CE140 – 0P/B2

Odiame, Jeyvie C. July 20, 2012

CE/2 – 2009107014 Engr. Carreon

Different Types of Manometers

1. U-tube Manometer

U-tube manometers, as their name suggests, are formed from a tube that is
shaped like a U. This type of manometer is very common. They are very simple to
operate and require no gears or levers or other items
to adjust. The manometer consists of a U-shaped tube
that is closed at one end and a liquid. The closed end
of the tube has a vacuum, while the open end is
attached to the item whose pressure is to be
measured. This type of manometer is considered to be
the primary standard by the National Institute of
Standards and Technology.

Advantages
1. Simple in construction
2. Low cost hence easy to buy.
3. Very accurate and sensitive
4. It can be used to measure other process
variables.
Disadvantages
1. Fragile in construction.
2. Very sensitive to temperature changes.
3. Error can happen while measuring the height.

2. Well – type Manometer

A well-type manometer is similar to the U-tube

manometer, but has a few important differences. At
the closed end of the manometer is a large well that
liquid rises and falls in according to the pressure.
This setup is advantageous in that it does not require
the observer to make a calculation by looking at both
sides of the tube, as is necessary in a U-tube
manometer.

Advantages:
1. It does not require the observer to
make a calculation by looking at both sides of the
tube.
2.
 2. It is manufactured with the high degree of accuracy.
Disadvantages:
1. It places certain operational requirements not found with the U-type.

3. Inclined Manometer

Many applications require accurate measurement of low pressure such as drafts

and very low differentials, primarily in air and gas installations. In these applications
the manometer is arranged with
the indicating tube inclined, as in
Figure 4, therefore providing an
expanded scale. This arrangement
can allow 12" of scale length to
represent 1" of vertical liquid
height. With scale subdivisions to
.01 inches of liquid height, the
equivalent pressure of .000360
PSI per division can be read using water as the indicating fluid.
Advantages:
1. One need only compare the height of one liquid column, not the difference in
height between two liquid columns.
2. The cross-sectional area of the liquid column in the well is so much greater
than that within the transparent manometer tube that the change in height within
the well is usually negligible.
Disadvantages:
1. A small change in a fluid height causes larger displacement in the
transparent tube when it is inclined to the angle and filled by oil.
2. High sensitivity

4. Dual – tube Manometer

A dual tube manometer is a manometer that is designed to read very high

pressures. A high pressure causes the need for a longer indicating tube, which is
very inconvenient to the person reading the
manometer. A dual-tube manometer solves this
problem by having two tubes to read the pressure, a
standard well-type manometer and a well-type
manometer with the well at the 100-inch reading on
the indicating tube.
Advantages:
1. High range pressure is more accurate with
this instrument.
Disadvantage:
1. Complicated operation
2. Inaccurate for the exact pressure value
due to large – scale calibration
References:

http://iamechatronics.com/notes/general-engineering/312-manometers
http://www.transcat.com/technical-reference/newsletters/Manometer_Merium.htm
http://www.ehow.com/info_8121521_manometer-types.html
http://www.articlesbase.com/science-articles/pressure-measurement-using-u-tube-
manometer-3075600.html