Which transducer converts pressure in a fluid system into an electrical signal?

• A. Pressure transducer
• B. Differential pressure transducer
• C. Flow transducer
• D. Current/voltage transducers

Answer: (A)

When fluid pressure is converted to an electrical signal, a pressure transducer is used. Its sensing element directly responds to the pressure from the fluid—through mechanisms like strain gauges, capacitive elements, or piezoelectric crystals—and produces a change in electrical output that is proportional to the pressure. This output is typically a voltage or current that can be read by instrumentation after signal conditioning.

A differential pressure transducer, while related, specifically measures the pressure difference between two points rather than the pressure in a single fluid path. Flow transducers detect the rate or velocity of the fluid, not the static pressure. Current/voltage transducers convert electrical quantities, not fluid pressure, so they aren’t appropriate for translating fluid pressure into an electrical signal.