INSTRUMENTATION & ELECTRONICS


The structure of the Barocap silicon capacitive absolute pressure sensor


stability – are the result of its single- crystal silicon material,” Lin explains. “The capacitive structure gives the sensor its wide dynamic range and provides a built-in mechanism for overpressure blocking.” To ensure high quality, the Barocap


sensor is manufactured in Vaisala’s own cleanroom, where every assembled barometer goes through a thorough factory testing process covering wide temperature and pressure ranges. “With the rigorous testing process,


we can guarantee high accuracy as well as long term stability over wide and changing environmental conditions,” Lin adds. “This is essential for devices working in harsh outdoor conditions and demanding industrial applications.” According to Lin, the company’s


traceable calibration system also contributes to Barocap’s high performance: “Every Vaisala barometer is individually calibrated in the factory and the measurement


Barocap sensor wafer in the company’s sensor manufacturing facility


The capacitive structure gives the sensor its wide dynamic range


results are traceable to the international system of units (SI) through national metrology institutes like NIST USA and VTT MIKES Finland, or via ISO/IEC 17025 accredited laboratories.” Vaisala’s Measurement Standards


Laboratory (MSL) is an ISO17025 accredited calibration laboratory and it maintains traceability and provides high quality calibration services for pressure, temperature, humidity and CO2


concentration.


ACCURACY AND RELIABILITY IS KEY The lifespan of semiconductor equipment is typically between 10 and 20 years. “Vaisala barometers are extremely stable with typical annual drift of less than 0.1hPa, ensuring accurate and reliable measurements throughout their operational life,” Lin says. “Based on our experience, Vaisala’s barometers generally last between 15 to 20 years in the fi eld, signifi cantly reducing maintenance requirements.” Aside from semiconductors, another


important application area for barometric pressure measurement is the automotive industry, where Vaisala’s pressure instrument is used to measure the inlet air of combustion engines. Lin explains, “This is an important


part in the process of defi ning engine eff iciency and emissions. Car manufacturers are simulating the engine’s performance in diff erent conditions, including altitude simulation and other environmental factors


such as humidity and temperature. Vaisala combines pressure, humidity and temperature transmitters such as PTU300 to measure inlet air so that air density, humidity and temperature can be considered.” The company’s Barocap sensors can


also be applied within large marine vessel engine control and emissions optimisation, where the ship engine’s intake air is measured in real-time to optimise the engine performance. “In marine applications, an accurate, robust and reliable instrument that can tolerate harsh conditions such as high humidity and salinity, corrosion and vibration, is crucial,” Lin adds. The company’s Barocap sensors


are not only suited to applications on Earth, as International Design Engineer has previously reported. The Barocap sensors are installed on NASA’s Curiosity and Perseverance rovers, and are still sending data back from Mars after 10 years of operation on the Red Planet. Looking ahead, Lin says the


company plans to continue investing heavily in its research and development activities: “Pressure measurement is one of our core technologies and we will continue our investment in this area to maintain our technology leadership. There are plans to renew our barometer product platforms in the future. For example, the Indigo 500 series transmitter is our latest industrial-grade robust transmitter with modular plug-and- play design and smart sensor features. There will be more exciting new products coming soon.”


www.engineerlive.com 19


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48