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Application notes
When is Customization Needed in a Pressure Transducer Sensor Element?
The TTF-1 pressure transducer provides design flexibility for OEM pressure-measurement applications and incorporates the most recent advances in thin-film sensor technology. With its compact size, the pressure transducer can be used in applications where mounting space is limited. The TTF-1 pressure transducer is designed for engineers who plan to provide their own power supply and signal-conditioning circuitry.
Why Would an Engineer Use a Sensor Element Instead of a Finished Pressure Transducer?
Bare pressure sensors can be used where space is very limited. They fit more easily into compact systems and custom process connections allow for easy integration. The overall cost is lower than a complete pressure transducer, and temperature compensation is already designed into the sensor circuitry.
A regulated power supply and signal-conditioning circuitry are required for stable operation of the pressure sensor.
The TTF-1 pressure transducer incorporates integral temperature-compensation circuitry that provides a compensated temperature range of -40°F to 212°F. In addition to the Wheatstone bridge for pressure measurement, each pressure sensor has two additional resistors (Rk1 and Rk2) that provide temperature compensation to the bridge.
The high-grade stainless steel cylinder design of the TTF-1 pressure transducer offers complete media isolation; the pressure sensor element is directly welded to the pressure port to avoid leak points that may occur when O-rings or adhesive joints are used for sealing. The Wheatstone bridge is applied to the diaphragm using a process called sputtering; this forms a tight atomic bond with the surface that eliminates the risk of "creeping" that sometimes occurs in pressure sensor elements with adhesive-fixed strain gauges. By eliminating sealing concerns, the TTF-1 pressure transducer increases the overall reliability and performance of the system.