Aviation
Reliable Air Monitoring
for Enhanced Aviation Performance
Pressure sensors are critical in the aviation industry, where safety, precision, and reliability are paramount. In airplanes, sensors monitor and control various air and gas-related systems, ensuring optimal flight performance, safety, and fuel efficiency. By providing real-time pressure data, sensors enable flight crews and automated systems to make crucial adjustments during flight.
One of the most critical applications of pressure sensors in airplanes is the cabin pressurization system. During flight, the pressure inside the cabin must be carefully regulated to ensure passenger comfort and safety, especially at high altitudes. Pressure sensors monitor the cabin’s internal pressure, allowing the system to adjust the air inflow to maintain optimal pressure levels. These sensors also play a crucial role in environmental control systems (ECS), which regulate air conditioning and ventilation within the aircraft to ensure a safe and comfortable environment for passengers and crew.
Another use of pressure sensors is in pitot-static systems, which measure airspeed and altitude. These systems detect the dynamic and static air pressure outside the aircraft, translating that data into accurate airspeed readings and altitude measurements. Ensuring the accuracy of these readings is vital for safe flight operations, as they provide essential information for navigation, autopilot systems, and flight controls. Additionally, air pressure sensors are used in fuel systems to monitor and regulate fuel tank pressure, ensuring proper fuel flow and preventing system malfunctions.
In engine monitoring systems, pressure sensors measure the pressure of air entering the engine and the exhaust gases being expelled. This data allows the engine control systems to adjust fuel-air mixtures for optimal performance, efficiency, and reduced emissions. Sensors also monitor hydraulic systems, ensuring proper pressure levels in the fluid lines that control flight control surfaces, landing gear, and braking systems.
Pressure sensors provide critical, real-time data for the safe and efficient operation of multiple systems throughout the aircraft. Unlike force sensors, which measure physical loads or pressure applied to materials, air and gas pressure sensors focus on detecting changes in the atmospheric and gas pressure levels vital for maintaining flight control, engine efficiency, and passenger comfort.
Unique Capabilities for Aviation
The NimbleSense architecture was designed to maximize performance while being flexible enough to insert application-specific capabilities easily. The result is a pressure sensor architecture with a clear signal and practically no noise, leading to incredible accuracy, TEB, and long-term stability. Specific to aviation, we have implemented these additional capabilities:
Multi-Range™ technology
A single sensor can accommodate up to seven different pressure ranges to effectively measure pressure across a wide variety of airplane components and systems
Advanced digital filtering
Multi-order filter that leverages advanced filtering capabilities at the front end to eradicate critical noise caused by fans, blowers, wind, or other sources before they can impact system performance
Fast response time
Update rates as fast as 2 milliseconds ensures the most accurate pressure readings and maximizes airplane safety and performance
Position insensitivity
Maintains consistent and highly accurate readings regardless of airplane movement; rated with a positional sensitivity to within 0.25 pascal
Integrated closed loop control
Eliminates the need to design an external closed loop control system, which can reduce loop delays by up to 100x, resulting in even faster aviation system response time
Superior’s NimbleSense architecture enables us to develop unique products optimized for different markets. For aviation, we have created the following products. Our architecture is very flexible, so we can also develop custom solutions for your application.
Resources
Want to learn more? Read our cabin pressure monitoring and barometric pressure blog posts.