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Pressure Transducer

Pressure transducer that converts pressure measurement into voltage

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  • Pressure Transducer block

Libraries:
Simscape / Electrical / Sensors & Transducers

Description

The Pressure Transducer block models a generic pressure transducer that converts a pressure measurement into a voltage. Use the block to measure pressure in a variety of domains. Specify the domain type using the Fluid port type parameter.

The output voltage is linearly proportional to the pressure. The block outputs zero volts if the pressure is less than zero. If the input pressure equals the value of the Pressure range parameter, the output voltage is equal to the Full-scale deflection parameter value. For higher pressures, the output voltage remains at this Full-scale deflection value.

You can choose between vacuum pressure, atmospheric pressure, or sealed-gauge reference pressure as the reference point for the pressure measurement.

If you set the Dynamics parameter to Model transducer bandwidth, the block approximates the sensor dynamics by a first-order lag. The Bandwidth parameter determines the lag. If you select the Model transducer bandwidth option, you must also specify an initial condition for the lag using the Measured pressure initial target.

To use a fixed-step solver or generate code for hardware-in-the-loop testing, set the Dynamics parameter to No dynamics — Suitable for HIL. If your sensor bandwidth is high, you need a small simulation time step unless you model the sensor with no dynamics.

Variables

To set the priority and initial target values for the block variables before simulation, use the Initial Targets section in the block dialog box or Property Inspector. For more information, see Set Priority and Initial Target for Block Variables.

Use nominal values to specify the expected magnitude of a variable in a model. Using system scaling based on nominal values increases the simulation robustness. Nominal values can come from different sources. One of these sources is the Nominal Values section in the block dialog box or Property Inspector. For more information, see System Scaling by Nominal Values.

The Measured pressure initial target specifies the initial output for the sensor.

Ports

Conserving

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Conserving fluid port associated with the pressure measurement. Define the port type using the Fluid port type parameter.

Electrical conserving port associated with the positive terminal.

Electrical conserving port associated with the negative terminal.

Parameters

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Type of fluid port. The value defines the domain of the A conserving port.

Maximum pressure in Pa that the sensor can measure.

Operation mode. Select one of these options to define the reference point for the pressure measurement:

  • Absolute — The block measures the pressure relative to zero absolute pressure, the pressure in an ideal vacuum.

  • Gauge — The block measures pressure relative to atmospheric pressure. If you set the Fluid port type parameter to Hydraulic, the block assumes that the atmospheric pressure is 1 bar. You cannot change the atmospheric pressure in a hydraulic network because, in the hydraulic domain, the pressure across-variable is gauge pressure. When the node has a value of 0 bar, the node is at atmospheric pressure so you can not set the atmospheric pressure in the network. If you want to change the reference pressure for the pressure measurement, set the Operation mode parameter to Sealed-Gauge.

    For the other fluid domains, you can set the atmospheric pressure in your fluid network because the pressure across-variable is absolute pressure. The default value of the atmospheric pressure is 0.101325 MPa. Set the atmospheric pressure using a block from the Simscape™ Foundation library that corresponds to the option you specify for the Fluid port type parameter:

  • Sealed-Gauge — The block measures pressure relative to an internal sealed chamber. If you select this option, specify the reference point for the pressure measurement by setting the Reference pressure parameter.

Reference pressure in the internal sealed chamber.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Operation mode to Sealed-Gauge.

Output voltage when the measured pressure is equal to or greater than the Pressure range parameter value.

Output resistance of the transducer.

Option for modeling sensor dynamics:

  • No dynamics — Suitable for HIL — Do not model sensor dynamics. If your sensor bandwidth is high, you need a small simulation time step unless you model the sensor with no dynamics. Use this option to use a fixed-step solver or generate code for hardware-in-the-loop testing.

  • Model transducer bandwidth — Model sensor dynamics with a first-order lag approximation based on the Bandwidth parameter value. Specify the Measured pressure initial target to control the initial condition for the lag.

Bandwidth. This parameter determines the value of the sensor lag.

Dependencies

To enable this parameter, set Dynamics to Model transducer bandwidth.

Extended Capabilities

C/C++ Code Generation
Generate C and C++ code using Simulink® Coder™.

Version History

Introduced in R2012b

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See Also

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