High Accuracy Pressure Measurement: Applications and Why ESI Technology Is the Right Choice

When pressure measurement needs to be accurate, every part of the measurement system matters.

Small errors can affect test results, system performance and product development. In some applications, inaccurate pressure data can also lead to costly faults or incorrect decisions.

This is why high accuracy pressure measurement is essential across industries such as aerospace, automotive, oil and gas, hydrogen, laboratory testing and calibration.

ESI Technology designs and manufactures a wide range of high accuracy pressure transducers and transmitters for demanding applications. Using advanced Silicon-on-Sapphire (SOS) sensor technology, specialist materials and application-specific designs, ESI provides reliable pressure measurement across a broad range of pressures and environments.

What is high accuracy pressure measurement?

High accuracy pressure measurement means measuring pressure as closely as possible to the true value.

However, accuracy is only one part of pressure sensor performance.

Engineers may also need to consider:

• Repeatability
• Hysteresis
• Long-term stability
• Temperature effects
• Overpressure resistance
• Pressure range
• Media compatibility
• Electrical output
• Mechanical construction
• Environmental conditions

A pressure transducer may provide excellent accuracy under controlled conditions. That does not necessarily mean it will deliver the same performance when exposed to temperature changes, vibration, pressure fluctuations or aggressive media.

For this reason, choosing the right high accuracy pressure transducer involves looking at the complete application.

Where is high accuracy pressure measurement used?

High accuracy pressure measurement is important wherever reliable pressure data is needed to test, control, validate or monitor a system.

Aerospace testing and development

Aerospace is one of the most demanding environments for pressure measurement.

Engineers use pressure transducers to test hydraulic and pneumatic systems, fuel systems, engines and other aircraft components.

During development and certification testing, accurate pressure data helps engineers understand how components behave under different operating conditions.

Pressure sensors may also need to cope with temperature changes, vibration and rapid pressure fluctuations.

ESI’s HISPEC range includes high accuracy pressure transducers developed for aerospace and test applications. The HI2000, for example, offers accuracy of up to 0.1% and pressure ranges from low-pressure measurement through to 1,500 bar.

For aerospace test systems, the combination of accuracy, stability and environmental performance can provide valuable confidence in measurement results.

Calibration laboratories

Calibration depends on reliable reference measurements.

If a pressure measurement system is being used to check or calibrate another instrument, the reference sensor must provide a high level of accuracy and stability.

A small measurement error can affect the calibration result. Long-term stability is also important because calibration equipment may be used repeatedly over an extended period.

ESI high accuracy pressure transducers can be used in laboratory and test environments where repeatable pressure measurements are essential.

The HI2000 uses Silicon-on-Sapphire technology, which provides excellent stability and virtually no hysteresis. This helps support consistent measurements across changing pressure and temperature conditions.

Automotive testing

Pressure measurement plays an important role in automotive development and testing.

Engineers may need to measure pressure within hydraulic, pneumatic, fuel and other vehicle systems. Accurate data allows components and systems to be tested under controlled conditions.

Pressure transducers used in these applications may need to provide fast and repeatable measurements while operating across a range of pressures and temperatures.

High accuracy pressure measurement can help engineers:

• Validate component designs
• Compare test results
• Identify pressure changes
• Monitor system performance
• Improve development processes

ESI provides pressure measurement solutions for automotive and industrial test applications, including high accuracy HISPEC products.

Oil and gas pressure measurement

Oil and gas applications can place significant demands on pressure sensors.

Pressure measurement may be required in surface equipment, monitoring systems and downhole applications. Sensors can also encounter high pressures, temperature changes and demanding media.

The HISPEC HI5000, for example, is designed for downhole pressure measurement. It uses Silicon-on-Sapphire technology and is designed for operation at elevated temperatures and pressures.

For these applications, accuracy needs to be supported by robust construction and long-term stability.

A sensor that produces an accurate reading today but drifts significantly over time may not provide the reliability an application requires.

Hydrogen pressure measurement

Hydrogen systems create their own pressure measurement challenges.

Hydrogen compatibility, material selection and pressure range all need to be considered when choosing a pressure transducer.

ESI offers dedicated hydrogen-compatible pressure transducers, including the HI2000H.

The HI2000H combines high accuracy with Silicon-on-Sapphire sensor technology and specialist titanium construction. It has been tested to ISO 11114-4:2017, according to EC79/2009 and EU406/2010, and is available with pressure ranges up to 1,500 bar.

This makes the HI2000H suitable for applications where accurate pressure measurement is required alongside hydrogen compatibility.

Why Silicon-on-Sapphire is well suited to accurate pressure measurement

One of the key technologies behind ESI’s high accuracy pressure transducers is Silicon-on-Sapphire.

SOS combines a silicon sensing element with a sapphire substrate.

This creates a highly stable sensing structure with several advantages for pressure measurement.

Excellent repeatability

Repeatability is important when a pressure transducer is measuring the same pressure condition multiple times.

A stable sensor should return consistent measurements rather than producing different readings each time.

