Types of Pressure Measurements
There are a variety of properties that can be used to classify pressure sensors, including the pressure range they measure, the temperature ranges of operation, or the type of pressure they measure.
Different pressure types can be absolute, gauge, sealed gauge, and differential pressure.
- Absolute pressure sensors measure the pressure relative to a reference chamber (nearly vacuum).
- Gauge pressure sensors – or relative pressure sensors – are used to measure the pressure relative to the currently present atmospheric pressure.
- Sealed gauge pressure sensors are like a gauge pressure sensors, but they measure pressure relative to a fixed pressure rather than to the current atmospheric pressure.
- Differential pressure sensors idetermine the difference between two pressures and can be used to measure pressure drops, fluid levels, and flow rates.
The obvious advantage of an absolute pressure sensor is to always measure against the same reference pressure (vacuum) and therefore be unaffected toby atmospheric pressure changes and less affected by temperature changes.