Pressure Measurements Measuring air pressure is important both in weather forecasting and in many industrial applications. In meteorology, air pressure and its changes relate to low and high-pressure fronts and their movements. A rapid drop in air pressure indicates an approaching storm or rain front, while increasing pressure brings the promise of clearer skies and sunshine. In industrial applications, pressure is measured in laboratories and life science applications, for example. What Makes Our Pressure Sensors Unique? Vaisala’s proprietary BAROCAP® micromechanical sensor uses dimensional changes in its silicon membrane to measure pressure. As the surrounding pressure changes, the membrane bends, thereby changing the height of the vacuum gap inside the sensor. The opposite sides of the vacuum gap act as electrodes, and as the distance between the two electrodes increases or decreases, the sensor capacitance changes. The capacitance is measured and converted into a pressure reading. Read more about Vaisala’s BAROCAP® technology here. Measurement Excellence The BAROCAP® sensor’s properties – good low temperature dependence and superior long-term stability – are the result of its single-crystal silicon material. The capacitive structure gives the sensor its wide dynamic range, very fast response time and provides a built-in mechanism for overpressure blocking. Vaisala’s pressure offering includes digital barometers and barometric pressure sensors for measuring both barometric pressure and process pressure in industrial applications. BAROCAP® barometers operate over a wide temperature range and perform reliably even in highly demanding applications such as professional meteorology and aviation. Vaisala offers also multi-parameter products, combining pressure measurements with dew point, humidity and temperature data. Typical Weather-Related Applications Barometric pressure measurement has a wide variety of applications within meteorology. It is commonly used in weather, aviation, hydrology, and agrology applications. According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), analyzed pressure fields are a fundamental requirement of meteorology. It is one of the key parameters for numerical weather models as pressure data is required for defining the high and low pressure systems. For numerical weather modeling it is imperative that these pressure fields are accurately defined as they form the basis for all subsequent preconditions of the state of the atmosphere. Typically a high pressure system indicates nice weather and low pressure system predicts precipitation or cloudy conditions. Thus, accurate atmospheric pressure measurements are crucial. Barometric pressure is also a crucial parameter in aviation applications where it is used to set the aircraft altimeters. Therefore, it is used as operational safety instrument in aviation systems. Typical Industrial Applications Barometric pressure data is also required in several industrial applications. It is measured in pressure-sensitive industrial equipment, such as laser interferometers and lithography systems, engine-testing benches, and in exhaust-gas analysis. Metrological applications include laboratory pressure standard measurements and environmental monitoring in calibration laboratories. Pressure measurements can be critical also in regulated life science and high technology cleanroom applications. In these applications, continuous, documented and redundant data is a required to meet regulations. Benefits of Vaisala’s BAROCAP® sensors Excellent long term stability Accuracy over complete temperature range Reliable single crystal technology Wide measurement range with fast response Related products Weather Transmitter WXT530 Series a compact all-in-one weather instrument The WXT530 is a cost-efficient series of all-in-one weather instruments. It provides six of the most important... Read more viewLinc Monitoring, Alarming and Reporting Software Continuous monitoring for temperature, humidity and other parameters The viewLinc Enterprise Server software monitors temperature, relative... Read more Universal Data Loggers DL4000 for monitoring DC voltage or 0-20 mA current loop outputs The DL4000 data loggers are a simple solution for recording and monitoring... Read more vNet Power over Ethernet (PoE) Logger Interface for connecting DL-series data loggers to a network The Vaisala vNet Power over Ethernet (PoE) data logger interface is a network connectivity... Read more Barometric pressure measurements with Indigo520 Transmitter combined with humidity and temperature probes The Indigo520 transmitter with the barometric pressure measurement module combined with one or two of... Read more CAB100 Industrial Cabinet for continuous monitoring systems for cleanrooms and industrial settings The CAB100 is designed for continuous monitoring and alarming of cleanroom and industrial areas... Read more Dew Point and Pressure Transmitter DPT146 for compressed air measurement DPT146 for compressed air measurement makes monitoring compressed air simple and convenient. The DPT146 measures both... Read more Meteorological Installation Kit HMT330MIK for installing HMT337 or PTU307 outdoors Obtaining a true humidity reading is particularly important in e.g. fog and frost prediction and in traffic... Read more Multiparameter Transmitter