Margaret Power
NA Product Manager, Honeywell International Inc.
The industrial sector in 2021 has seen a renewed, fervent focus on sustainability and energy efficiency. And with the ever-increasing costs of energy, such focus is now necessary from a financial perspective as well as a moral one.
Naturally, this has translated to the products industrial businesses require to maintain optimal operation while minimizing costs. The onus has been placed on product manufacturers across the industry to continually innovate to meet the demands of an evolving business landscape.
Honeywell has been no exception. “Due to the high cost of energy, there is a growing demand to increase efficiency and reduce energy consumption,” says Margaret Power, NA product manager, heavy duty pressure, of Honeywell International Inc. This demand is seen in everything from manufacturing systems to building design and construction. With every subsequent technological generation, designers make a concerted effort to use less energy and water than what came before. This trend has been described in many ways, including “green”, “socially responsible”, and “eco-friendly”, but each of these terms reflects the same shared goal of providing innovative products and designs that exude superior performance without comprising the future.
This eye for informed innovation can easily be seen in Honeywell’s latest offerings: The MIP Series of heavy-duty pressure sensors, which are available at RS.
Why Are Pressure Sensors Important?
A pressure sensor, while a seemingly simple part designed to help monitor and control media such as aggressive gasses and fluids, provides a critical role in various applications in sectors ranging from industrial, to transportation, to HVAC and refrigeration, to medical. Although increased pressure control helps maximize energy efficiency, there is a health and safety element in play, as well.
For example, modern building designs — driven by a desire to become more efficient by locking in cooling and heating — have become more airtight. While this is desirable from an energy standpoint, it also poses risks for building occupants should airflow not be carefully monitored. If fresh air is not adequately applied, occupants may experience the effects of increased CO2 levels. Such effects can include drowsiness, lethargy, and an overall decrease in intellectual performance. Even more concerning, indoor applications such as gas water heaters, furnaces, and stoves produce carbon monoxide — a poisonous and highly flammable gas that can pose a significant hazard without proper ventilation. In such an environment, having pressure sensors in place to continually monitor these variables and supply accurate pressure measurements is critical.
What Makes the MIP Series Sensors Different?
With several sensor solutions available on the market, the MIP Series represents the next evolution of the product in terms of performance, reliability, and cost-effectiveness.
“The MIP Series differentiates itself by providing a cost-competitive but durable solution,” says Power. “A MIP sensor has a hermetically welded design that supports almost any media without the use of an internal seal. This allows for use in applications in even the toughest environments while providing long-term stability, insulation resistance, dielectric strength, external freeze-thaw resistance, and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) performance.”
MIP sensors function by detecting fluctuations in pressure and flow based on the amount of stress exerted on their stainless steel diaphragm. From there, the detection is then signaled to a corresponding voltage or current output. The end use of this output depends on the needs of the customer application ranging from providing pressure feedback to controlling and monitoring system conditions to the triggering of an alarm. For example, in a refrigeration application, a MIP sensor can control compressor suction and discharge pressure to match the demands placed on the unit. In contrast, the potential application of a sensor in an HVAC system can control both compressor outlet pressure and evaporator outlet pressure to match load system needs and maintain a safe, comfortable operating environment. MIP sensors can even be used in sealed environments such as enclosed buildings to detect windows and doors accidentally left open, which wastes energy and significantly increases total costs.
MIP Series sensors also are unique for their flexibility and customization. “Multiple configuration possibilities provide great flexibility of use with no upfront NRE or tooling charges,” says Power. “The MIP series is configurable for standard connectors, port types, pressure range types, output types. Custom configurations are also available for non-standard ports and connectors, and pressure ranges can even be custom-calibrated along with special labeling and packaging.”
Are MIP Series Sensors Right for Your Application?
Choosing the correct sensor is difficult with many different facets, especially when the health and safety of people are in play. When facing such a decision, Power recommends that customers ask themselves a series of simple questions to determine if the MIP Series sensors are appropriate for their needs:
- Have you ever had issues with the internal O-rings failing?
“The MIP series’ hermetically welded design supports almost any media without the use of an internal seal,” says Power. “This reduces the possible leakage risk associated with O-rings, which are especially common in applications located in tough, rugged environments.”
- What could you do with your system if you had more accurate readings out of your pressure transducers?
“MIP sensors are a high-accuracy solution with a .75% Total Error Band,” says Power. “This will provide lower system costs and improved system-level efficiency for our customers.”
- If one of your pressure sensors fails today, how do you determine if it is the sensor or another component?
“A MIP sensor’s diagnostic capabilities will confirm when an electrical connection failure occurs so it can be pinpointed and accurately troubleshot,” says Power.
- If you could withstand more corrosive materials with your pressure sensors, what additional markets could you serve with your system?
“The stainless-steel construction of MIP Sensors opens the doors to applications that support a variety of liquid and gas media,” says Power.
If any of these questions reflect a pain point in your application, a MIP sensor may be worth considering. More information can be easily accessed on Honeywell’s website. An RS sales representative is also available to answer any questions you might have to determine if a MIP Series Solution is right for you.
Additional Links:
- RS: Honeywell Sensors
- Honeywell: The MIP Series of heavy-duty pressure sensors
- Honeywell: The MIP Series Resources
