A pressure sensor is a device commonly used to help with the measurement of pressure for certain gasses and liquids. An IC or integrated circuit is a device used in electronics commonly in the form of a chip on one small flat piece of semiconductor material. Here at RS, we offer three main types of pressure sensor ICs; absolute pressure ICs, differential pressure sensor ICs and gauge sensor ICs.
An absolute pressure sensor IC is an integrated circuit sensor chip which helps us to measure pressure. Normally we discuss gage pressure which is the pressure relative to the atmospheric pressure all around us. These pressure sensors measure the pressure relative to a perfect vacuum. The sensor is normally used to measure any changes in barometric pressure. Barometric pressure is also known as atmospheric pressure. The pressure reading type is absolute.
Differential pressure is the difference between any two measured pressures. Unlike gauge and absolute, differential pressure does not try to fix the reference. The pressure can be increased or decreased at either of the two points.
High range pressure gauge sensors measure the difference in pressure between sources when pressure is applied to atmospheric pressure. A tire pressure gauge is a good example of this type of pressure sensor in a useful application.