DPT145 for SF6 Gas – Now with extended dew point range Innovative. That’s DPT145. Our uniquely capable Multiparameter Transmitter for SF6 gas opens for... Read more Portable Sampling System DSS70A and sampling cells for Hand-Held Meter DM70 The Vaisala DRYCAP® Portable Sampling System DSS70A provides a compact solution for field checking dew point where direct... Read more Vaisala OPC UA Server for data collection and system control Read more viewLinc Application Programming Interface to integrate viewLinc with existing systems The Vaisala viewLinc Monitoring System measures a variety of environmental parameters in industrial and... Read more Weather API Global point weather forecasts available through coordinate or place name queries The Weather API delivers quality weather forecasts to every... Read more Weather File Feed Weather data delivered as XML or delimited ASCII format file feed Raw weather data batch files contain forecasts and current conditions updated on a... Read more Weather History Historical Weather Observations If you want to know what the weather was in a certain location at a certain date in the past, the Weather... Read more Weather Map API Weather Maps for Location based services and applications Weather Map API provides weather forecasts and observations as map overlays worldwide... Read more Calibration Care Agreement A multi-year agreement for carefree calibration A Calibration Care agreement is the most economical and convenient way to maintain the accuracy of... Read more Barometric Pressure Transfer Standard PTB330TS Portable, battery operated transfer standard with data capability Barometric Pressure Transfer Standard PTB330TS combines a PTB330 digital barometer... Read more PTB110 Barometer for industrial use Vaisala BAROCAP® Barometer PTB110 is designed both for accurate barometric pressure measurements at a room temperature and for... Read more PTB210 Digital Barometer for harsh environments Excellent solution for outdoor installations. Operates in a wide temperature range. The housing provides IP65 (NEMA4) compliant... Read more Differential Pressure Transmitter PDT101 for monitoring pressure in regulated environments. The PDT101 differential pressure transmitter is designed for demanding cleanroom applications... Read more Differential Pressure Transmitter PDT102 for life science and high technology cleanroom applications A high performance instrument designed primarily for life science and high technology... Read more Static Pressure Heads SPH10/20 for minimizing wind induced error Variations due to strong and gusty wind can be overcome by using a static pressure head to ‘filter out’ the... Read more Pressure Insight and Materials BAROCAP® technology description Read More BAROCAP® technology in space Read More Blog Enhancing the Quality of Height and Pressure Measurements in Radio soundings Read More BAROCAP® technology description Read More BAROCAP® technology in space Read More Blog Enhancing the Quality of Height and Pressure Measurements in Radio soundings Read More
Measuring air pressure is important both in weather forecasting and in many industrial applications. In meteorology, air pressure and its changes relate to low and high-pressure fronts and their movements. A rapid drop in air pressure indicates an approaching storm or rain front, while increasing pressure brings the promise of clearer skies and sunshine. In industrial applications, pressure is measured in laboratories and life science applications, for example.
What Makes Our Pressure Sensors Unique? Vaisala’s proprietary BAROCAP® micromechanical sensor uses dimensional changes in its silicon membrane to measure pressure. As the surrounding pressure changes, the membrane bends, thereby changing the height of the vacuum gap inside the sensor. The opposite sides of the vacuum gap act as electrodes, and as the distance between the two electrodes increases or decreases, the sensor capacitance changes. The capacitance is measured and converted into a pressure reading. Read more about Vaisala’s BAROCAP® technology here.
Measurement Excellence The BAROCAP® sensor’s properties – good low temperature dependence and superior long-term stability – are the result of its single-crystal silicon material. The capacitive structure gives the sensor its wide dynamic range, very fast response time and provides a built-in mechanism for overpressure blocking.
Vaisala’s pressure offering includes digital barometers and barometric pressure sensors for measuring both barometric pressure and process pressure in industrial applications. BAROCAP® barometers operate over a wide temperature range and perform reliably even in highly demanding applications such as professional meteorology and aviation. Vaisala offers also multi-parameter products, combining pressure measurements with dew point, humidity and temperature data.
Typical Weather-Related Applications Barometric pressure measurement has a wide variety of applications within meteorology. It is commonly used in weather, aviation, hydrology, and agrology applications. According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), analyzed pressure fields are a fundamental requirement of meteorology. It is one of the key parameters for numerical weather models as pressure data is required for defining the high and low pressure systems.
