A manometer is an instrument used to measure and indicate pressure. There are two types of manometers: analog and digital. The most basic and simplest form of an analog manometer is the U-tube manometer, which is a glass or rubber tube bent in the shape of a “U” where numbers are listed and spaced every inch on each side, and water is placed in between the bends of the “U”. When pressure is applied, either positively or negatively, the water moves to indicate the pressure behind it expressed in inches of water column (inWC) . Digital manometers, on the other hand, do not rely on hydrostatic balance of fluids to determine pressure. Instead, they contain a pressure transducer, a device that can convert an observed pressure level into an electrical signal whose characteristic value is proportional to, or a proxy for, the magnitude of the pressure.
Manometers are used in many industrial applications to measure the pressure difference between two points. They are also used in the HVACR industry to diagnose and balance furnace and air conditioning systems. Manometers can be set up to provide a measurement of different pressure values, and depending on the type and how they are configured, they can measure different types of pressure. For example, a sphygmomanometer is a type of manometer that physicians and medical professionals use to measure and monitor a patient’s blood pressure.
