PTP31B Pressure Switch Liquid Level Measuring Instrument Stimmgabel Messer Category Product
What is the Ceraphant PTP31B?
- The Ceraphant PTP31B is a pressure switch made by Endress+Hauser.
- It is designed for measuring and monitoring absolute and gauge pressure in a variety of media (gases, vapors, liquids, dust) in industrial applications.
- It uses a piezoresistive sensor (or variant depending on model) and integrated switching electronics.
- One of its selling points is being relatively cost-effective while providing essential functionality.
Absolute vs Gauge Pressure — how PTP31B handles them
To understand how this switch supports both, it helps to recap what “absolute” and “gauge” pressure mean, then see how the PTP31B implements them:
- Gauge pressure is pressure measured relative to ambient (atmospheric) pressure. Zero on the gauge scale corresponds to ambient atmospheric pressure.
- Absolute pressure is measured relative to a perfect vacuum—i.e. zero absolute pressure means no pressure.
Because atmospheric pressure is nonzero, in many processes you need an “absolute” reading, especially when working under vacuum or when atmospheric fluctuations matter.
The PTP31B supports both modes (depending on configuration and sensor variant) by using internal reference conditions or sensor types that allow measurement referenced to absolute zero.
In its documentation, the device is described as being for “absolute and gauge pressure” measurement.
Key Specifications & Features
Here are the main technical data and features for the Ceraphant PTP31B:
|
Parameter |
Typical / Range |
|
Measuring (process) pressure range |
from +400 mbar up to +400 bar |
|
Accuracy |
Standard: ±0.5 %, “Platinum” (higher grade): ±0.3 % |
|
Overload capacity / maximum overpressure |
Up to 600 bar (for some versions) |
|
Process temperature range |
–40 °C to +100 °C |
|
Ambient temperature range |
–20 °C to +70 °C |
|
Sensor / diaphragm material |
Metallic sensor diaphragm (welded sensor) for many variants. |
|
Process connections |
Threaded types (G, NPT, DIN, JIS, etc.) |
|
Outputs / switching functions |
Has integrated switching electronics + optional analog outputs, and supports IO-Link communication for parametrization. |
|
Long-term stability |
~0.2 % of URL/year |
|
“Turn-down” (adjustable span) |
Up to 5:1 for many ranges |
Some more functional / operational features:
- Local display + LEDs for on-site diagnostics and status.
- Capability to do a function check on-site.
- The device is overload-resistant (robust sensor) up to high pressures.
- It supports “zero shift correction” / offset adjustments to compensate for orientation or installation effects (especially relevant in absolute mode)
Use Cases & Applications
Because it supports both absolute and gauge pressure, PTP31B is versatile. Some typical applications include:
- Monitoring vacuum systems (where you need an absolute reference)
- Process control loops where pressure relative to atmosphere is critical
- Level / head pressure in tanks (where gauge pressure is often sufficient)
- Safety / limit switching in pipelines, vessels, compressors
- Industrial automation systems, integrated into control systems, thanks to IO-Link for easier setup and communication
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