Scribd
Upload
8 views3 pages

dp transmitter

The document describes a differential pressure transmitter that utilizes a taut metal diaphragm and differential capacitance to measure pressure differences. It explains how pressure variations cause diaphragm displacement, which is measured through changes in capacitance between two plates. The design features isolating diaphragms and a fill fluid to enhance accuracy and protect against overpressure, allowing for optimized functions of sensing and protection.

Uploaded by

bharathi.jothi77
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
8 views3 pages

dp transmitter

The document describes a differential pressure transmitter that utilizes a taut metal diaphragm and differential capacitance to measure pressure differences. It explains how pressure variations cause diaphragm displacement, which is measured through changes in capacitance between two plates. The design features isolating diaphragms and a fill fluid to enhance accuracy and protect against overpressure, allowing for optimized functions of sensing and protection.

Uploaded by

bharathi.jothi77
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 3

DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE TRNSMITTER

Another common electrical pressure sensor design works on the principle


of differential capacitance. In this design, the sensing element is a taut
metal diaphragm located equidistant between two stationary metal
surfaces, comprising three plates for a complementary pair of capacitors.
An electrically insulating fill fluid (usually a liquid silicone compound)
transfers motion from the isolating diaphragms to the sensing diaphragm,
and also doubles as an effective dielectric for the two capacitors:

Any difference of pressure across the cell causes the diaphragm to flex in
the direction of least pressure. The sensing diaphragm is a precision-
manufactured spring element, meaning that its displacement is a
predictable function of applied force. The applied force in this case can
only be a function of differential pressure acting against the surface area
of the diaphragm in accordance with the standard force-pressure-area
equation F = PA.

In this case, we have two forces caused by two fluid pressures working
against each other, so our force-pressure-area equation may be rewritten
to describe resultant force as a function of differential pressure (P1 − P2)
and diaphragm area: F = (P1 − P2)A. Since diaphragm area is constant,
and force is predictably related to diaphragm displacement, all we need
now in order to infer differential pressure is to accurately measure
displacement of the diaphragm.

The diaphragm’s secondary function as one plate of two capacitors


provides a convenient method for measuring displacement. Since
capacitance between conductors is inversely proportional to the distance
separating them, capacitance on the low-pressure side will increase while
capacitance on the high-pressure side will decrease:

A capacitance detector circuit connected to this cell uses a high-


frequency AC excitation signal to measure the different in capacitance
between the two halves, translating that into a DC signal which ultimately
becomes the signal output by the instrument representing pressure.

These pressure sensors are highly accurate, stable, and rugged. An


interesting feature of this design – using two isolating diaphragms to
transfer process fluid pressure to a single sensing diaphragm through an
internal “fill fluid” – is that the solid frame bounds the motion of the two
isolating diaphragms such that neither one is able to force the sensing
diaphragm past its elastic limit.

As the illustration shows, the higher-pressure isolating diaphragm gets


pushed toward the metal frame, transferring its motion to the sensing
diaphragm via the fill fluid. If too much pressure is applied to that side,
the isolating diaphragm will merely “flatten” against the solid frame of
the capsule and stop moving. This positively limits the isolating
diaphragm’s motion so that it cannot possibly exert any more force on the
sensing diaphragm, even if additional process fluid pressure is applied.
This use of isolating diaphragms and fill fluid to transfer motion to the
sensing diaphragm, employed in other styles of differential pressure
sensor as well, gives modern differential pressure instruments excellent
resistance to over-pressure damage.

It should be noted that the use of a liquid fill fluid is key to this
overpressure-resistant design. In order for the sensing diaphragm to
accurately translate applied pressure into a proportional capacitance, it
must not contact the conductive metal frame surrounding it. In order for
any diaphragm to be protected against overpressure, however, it must
contact a solid backstop to limit further travel. Thus, the need for non-
contact (capacitance) and for contact (overpressure protection) are
mutually exclusive, making it nearly impossible to perform both functions
with a single sensing diaphragm. Using fill fluid to transfer pressure from
isolating diaphragms to the sensing diaphragm allows us to separate the
function of capacitive measurement (sensing diaphragm) from the
function of overpressure protection (isolation diaphragms) so that each
diaphragm may be optimized for a separate purpose.

You might also like