A digital pressure transducer has been developed utilizing a precision 5 MHz piezoelectric quartz resonator. The circular resonator exhibits linear changes in frequency when subjected to radial compressive stresses. A cylindrical quartz tube, integral with the circular resonator, acts as a diaphragm and transfers and concentrates the stress from the applied pressure onto the periphery of the resonator. Since the tube and resonator are fabricated from a single quartz crystal, nonelastic effects are minimized. The transducer has a dynamic range of 107 and a pressure range of 0 to 104 psia. The resonator design is discussed and an elastic analysis which led to the optimum transducer configuration is presented. Data are given which show the effects of temperature, nonlinearity, stability, and hysteresis. A rugged transducer mounting and housing is shown which is suitable for laboratory and field applications. A description of the electronic instrumentation required for a direct digital display of pressure is given. Copyright © 1969 by The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc.
