A pressure sensor is a device that can sense the presence of pressure and convert it into an electrical signal or other required form of signal output according to a certain pattern. Depending on the type of pressure test, pressure sensors can be divided into gauge pressure sensors, differential pressure sensors, and absolute pressure sensors. What are the main differences between them?

01 Application differences

Gauge Pressure Sensor

Gauge pressure sensors measure relative pressure, i.e., pressure values relative to atmospheric pressure. They typically use a reference chamber connected to atmospheric pressure and a pressure sensor connected to the measurement chamber to measure the pressure difference. Gauge pressure sensors are widely used in industrial automation, fluid control, liquid level measurement, and other fields. For example, a car tire pressure sensor is a gauge pressure sensor.

Differential Pressure Sensor 

Differential pressure sensors measure the pressure difference between two measurement chambers. They typically contain two chambers connected to the medium being measured, and determine pressure by measuring the differential pressure between the chambers. Differential pressure sensors are widely used in fields such as flow measurement, liquid level measurement, and gas analysis. For example, in HVAC systems, differential pressure sensors are often used to measure the degree of air filter blockage to facilitate timely replacement.

Absolute Pressure Sensor

Absolute pressure sensors measure pressure values relative to a vacuum, i.e., absolute pressure. They typically use a reference chamber connected to a vacuum and measure pressure through a pressure sensor connected to the measurement chamber. Absolute pressure sensors are widely used in applications such as atmospheric pressure measurement, high-altitude meteorological observations, and weather forecasting. For example, a barometer is a common type of absolute pressure sensor.

02 Application scenarios