A pressure transmitter or pressure sensor is a device that measures pressure in a liquid, fluid, or gas. Pressure transmitters are commonly used to measure pressure inside of industrial machinery in order to alert the user before a catastrophe occurs. They have many different uses, most of which are industrial or automotive in nature.
How a Pressure Transmitter Works
There are over 50 types of pressure transmitters that all work differently. Therefore, it is difficult to describe how all of them work within the confines of this article. For example, A Piezoresistive Pressure Sensor contains several thin wafers of silicon embedded between protective surfaces. The surface is usually connected to a Wheatstone bridge, a device for detecting small differences in resistance. The Wheatstone bridge runs a small amount of current through the sensor. When the resistance changes, less current passes through the pressure sensor. The Wheatstone bridge detects this change and reports a change in pressure.
Applications
Pressure transmitters are used in a wide variety of applications. They are used in machinery to warn machine operators of high pressure levels before a disaster takes place. Pressure transmitters also ensure that machines do not apply too much or too little pressure during production. Pressure transmitters can be used in conjunction with other devices to measure depth, altitude, water flow, and even pressure loss in order to prevent leaks in a system.
