Pressure sensors are used for control and monitoring in thousands of everyday applications. Pressure sensors can also be used to indirectly measure other variables such as fluid/gas flow, speed, water level, and altitude. Pressure sensors can alternatively be called pressure transducers, pressure transmitters, pressure senders, pressure indicators, piezometers and manometers, among other names.
A pressure sensor may also be used to calculate the level of a fluid. This technique is commonly employed to measure the depth of a submerged body (such as a diver or submarine), or level of contents in a tank (such as in a water tower). For most practical purposes, fluid level is directly proportional to pressure. In the case of fresh water where the contents are under atmospheric pressure, 1psi = 27.7 inH20 / 1Pa = 9.81 mmH20.
The basic equation for such a measurement is
where P = pressure, ρ = density of the fluid, g = standard gravity, h = height of fluid column above pressure sensor.
Need a pressure sensor for a stream, well or wetland? For pump testing or flow monitoring? That performs barometric compensation? We’ve got you covered—our pressure sensors provide a wide range of capabilities, options and protocols.