Bourdon tube pressure gauges are the most regularly used mechanical pressure measuring instruments. Their pressure element is often known as a Bourdon tube: The French engineer Eug�ne Bourdon made use of this functional principle in the center of the 19th century. It really is based on an elastic spring, a c-shaped, bent tube with an oval cross-section.
The result of pressure on a Bourdon tube
Once the internal space of the Bourdon tube is pressurised, the cross-section is thus altered towards a circular shape. The hoop stresses which are created in this process raise the radius of the c-shaped tube. Consequently, the end of the tube moves by around two or three millimetres. Convenient is really a way of measuring the pressure. It really is transferred to a movement, which turns the linear deflection into a rotary movement and, with a pointer, makes this visible on a scale.
Bourdon tube variants
With the c-shaped bent Bourdon tubes, pressures around 60 bar can be displayed. For higher pressures, helical or spiral-type Bourdon tubes are used. With respect to the geometry, material and material thickness, pressures up to 7,000 bar could be realised. Depending on Underused , the pressure elements are constructed with copper alloys, stainless steels or special materials such as for example Monel.
Note
Further information on Bourdon tube pressure gauges can be found on the WIKA website.