DEAD WEIGHT TESTER
A dead weight tester (DWT) is a calibration standard method that uses a piston
cylinder on which a load is placed to make an equilibrium with an applied
pressure underneath the piston.A dead weight tester apparatus uses known
traceable weights to apply pressure to a fluid for checking the accuracy of
readings from a pressure gauge. Deadweight testers are so called primary
standards which means that the pressure measured by a deadweight tester is
defined through other quantities: length, mass and time. Typically deadweight
testers are used in calibration laboratories to calibrate pressure transfer
standards like electronic pressure measuring devices.Dead weights are usually
used for pressure gauge calibration as they come with high accuracy, So they
can be used as primary standard.there are many types of them depending on the
application and they are operated with oil (hydraulic) or with air (pneumatic).Dead
weight testers are the basic primary standard for accurate measurement of
pressure.Dead weight testers are used to measure the pressure exerted by gas
or liquid and can also generate a test pressure for the calibration of numerous
pressure instruments.
CONSTRUCTION
·0 The dead weight tester apparatus consists of a chamber which is filled
with oil free impurities and a piston – cylinder combination is fitted above
the chamber.
·1 The top portion of the piston is attached with a platform to carry weights.
·2 The pistons are partly made of tungsten carbide (used for its small
temperature coefficient), and the cylinders must fit together with a
clearance of no more than a couple of micrometers in order to create a
minimum friction thus limiting the measuring error. The piston is then
rotated during measurements to further minimize friction.
·3 The testing pump is connected to the instrument to be tested , to the
actual measuring component and to the filling socket.
·4 A special hydraulic oil or gas such as compressed air or nitrogen is used
as the pressure transfer medium. The measuring piston is then loaded
with calibrated weights .
·5 A plunger with a handle has been provided to vary the pressure of oil in
the chamber. The pressure gauge to be tested is fitted at an appropriate
plate.
PISTON CYLINDER DESIGN
In general there are three different kind of DWT's divided by the medium which is
measured and the lubricant which is used for its measuring element :
·6 gas operated gas lubricated PCU's
·7 gas operated oil lubricated PCU's
·8 oil operated oil lubricated PCU's
All three systems have their own specific operational demands. Some points of
attention :
Gas-gas
Make sure that the PCU is clean. This is a very important issue as the PCU's
operation is sensitive to contamination. Also when connecting a DUT, make sure
that the DUT does not introduce contamination in the measuring system.
Gas-oil
Lubricant of the PCU 'leaks' in the gas-circuit of the DWT. For this reason there is
a small reservoir incorporated in the system. Before commencing a calibration it
is a good practice to purge this reservoir. If the reservoir is full, oil will be
introduced in critical tubing and will cause an uncontrollable oil-head.
OIL-OIL
When connecting an oil filled DUT on an oil DWT make sure that the DUT oil will
not contaminate the DWT oil. If in doubt. Incorporate a small volume between
DUT and DWT and manipulate pressure in such a matter that the oil flow is
directed to the DUT.
For high accuracy measurement, friction can be lowered by rotation of the piston.
WORKING
The dead weight tester is basically a pressure producing and pressure
measuring device. It is used to calibrate pressure gauges.Calibration of pressure
gauge means introducing an accurately known sample of pressure to the gauge
under test and then observing the response of the gauge.Dead weight testers are
a piston-cylinder type measuring device. As primary standards, they are the most
accurate instruments for the calibration of electronic or mechanical pressure
measuring instruments.
In dead weight tester, we put the weight on the weight stand of dead weight
tester putting weight is reference weight which is to be calibrate and further we
applied pressure by moving piston ,when applied pressure and reference
weight(Pressure)is equal at this condition reference weight will be zero(Dead).
therefore it is called dead weigh tester.
A deadweight tester (DWT) is a calibration standard which uses a piston cylinder
on which a load is placed to make an equilibrium with an applied pressure
underneath the piston.
The formula to design a DWT is based basically is expressed as follows :
p = F / A [Pa]
where :
p : reference pressure [Pa]
F : force applied on piston [N]
A : effective area PCU [m2]
They work in accordance with the basic principle that P= F/A, where the pressure
(P) acts on a known area of a sealed piston (A), generating a force (F).
The force of this piston is then compared with the force applied by calibrated
weights. The use of high quality materials result in small uncertainties of
measurement and excellent long term stability.A special hydraulic oil or gas such
as compressed air or nitrogen is used as the pressure transfer medium. The
measuring piston is then loaded with calibrated weights (4). The pressure is
applied via an integrated pump (1) or, if an external pressure supply is available,
via control valves in order to generate a pressure until the loaded measuring
piston (6) rises and ‘floats’ on the fluid. This is the point where there is a balance
between pressure and the mass load.
Dead weight testers can measure pressures of up to 10,000 bar, attaining
accuracies of between 0.005% and 0.1% although most applications lie within 1
– 2500 bar.The testing pump (2) is connected to the instrument to be tested (3),
to the actual measuring component and to the filling socket.The accuracy of a
pressure balance is characterized by the deviation span, which is the sum of the
systematic error and the uncertainties of measurement.
Today’s dead weight testers are highly accurate and complex and can make
sophisticated physical compensations.They can also come accompanied by an
intelligent calibrator unit which can register all critical ambient parameters and
automatically correct them in real time making readings even more accurate.
OPERATING PROCEDURE:
In order to create this accurately known pressure, the following steps are
followed.
·9 The valve of the apparatus is closed.
·10 A known weight is placed on the platform.
·11 Now by operating the plunger, fluid pressure is applied to the other side of
the piston until enough force is developed to lift the piston-weight
combination.
·12 When this happens, the piston weight combination floats freely within the
cylinder between limit stops.
·13 In this condition of equilibrium, the pressure force of fluid is balanced
against the gravitational force of the weights puls the friction drag.
·14 Therefore, PA = Mg + F
Hence : P = Mg + F / A
where, P = pressure
M = Mass; Kg
g = Acceleratoion due to gravity ; m/s²
F = Friction drag; N
A = Eqivalent area of piston – cylinder combination; m²
·15 Thus the pressure P which is caused due to the weights placed on the
platform is calculated. After calculating P , the plunger is released.
·16 Now the pressure gauge to be calibrated is fitted at an appropriate place
on the dead weight tester. The same known weight which was used to
calucated P is placed on the platform.
·17 Due to the weight, the piston moves downwards and exerts a pressure P
on the fluid.
·18 Now the valve in the apparatus is opened so that the fluid pressure P is
transmitted to the gauge, which makes the gauge indicate a pressure
value.
·19 This pressure value shown by the gauge should be equal to the known
input pressure P. If the gauge indicates some other value other than p the
gauge is adjusted so that it reads a value equal to p. Thus the gauge is
calibrated.
APPLICATIONS:
It is used to calibrated all kinds of pressure gauges such as industrial pressure
gauges, pressure transmitters etc.
ADVANTAGES :
·20 It is simple in construction and easy to use.
·21 It can be used to calibrated a wide range of pressure measuring devices.
·22 Fluid pressure can be easily varied by adding weights or by changing the
piston cylinder combination.
LIMITATIONS:
The accuracy of the dead weight tester is affected due to the friction between the
piston and cylinder, and due to the uncertainty of the value of gravitational
constant ‘g’.
