Hi everybody,

A steam or hot oil pressure sensor is used to measure the pressure of steam or hot oil in industrial applications. There are different types of pressure sensors that can be used for this purpose, including:

    Differential Pressure Sensors: These sensors measure the difference between the pressure of steam or hot oil and atmospheric pressure. They are commonly used in flow measurement applications.

    Absolute Pressure Sensors: These sensors measure the pressure of steam or hot oil relative to a perfect vacuum. They are commonly used in applications where accurate pressure measurement is required.

    Gauge Pressure Sensors: These sensors measure the pressure of steam or hot oil relative to atmospheric pressure. They are commonly used in applications where the pressure range is within atmospheric pressure.

When selecting a steam or hot oil pressure sensor, it is important to consider factors such as the pressure range, accuracy, response time, and operating temperature range. The sensor should be capable of withstanding the high temperatures and pressures associated with steam or hot oil, and should be installed in a location that is compatible with the sensor's mounting and thread specifications.


What is the highest operating temperature limit for a pressure transmitter?

When selecting a pressure transmitter for use with steam, it is important to determine the steam temperature using a published table, online calculator, or formula. As pressure increases, finding suitable pressure transducers becomes increasingly difficult as many will not have a high enough maximum operating temperature.

How are pressure transducers protected from high temperature steam?

Many of the pressure transducer technologies commonly used by manufacturers are not suitable for direct contact with high-temperature steam, which typically has operating limits of 100 to 125 °C / 212 to 363.2 °F. Therefore, protective components must be added between the pressure transducer and the steam to cool and distribute the heat.

High-temperature protective components can differ in mechanical design, with some allowing steam to pass through while others isolate with an oil-filled isolation diaphragm seal. Most of these design concepts rely on providing sufficient surface area of thermally conductive material to make contact with the cooler ambient air to increase cooling effect, or restrict the volume of steam or completely block it with a membrane.

Sensor criteria for measuring steam include:

+ Pressure range?
+ Output voltage type?
+ Accuracy?
+ Electrical connections?
+ Type of medium? Steam
+ Maximum medium temperature?
+ Will it exchange information with other devices via connections?

+ Pressure sensor main page

+ Reading Hydraulic Pressure