air pressure – All Sensors | Put the Pressure on Us

Pressure Extremes in Weather

Welcome to All Sensors “Put the Pressure on Us” blog. This blog brings out pressure sensor aspects in a variety of applications inspired by headlines, consumer and industry requirements, market research, government activities, and you.

Pressure Extremes in Weather

A cyclone is an area of low pressure where the winds flow counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. Inside an intense tropical cyclone, called a hurricane or typhoon depending on the region, the barometric pressure at the ocean’s surface drops to extremely low levels. Unlike a tornado that forms over land and has a pressure drop of perhaps 194 mbar, when air is pulled into the eye of the hurricane, it draws moisture from the ocean. The air rises rapidly before condensing, cooling, and releasing large amounts of heat into the atmosphere then falls and begins the cycle again. Using the Saffir-Simpson scale to rate hurricanes, Category 1 hurricanes have a barometric pressure of greater than 980 millibars that cause minimal damage. In contrast, Category 5 hurricanes have a central pressure of less than 920 millibars and can cause excessive damage.

Source: NASA’s Global Precipitation Measurement (GPM)

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Compression Treatment Pressure

Compression Treatment Pressure

A machine that provides dynamic air compression can help users recover faster from an injury or improve their training and maximize their performance. For example, Hyperice’s Normatec 3 uses dynamic air compression to create 7 compression levels. Patented pulse technology delivers treatment to 5 overlapping zones and uses biomimicry to replicate the natural muscle pumps of the legs. Alternatively, a different attachment performs similar action to the arms.

A computer-controlled compressor with digitally controlled valve system channels air to each zone. Each zone is inflated like an automatic blood pressure with a pressure range from 30 to 110 mmHg. Patented pulsing action occurs for an allotted amount of time at the set intensity level. ZoneBoost™ technology allows the user to increase the intensity of a single zone on the attachment by adding an extra 60 seconds of massage time as well as 10 mmHg increased pressure in the selected zone.

The sequential massage pattern begins by compressing the user’s feet, hands, or upper quad depending on which attachment is used. Each zone of the attachment compresses and then holds pressure. This process repeats for each zone of the attachment as the compression pattern works toward the user’s heart.

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Pressure in a Wind Tunnel

Pressure in a Wind Tunnel

With their pioneering efforts in powered flight on December 17, 1903, the Wright Brothers had to take their airplane to Kitty Hawk, North Carolina to prove that it worked. The craft initially flew at an airspeed of 34 mph. However, before that day in December, they had performed air tunnel testing. Their 1901 wind tunnel design provided an airflow of about 30 mph and balance instruments that they designed and built measured lift and drag to test their concepts on portions of the design.

Today, wind tunnels are essential to test any aircraft or modifications to an aircraft prior to an actual flight test. With classifications of low-speed or high-speed (as well as subsonic, transonic, supersonic, hypersonic and hypervelocity), air velocity in a closed-circuit design is controlled by changing the speed of the rotating fans or by adjusting the angle of the fan blades. Other measurements include pressure, temperature, and humidity of the air as well as force.

In 2018, wind tunnel testing was performed on a model Vimana aircraft design created from Indian Sanskrit writings over 1,800 years ago. A model pressure of -0.055” H₂O was measured in a 56 mile per hour wind and force measurements indicated that the design was very stable.

Wind tunnel testing of an aircraft design from ancient Indian writings.
Source: YouTube (Ancient Aliens: Vimana Model Aircraft Experiment (Season 12, Episode 11))

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The Pressure in an Air Cannon

The Pressure in an Air Cannon

A compressed air cannon may sound a little weird, but it’s surprising what a sudden pulse of air can do. For simply having fun, the AirZooka can blow a harmless ball of air up to 20 feet. Also for play is the Zero Blaster that launches 2-to-6-inch diameter non-toxic fog rings, which travel up to 14 feet. The fog allows the user and observers to see the toroid shape of the pressure pulse.

Image Source: AirZooka on Amazon

The sudden release of a diaphragm allows pressure to build inside a chamber. With a restriction on the opposite end the pressure is increased according to Boyle’s law (P1 x V1 = P2 x V2).

One do-it yourself website for an air-powered cannon recommends attaching a bicycle pump or air compressor to build up pressure to 50-80 psi on a design that uses water pipe in a sealed chamber with a release valve. Depending on the design, air cannons are also used to launch potatoes, tennis balls and other stuff.

The world’s largest air cannon, built in the Czech Republic in collaboration with the TV show “Wonders of Nature,” can shoot air more than 300 feet. Its effectiveness was demonstrated by knocking down a wall of cardboard boxes. Smoke added to the pulse shows the toroid shape of the moving air.

Image source: Popular Mechanics

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