Types & Applications
Companies in the biotechnology, chemical, food processing, petrochemical and oil refining industries rely on gauges to keep their operations on track. For engineers and technicians at these types of process facilities, gauges serve crucial roles as barometers for working systems.
Why Stainless Steel?
Pressure gauge choice depends on a number of factors, namely accuracy, specification, utility, and safety considerations. Stainless steel gauges are the ideal option when corrosion is a concern, as system failures often occur when Bourdon tubes become weakened or damaged by exposure to corrosive chemicals such as acetone, ammonia, dry carbon dioxide, or creosote.
Another crucial factor for choosing stainless steel is temperature. Where high temperatures are a concern, stainless steel gauges are the only choice. Brass systems are soldered and have a far lower melt point than stainless steel. WIKA does not recommend using a brass system in applications where the media temperature exceeds 140°F. The short term, intermittent maximum temperature limit on a dry WIKA XSEL® Process Gauge with a welded stainless steel system is 500°F. The user, however, must be aware of the temperature error that will occur if the temperature deviates from the reference temperature of 68°F—this operational condition applies to any type of pressure gauge.
It’s also enormously crucial to avoid any breach of the media to maintain the integrity of the system. While this is a concern with brass solder joints, all-welded, stainless steel pressure gauges will prevent this, given that the correct gauge is chosen for each application.
WIKA: The Leader in Stainless Steel Gauges
WIKA’s pressure gauges, with stainless steel casing and wetted parts, though, are designed for heavy-duty services in harsh applications where corrosive environments exist. Our stainless steel gauge series can be dry or liquid filled; WIKA recommends liquid filling for equipment where vibration and pulsation are common, as with heavy machinery, compressors, pumps, etc. To minimize downtime when these gauges do need attention, most stainless steel gauges with a removable bezel can be serviced in the field (filling, zero-point adjustment, etc.), saving production time and keeping budgets on track.
WIKA offers stainless steel models in all of our pressure gauge lines, from commercial and industrial to process and high-precision gauges. In the industrial line, Bourdon tube stainless steel gauges are the preferred instrument for petrochemical, on- and off-shore, mechanical engineering, and power facilities. These gauges are most commonly liquid-filled.
Available in stainless steel, WIKA’s XSEL® Process Gauge is utilized in sour-gas (hydrogen sulfide) service in the petroleum industry, power station, on- and off-shore mining, chemical, petrochemical, and environmental applications, in part because this gauge series offers superior shock resistance and load-cycle stability, along with positive pressure ranges up to 20,000 psi. This process gauge is approved by NACE International standards MR-01-75 and MR-01-03.
For measuring very low pressure (gas media as low as 10" H20), WIKA offers a stainless steel low-pressure gauge: Capsule Pressure Gauge. WIKA’s stainless steel Sealgauges™ are go-to tools in sanitary-piping systems, pulp and paper, and in the wastewater industry, and our Model 332.54 test gauge is utilized for high-precision testing, laboratory use and calibration.
For long life in the harshest conditions—across all industry applications—WIKA’s stainless steel industrial and process-grade gauges continue to set the bar high, especially at facilities where high-precision and durability are paramount.