Prevent 4 Common Pressure Gauge Failures and Safety Risks

Mechanical Pressure Gauge

Mechanical pressure gauges could be costing your plant more than you think. Traditional Bourdon tube pressure gauges rely on an elastic tube that deforms in response to pressure changes. The following process environments can cause mechanical components to fail or Bourdon tubes to break, resulting in inaccurate readings, downtime, and potential safety issues.

Extreme Temperatures: Hot processes and high ambient temperatures can damage the pressure gauge if temperature limits are exceeded. Alternatively, very cold environments can cause process fluids to freeze within the Bourdon tube and glass screens to crack or break.

Corrosion: Harsh processes may lead to corrosion of the Bourdon tube, causing leakage which would result in dangerous process fluid escaping into the environment.

Vibration and Pulsation: Pipeline vibration is one of the most common causes of mechanical gauge failure and can make it difficult to correctly read a pressure gauge. Additionally, process pulsations can degrade gauge components, resulting in device malfunction.

Overpressure: Overpressure events can permanently damage mechanical pressure gauges and pose serious safety risks. Often the first indication of overpressure is that a gauge reads inaccurately due to a warped Bourdon tube. If pressures continue to rise, the Bourdon tube may rupture, resulting in a leak point, which can expose personnel to hazardous process fluids.

Pressure GaugePrevent these risks using advanced gauge technology, such as Emerson’s Rosemount Pressure Gauges, which replace mechanical components and Bourdon tubes with patented solid-state sensor technology that is designed to provide a 30-year service life. Additionally, a burst pressure rating of at least 11,000 PSI greatly reduces the potential for a catastrophic failure from an overpressure event. The Rosemount Wireless Pressure Gauge features WirelessHARTRegistered technology, which delivers real-time insights that allow you to quickly identify process anomalies while reducing operator rounds.

Watch the new video below to learn how to avoid common gauge failures and gain confidence in your measurement accuracy.

 

The post Prevent 4 Common Pressure Gauge Failures and Safety Risks appeared first on the Emerson Automation Experts blog.