure is the sum of Gauge pressure and Atmospheric Pressure.

Pabsolute = Pguage + Patmospheric

Gauge Pressure:
Gauge pressure is the pressure relative to atmospheric pressure. Gauge

pressure is positive for pressures above atmospheric pressure and negative for

pressures below atmospheric pressure. The difference between gauge pressure and

absolute pressure is clear, absolute pressure measures pressure with respect to absolute

zero pressure while gauge pressure measures pressure with respect to atmospheric

pressure.

Mathematically;
Pguage = Pabsolute - Patmospheric
The diagram below explains absolute pressure and gauge pressure.

Increasing Pressure

Gauge Pressure
Absolute Pressure

Atmospheric Pressure
Absolute Zero Pressure

Fig. 1 (absolute and gauge pressure)

Differential Pressure:
Differential pressure is the pressure difference between two pressure

media’s. Differential pressure can be measured using Pressure Transducers with a

pressure sensor diaphragm where one of the sensor diaphragms is exposed to one

pressure media and the other side of the diaphragm is exposed to the second pressure

media. The differential pressure value is the pressure difference between the two

pressure media’s
INSTRUMENTS FOR MEASURING PRESSURE:

Pressure in fluids is measured by the following devices

• Manometers;
Manometers are devices used to measure the pressure at a point in fluid by balancing

the column of fluid by thesame or another column of liquid. Manometers are classified

into;

1. Simple Manometers;
A simple manometer is one which consists of a glass tube with one end connected to

the pipe where pressure is to be measured and the other end is open to the atmosphere.

Common types of simple Manometers are listed below;

(i) Piezometer (ii) U-tube Manometer (iii) Single Column Manometer

2. Differential Manometers;

Differential Manometers are used to measure the difference in pressure between two

points in a pipe, or two different points. Most commonly used type of Manometers

are;

(i) U- tube differential Manometer (ii) Inverted U-tube differential

manometer.
 • Mechanical Guages
These devices are used for measuring high pressure
i. Bordon tube pressure Guage
ii. Diaphragm Pressure Guage
iii. Bellow Pressure guage
iv. Dead weight Pressure Guage

Simple Manometers
1. Piezometer
Piezometer is the simplest form of manometer which can be used to measure moderate

pressure of liquids. It consist of a glass tube inserted in the wall of vessel or pipe,

containing liquid whose pressure is to measured. The tube extends vertically upward

to such a height that liquid can freely rise in without overflowing. The pressure at any

point in the liquid is indicated by the hieght of liquid in the tube above that point,

which can be read on the scale attached to it.

Fig.2 (piezometer tube fitted to an open vessel)

 2. U-tube Manometer

A U-tube manometer consists of a glass tube bent in U shape, one end of which is

connected to a point where pressure is to be measured and the other end remains open

to the atmosphere as shown in the figure below.

Fig.3(U-tube Manometer)

Differential Manometer:
1. U-tube differential Manometer:

The U-tube differential manometer has its two ends connected to two different points
A and B containig same liquid which might be at same level or not.
Fig. 4 (U-tube differential manometer with points A and Bat same level)

Where; h = difference of mercury levels(heavy liquid)in the U-tube.

h1 = distance of the centre of A from the mercury level in the right limb
s = specfic gravity of mercury
s1 = specific gravity of liquid A
s2 =specific gravity of liquid B
the line X-----X represents the datum line
The pressure in the left and right limb above the datum line are equal.

2. Inverted Differential Manometer:

This manometer is used for measuring difference of two pressure where accuracy is

the major consideration. It consists of an inverted U-tube, with a light liquid whose

two ends are connected to the points A and B whose pressure difference is to be

measured. The inverted U-tube Manometer is shown below.

Fig. 5 (Inverted Differential Manometer)

MECHANICAL GUAGES

Manometers (as have been discussed earlier) are suitable for comparatively low
pressure. For measuring medium and high pressures,we make use of mechanical
guages. We will look at three types of mechanical guages.

1. Bourdon Tube Pressure Guage:

Bourdon tube pressure guage is used to measure both high and low temperatures. The
pressure elemen concists of metal tube of approximately elliptical cross section. This
tube is bent in the form of a segment of a circle and responds to pressure changes.
When one end of the tube wich is connected to the guage case, is connected to the
source of pressure, the internal pressure causes the tube to expand. The free end of the
tube moves and is in turn connected ny suitable levers to the rack, which engages with
a small pinion mounted on the same spindle as the pointer. Thus the pressure applied
to the tube causes the rack and spindle to move. The pressure is indicated by a pointer
on dial which can be graduated to suitable scale. The bourdon tube guage are genrally
made of bronze and nickel steel. The former is generally used for lowe and the latter
for high pressure.

A diagram of the bourdon guage is shown below:

Fig.6 (Bourdon tube Pressure guage).

2. Diaphragm Guage:

This type of guage employs a metalic instead of a bent tube. This disc or diaphragm is
used for actuating and indicating the device. When pressure is applied o the lower side
of the diaphragm, it is deflected upwards. The movement is the transmitted to a rack
and pinion. The latter is attached to the spindle of the needle movig on a graduated
dial.

Fig. 7 (Diaphragm Guage)

Conlusion
Pressure and vacuum measurement is widely used in industrial and scientific
applications. It can be measured with many different types of sensors, techniques and
measurement technologies. The selection of measurement technique and sensor type depends
on the application and requirements.

Refrences
A textbook of fluid mechanics and hyraulics by R.K Rajpuy

Coulson and Richardson volume 1