If you experiencing issues with diaphragm seal failure in your process, you are not alone. In harsh applications that involve corrosive media and other challenging conditions, diaphragm seals are your primary line of defense in protecting your pressure instruments from becoming damaged. At Ashcroft, we've seen practically every scenario that can cause a diaphragm seal to fail, leading to inaccurate readings and costly downtime. In this article, we will review how a diaphragm seal works, explore the three conditions that account for the majority of diaphragm seal failure — corrosion, high temperature, and fluid fill leakage — and offer some corrective measures to fix these issues. When you are done, you will have a better understanding of why diaphragm seals can fail and be able to identify and prevent potential issues in your own process. You will also find links to additional resources that will help address other diaphragm-related questions you may have.

If you are among the growing number of natural gas vehicle (NGV) manufacturers that use Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) or Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) power-generating components, you know that safety in your process is paramount. That is why it is important to ensure any pressure measurement instrumentation used in these applications has proper approvals from applicable governing agencies. However, acceptable approvals for cars and trucks in the U.S. are different from approvals you will need for vehicles made for the overseas market. For instance, all NGV vehicles in Europe must follow Regulation No. 110 (R110) safety regulations. As a recognized leader in pressure and temperature measurement instrumentation for industrial and OEM markets, Ashcroft receives daily questions about the challenges our customers are facing. In this article, you will learn more about CNG and LNG-powered vehicles and why R110 approvals are necessary for any instruments used in the production of NGV vehicles that are sold in Europe. When you are finished reading, you will also receive additional resources to help you select the best pressure instrumentation to meet your specific needs.

Isolation rings are also known as isolators. They are designed to protect pressure-measurement instruments from the damaging effects of corrosive media in water/wastewater treatment plants, chemical processes, and mining facilities. To fully appreciate the importance of using these instruments in your operation, we need to start with a basic understanding of how they work. Ashcroft has been in the pressure and temperature instrumentation business since 1852, and we wrote this article for the industry novice. We hope you can use it as a foundation for understanding the important role isolation rings play in challenging applications. Read on to learn how isolation rings protect pressure-sensing instruments in your applications, the three most common types of rings, how they are constructed and the primary benefits of using these instruments. When you are done reading, you will also find additional, related resources in case you want to go beyond the basics of this topic.

This article was originally published on February 9, 2022, and was updated on April 3, 2024. Pressure gauges are often used in challenging environments where they could be exposed to extreme temperatures that may damage them or impact their accuracy. These extreme temperatures can come from a variety of sources such as the surrounding environment (ambient temperature), or the temperature of the process media being measured (media temperature). How do you minimize the effects of temperature on your instrumentation and protect your pressure gauges from damage? Read on to learn the effects that temperature can have on pressure gauges and their performance. Plus, you will gain insights into how you can address these issues to keep your gauge working at peak performance.

Not every application is the same, so you need to get the right equipment for your specific needs. When it comes to temperature measurement, inaccurate readings can severely impact your process. So, how can you ensure you are correctly and reliably monitoring temperature? Whether your application is for light-industrial temperature measurements or critical heavy-duty installations, Ashcroft®, an industry leader in pressure and temperature instrumentation, has developed a line of reliable thermocouple probes that are custom-configured to meet your specific application requirements. This article will discuss how to choose the best thermocouple lead wire for common applications. When you are done reading, you will also find additional related resources that can help you gain more insight into thermocouples.

This article was originally published on March 27, 2023, and was updated on March 27, 2024. Working in the oil and gas or chemical industries means your process and your people are exposed to dangerous acids and chemicals. Chemicals such as hydrofluoric acid and others can create dangerous conditions and corrode certain materials, which could result in hazardous leaks. That's why it is imperative to select pressure and temperature instrumentation that can safeguard your entire operation from the potentially damaging effects of these applications. While dangerous acids have been safely used in industrial applications for many years, specifying proper pressure instrumentation with the appropriate wetted materials for these locations, requires unique expertise. That's where Ashcroft can help. With decades of experience in pressure and temperature instrumentation for the process industry, we have guided customers to the information they need to ensure they are choosing the safest instrumentation for their acid application. This article will discuss the safety concerns for harsh acid applications and what types of pressure instruments can best handle these challenging working environments. When you are done reading, you will also find additional resources that you can use as a reference for this topic.