The elastic properties of sapphire support excellent repeatability, making SOS technology particularly useful for precision applications.

Low hysteresis

Hysteresis can affect pressure measurement when the output depends on whether pressure is increasing or decreasing.

ESI’s Silicon-on-Sapphire sensors exhibit virtually no hysteresis. This helps maintain consistent measurements across pressure cycles.

Temperature stability

Temperature can have a significant effect on pressure sensor performance.

A sensor may be exposed to changing ambient temperatures or high process temperatures during operation.

Silicon-on-Sapphire technology provides excellent stability across a wide temperature range. This helps maintain pressure measurement performance when operating conditions change.

Resistance to overpressure

Pressure systems do not always operate under perfectly controlled conditions.

Pressure spikes and transient events can expose a sensor to pressures above its normal operating range.

The strength of the SOS sensor structure provides high resistance to overpressure, helping protect the sensing element in demanding applications.

Titanium construction for demanding applications

Sensor technology is only part of the equation.

The materials used in a pressure transducer also influence its performance and suitability for a particular application.

Selected ESI pressure transducers use titanium wetted parts and diaphragms.

Titanium provides excellent chemical compatibility and corrosion resistance. It is also strong and lightweight, making it useful for applications where environmental resistance and mechanical performance are important.

The HI2000, for example, uses a specialist titanium alloy sensor and provides high thermal stability across a wide operating temperature range.

This combination of Silicon-on-Sapphire sensing and titanium construction creates a robust platform for high accuracy pressure measurement.

High accuracy does not mean one pressure range

Pressure measurement applications can vary dramatically.

One system may require accurate measurement at only a few bar. Another may need to measure hundreds or thousands of bar.

ESI offers pressure transducers covering a very wide range of applications. Across the wider product portfolio, pressure measurement capabilities extend from very low pressures through to 5,000 bar.

The HISPEC HI2000 provides pressure ranges up to 1,500 bar, while other ESI products extend the available range further.

This means engineers can select a pressure transducer based on the actual requirements of the application rather than forcing a standard sensor into an unsuitable operating range.

TEDS for smarter pressure measurement

Accuracy is not the only consideration in modern test and measurement systems.

Engineers may also need to manage multiple sensors and measurement channels. This is where TEDS (Transducer Electronic Data Sheet) technology can provide an advantage.

The ESI HI3000 TEDS pressure transducer includes an on-board 20Kbit EEPROM.

Important sensor information can be stored within the transducer and accessed by compatible measurement systems. This can simplify sensor identification and configuration while reducing manual data entry.

For laboratories, test facilities and automated measurement systems, this can make sensor management much easier.

Choosing the right high accuracy pressure transducer

There is no single pressure transducer that is perfect for every application.

When selecting a high accuracy pressure sensor, engineers should consider:

1. Pressure range

Choose a sensor that covers the required pressure without compromising measurement performance.

2. Accuracy

Consider the level of accuracy required by the application and how accuracy is specified.

3. Temperature

Look at both the media temperature and the surrounding ambient temperature.

4. Stability

For long-term applications, consider how well the sensor maintains its performance over time.

5. Pressure cycles

Frequent pressure cycling can place additional demands on the sensing element.

6. Media compatibility

The sensor materials must be suitable for the fluid or gas being measured.

7. Environmental conditions

Vibration, shock, humidity and hazardous environments may all affect sensor selection.

8. Electrical output

The pressure transducer needs to communicate effectively with the wider measurement or control system.

9. Mechanical requirements

Size, pressure connection, mounting and available space can all influence the final choice.

Why choose ESI Technology for high accuracy pressure measurement?

ESI Technology has been designing and manufacturing pressure measurement solutions for demanding applications for decades.

Its product range combines different sensor technologies, materials, pressure connections and electrical outputs to meet a wide range of requirements.

For high accuracy applications, ESI offers several important advantages:

• Silicon-on-Sapphire sensor technology
• Excellent long-term stability
• Virtually no hysteresis
• High repeatability
• Wide temperature stability
• High overpressure resistance
• Titanium construction on selected products
• Pressure ranges from low pressure to very high pressure
• TEDS options for selected products
• ATEX and IECEx options on selected models
• Hydrogen-compatible pressure transducers
• Application-specific and custom pressure measurement solutions

ESI also manufactures its pressure measurement products in the UK and provides technical support to help engineers select the right solution for their application.

Accurate pressure measurement for demanding applications

High accuracy pressure measurement is about more than a number on a datasheet.

The sensor must continue to perform when temperature changes, pressure fluctuates and the operating environment becomes challenging.

This is where sensor technology, materials and engineering expertise all come together.

ESI Technology’s high accuracy pressure transducers are designed to provide stable, repeatable pressure measurement across demanding applications.

From aerospace testing and calibration laboratories to automotive, oil and gas, hydrogen and industrial systems, ESI provides pressure measurement solutions designed around the requirements of the application.

Need high accuracy pressure measurement for your application? Contact ESI Technology to discuss your requirements with our technical team [email protected] +44 (0)1978 262255 or find your local distributor here