For numerical weather modeling it is imperative that these pressure fields are accurately defined as they form the basis for all subsequent preconditions of the state of the atmosphere. Typically a high pressure system indicates nice weather and low pressure system predicts precipitation or cloudy conditions. Thus, accurate atmospheric pressure measurements are crucial. Barometric pressure is also a crucial parameter in aviation applications where it is used to set the aircraft altimeters. Therefore, it is used as operational safety instrument in aviation systems.
Typical Industrial Applications Barometric pressure data is also required in several industrial applications. It is measured in pressure-sensitive industrial equipment, such as laser interferometers and lithography systems, engine-testing benches, and in exhaust-gas analysis.
Metrological applications include laboratory pressure standard measurements and environmental monitoring in calibration laboratories. Pressure measurements can be critical also in regulated life science and high technology cleanroom applications. In these applications, continuous, documented and redundant data is a required to meet regulations.
Benefits of Vaisala’s BAROCAP® sensors Excellent long term stability Accuracy over complete temperature range Reliable single crystal technology Wide measurement range with fast response
Related products Weather Transmitter WXT530 Series a compact all-in-one weather instrument The WXT530 is a cost-efficient series of all-in-one weather instruments. It provides six of the most important... Read more viewLinc Monitoring, Alarming and Reporting Software Continuous monitoring for temperature, humidity and other parameters The viewLinc Enterprise Server software monitors temperature, relative... Read more Universal Data Loggers DL4000 for monitoring DC voltage or 0-20 mA current loop outputs The DL4000 data loggers are a simple solution for recording and monitoring... Read more vNet Power over Ethernet (PoE) Logger Interface for connecting DL-series data loggers to a network The Vaisala vNet Power over Ethernet (PoE) data logger interface is a network connectivity... Read more Barometric pressure measurements with Indigo520 Transmitter combined with humidity and temperature probes The Indigo520 transmitter with the barometric pressure measurement module combined with one or two of... Read more CAB100 Industrial Cabinet for continuous monitoring systems for cleanrooms and industrial settings The CAB100 is designed for continuous monitoring and alarming of cleanroom and industrial areas... Read more Dew Point and Pressure Transmitter DPT146 for compressed air measurement DPT146 for compressed air measurement makes monitoring compressed air simple and convenient. The DPT146 measures both... Read more Meteorological Installation Kit HMT330MIK for installing HMT337 or PTU307 outdoors Obtaining a true humidity reading is particularly important in e.g. fog and frost prediction and in traffic... Read more Multiparameter Transmitter DPT145 for SF6 Gas – Now with extended dew point range Innovative. That’s DPT145. Our uniquely capable Multiparameter Transmitter for SF6 gas opens for... Read more Portable Sampling System DSS70A and sampling cells for Hand-Held Meter DM70 The Vaisala DRYCAP® Portable Sampling System DSS70A provides a compact solution for field checking dew point where direct... Read more Vaisala OPC UA Server for data collection and system control Read more viewLinc Application Programming Interface to integrate viewLinc with existing systems The Vaisala viewLinc Monitoring System measures a variety of environmental parameters in industrial and... Read more Weather API Global point weather forecasts available through coordinate or place name queries The Weather API delivers quality weather forecasts to every... Read more Weather File Feed Weather data delivered as XML or delimited ASCII format file feed Raw weather data batch files contain forecasts and current conditions updated on a... Read more Weather History Historical Weather Observations If you want to know what the weather was in a certain location at a certain date in the past, the Weather... Read more Weather Map API Weather Maps for Location based services and applications Weather Map API provides weather forecasts and observations as map overlays worldwide... Read more Calibration Care Agreement A multi-year agreement for carefree calibration A Calibration Care agreement is the most economical and convenient way to maintain the accuracy of... Read more Barometric Pressure Transfer Standard PTB330TS Portable, battery operated transfer standard with data capability Barometric Pressure Transfer Standard PTB330TS combines a PTB330 digital barometer... Read more PTB110 Barometer for industrial use Vaisala BAROCAP® Barometer PTB110 is designed both for accurate barometric pressure measurements at a room temperature and for... Read more PTB210 Digital Barometer for harsh environments Excellent solution for outdoor installations. Operates in a wide temperature range. The housing provides IP65 (NEMA4) compliant... Read more Differential Pressure Transmitter PDT101 for monitoring pressure in regulated environments. The PDT101 differential pressure transmitter is designed for demanding cleanroom applications... Read more Differential Pressure Transmitter PDT102 for life science and high technology cleanroom applications A high performance instrument designed primarily for life science and high technology... Read more Static Pressure Heads SPH10/20 for minimizing wind induced error Variations due to strong and gusty wind can be overcome by using a static pressure head to ‘filter out’ the... Read more
