Low-profile pressure sensor offers precision non-linearity and solid-state reliability

Measurement Specialties has released a new small-profile, media compatible, piezoresistive silicon pressure sensor. The rugged 85BC is ideal for use in harsh applications including medical instruments, process control, fresh and waste water measurements, partial vacuum gas measurement, pressure transmitters and tank level systems, says the company. Designed without a header for industrial applications where compatibility with corrosive liquid and gas is required, the 13mm sensor is housed in a 316L stainless steel package that utilizes silicon oil to transfer pressure from the stainless steel diaphragm to the sensing element. The 85BC is offered in a weldable package or with a variety of standard threaded process fittings. These include 1/4 NPT, 1/8 NPT and 1/4 BSP for easy integration into modern equipment, with custom process fittings available on request. The sensor features a six-pad ceramic substrate, containing laser-trimmed resistors that provide wide temperature compensation and offset correction. An additional laser-trimmed gain set resistor can be used to adjust an external differential amplifier and provide span interchangeability to within ±1% of the 75mV to 150mV span. Ideal for use in applications that require precise pressure monitoring and control, such as medical infusion pumps, the low-cost sensor features a non-linearity of ±0.3% across its standard pressure ranges from 0-15psi to 0-300psi. The sensor’s wide compensated temperature range spans from -20C to +85C, and has a typical zero pressure output of 100 mV. The 85BC has an operating temperature range of -40C to +125C and comes in absolute and gauge formats.