Precise diaphragm gauges with MEMS (MicroElectroMechanical Systems) sensors are widely used as reference for calibration of practical pressure gauges. To make the best use of their performances, techniques for appropriate measurement control are becoming to be more important.
This paper describes calibration examples and measuring performance of diaphragm gauges with accuracy of 0.01% of full scale. Three diaphragm gauges with 130 kPa of full scale were calibrated in absolute mode against a pressure balance, which was the working standard of AIST, for three years. The expanded relative uncertainty was about 45 × 10
-6 at 120 kPa. Careful control of calibration condition, such as zero point, stabilization time of indication etc. was a key to the precise calibration.
The long-term stabilities of calibration over three years were within 2 Pa at 100 kPa, and no significant tendency was observed. The main components of uncertainties of measurements came from the uncertainties of reference pressure of the pressure balance, zero-pressure reading of diaphragm gauges, and hysterisis effect.
Judging from these data, pressure measurements with expanded relative uncertainty of 64 × 10
-6 at 120 kPa are feasible.
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