Weather Transmitter WXT530 Series a compact all-in-one weather instrument The WXT530 is a cost-efficient series of all-in-one weather instruments. It provides six of the most important... Read more
viewLinc Monitoring, Alarming and Reporting Software Continuous monitoring for temperature, humidity and other parameters The viewLinc Enterprise Server software monitors temperature, relative... Read more
Universal Data Loggers DL4000 for monitoring DC voltage or 0-20 mA current loop outputs The DL4000 data loggers are a simple solution for recording and monitoring... Read more
vNet Power over Ethernet (PoE) Logger Interface for connecting DL-series data loggers to a network The Vaisala vNet Power over Ethernet (PoE) data logger interface is a network connectivity... Read more
Barometric pressure measurements with Indigo520 Transmitter combined with humidity and temperature probes The Indigo520 transmitter with the barometric pressure measurement module combined with one or two of... Read more
CAB100 Industrial Cabinet for continuous monitoring systems for cleanrooms and industrial settings The CAB100 is designed for continuous monitoring and alarming of cleanroom and industrial areas... Read more
Dew Point and Pressure Transmitter DPT146 for compressed air measurement DPT146 for compressed air measurement makes monitoring compressed air simple and convenient. The DPT146 measures both... Read more
Meteorological Installation Kit HMT330MIK for installing HMT337 or PTU307 outdoors Obtaining a true humidity reading is particularly important in e.g. fog and frost prediction and in traffic... Read more
Multiparameter Transmitter DPT145 for SF6 Gas – Now with extended dew point range Innovative. That’s DPT145. Our uniquely capable Multiparameter Transmitter for SF6 gas opens for... Read more
Portable Sampling System DSS70A and sampling cells for Hand-Held Meter DM70 The Vaisala DRYCAP® Portable Sampling System DSS70A provides a compact solution for field checking dew point where direct... Read more
viewLinc Application Programming Interface to integrate viewLinc with existing systems The Vaisala viewLinc Monitoring System measures a variety of environmental parameters in industrial and... Read more
Weather API Global point weather forecasts available through coordinate or place name queries The Weather API delivers quality weather forecasts to every... Read more
Weather File Feed Weather data delivered as XML or delimited ASCII format file feed Raw weather data batch files contain forecasts and current conditions updated on a... Read more
Weather History Historical Weather Observations If you want to know what the weather was in a certain location at a certain date in the past, the Weather... Read more
Weather Map API Weather Maps for Location based services and applications Weather Map API provides weather forecasts and observations as map overlays worldwide... Read more
Calibration Care Agreement A multi-year agreement for carefree calibration A Calibration Care agreement is the most economical and convenient way to maintain the accuracy of... Read more
Barometric Pressure Transfer Standard PTB330TS Portable, battery operated transfer standard with data capability Barometric Pressure Transfer Standard PTB330TS combines a PTB330 digital barometer... Read more
PTB110 Barometer for industrial use Vaisala BAROCAP® Barometer PTB110 is designed both for accurate barometric pressure measurements at a room temperature and for... Read more
PTB210 Digital Barometer for harsh environments Excellent solution for outdoor installations. Operates in a wide temperature range. The housing provides IP65 (NEMA4) compliant... Read more
Differential Pressure Transmitter PDT101 for monitoring pressure in regulated environments. The PDT101 differential pressure transmitter is designed for demanding cleanroom applications... Read more
Differential Pressure Transmitter PDT102 for life science and high technology cleanroom applications A high performance instrument designed primarily for life science and high technology... Read more
Static Pressure Heads SPH10/20 for minimizing wind induced error Variations due to strong and gusty wind can be overcome by using a static pressure head to ‘filter out’ the... Read more
Pressure Insight and Materials BAROCAP® technology description Read More BAROCAP® technology in space Read More Blog Enhancing the Quality of Height and Pressure Measurements in Radio soundings Read More BAROCAP® technology description Read More BAROCAP® technology in space Read More Blog Enhancing the Quality of Height and Pressure Measurements in Radio soundings Read More
