Intelligent pressure sensors offer the best in design, functionality and flexibility

The new x|act i is a piezoresistive stainless steel pressure sensor supplied by Impress Sensors & Systems, a specialist manufacturer and distributor of sensors, instrumentation and complete system packages, based in Aldermaston, Berkshire.

The new sensors are unique in several ways. First, due to new optional integrated cooling elements, the sensors can operate in temperatures of up to 150°C or 300°C. Second, the smooth, stainless steel globe type display housing means that there are no easy places on the sensor for dirt, dust, chemicals or foodstuffs to collect, making it easy to keep clean, hence further increasing the life of the sensor. The multi-function display can also be rotated to provide the user with the most suitable angle for reading the display values.

The sensors can be used with any liquid or gaseous media and operate at nominal pressures of between 0 and 350 mbar up to 0 to 600 bar. The sensor can be configured in situ via an integrated display and operating module, or by remote access using HART® communications interface. If the sensor is in situ, configuration is carried out by using push buttons located on the display module. Alternatively, configuration can be done via a HART® communications interface. A range of parameters can be configured, including initial value, terminal value, damping, pressure, password protection, maximum and minimum pressure and temperature display, and HART ID.

As Sam Drury, Sales and Marketing Director at Impress Sensors & Systems states: “The fact that users can read off maximum and minimum pressures and also media temperature is particularly useful. For example, if part of a process goes into alarm mode, engineers can look back and check what the maximum and minimum temperatures and pressures were during the alarm phase.”

The sensors are accurate to ±0.1% FSO (IEC 60770). With a turndown ratio of 1:10, and maintaining the same accuracy through 1:5 turndown, enables customers to purchase one type of sensor for many different pressure ranges throughout a process plant. For example, a user could buy multiple 10 bar rated pressure sensors and use them on a 2 bar application in another area of the plant, but still achieve the same accuracy levels.

Several process connections are available, including inch and NPT threads inside a mounted diaphragm, or with a flush-welded diaphragm for clamps, dairy pipes, Varivent® and other flanges.

There are three primary applications for the x|act i sensors. The stainless steel globe-housing version is ideal for applications in which hygiene is a high priority, such as food and beverage processing.

There’s also an aluminium die cast housing, two-chamber version, which is suitable for general process industry applications, including chemicals and pharmaceuticals processing. The third option is a stainless steel field housing, which is ideal for harsh environments including heavy industries such as hydraulics, construction equipment, mining, quarrying, cement and mineral processing.

Customers can also order ATEX-approved versions of the sensors, certified to zone O for use in all potentially explosive or hazardous areas. Impress Sensors can also calibrate sensors to individual customer requirements.