Logging Temperature and Pressure

Discussion about deployment systems including altimeters, timers, air speed flaps, servo systems, and chemical reactions.
orenk
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Logging Temperature and Pressure

Post by orenk »

Hi all,

I am tasked with finding a way of measuring temperature and pressure inside a bottle rocket throughout an entire flight to prove some calculations about the chemistry involved in the water bottle rockets. I have been having a really difficult time finding inexpensive loggers (similar perhaps to the altimeters some of us use) that could do the job. Does anyone have any experience with this?


Thanks
Oren
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U.S. Water Rockets1
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Re: Logging Temperature and Pressure

Post by U.S. Water Rockets1 »

orenk wrote:Hi all,

I am tasked with finding a way of measuring temperature and pressure inside a bottle rocket throughout an entire flight to prove some calculations about the chemistry involved in the water bottle rockets. I have been having a really difficult time finding inexpensive loggers (similar perhaps to the altimeters some of us use) that could do the job. Does anyone have any experience with this?


Thanks
Oren
We made a setup to log temperature and pressure inside a bottle to test some theories about pressure vessel heat damage due to pressurization and/or stretching.

Unfortunately, commercial logging equipment, and sensors are pretty expensive. You may be able to locate the things you need on a surplus sales site, or from ebay. We decided to use commercially available sensors, and built our own data logging hardware from an MSP430 Evaluation Board. You need to have some experience with electronics and software if you wish to build your own logger.
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bandsons
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Re: Logging Temperature and Pressure

Post by bandsons »

orenk wrote:Hi all,

I am tasked with finding a way of measuring temperature and pressure inside a bottle rocket throughout an entire flight to prove some calculations about the chemistry involved in the water bottle rockets. I have been having a really difficult time finding inexpensive loggers (similar perhaps to the altimeters some of us use) that could do the job. Does anyone have any experience with this?


Thanks
Oren
For pressure, I've been using a pressure transducer designed for oil I got on ebay. I use Arduino to grab the serial port data. The one i'm using is not for flight (too heavy), but for the right price, they come very small and lightweight. This may involve more work than you are ready for...?

As for temp, it should be easy to find a small Transmitters or thermocouples on ebay as well.
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Spaceman Spiff
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Re: Logging Temperature and Pressure

Post by Spaceman Spiff »

bandsons wrote:
orenk wrote:Hi all,

I am tasked with finding a way of measuring temperature and pressure inside a bottle rocket throughout an entire flight to prove some calculations about the chemistry involved in the water bottle rockets. I have been having a really difficult time finding inexpensive loggers (similar perhaps to the altimeters some of us use) that could do the job. Does anyone have any experience with this?


Thanks
Oren
For pressure, I've been using a pressure transducer designed for oil I got on ebay. I use Arduino to grab the serial port data. The one i'm using is not for flight (too heavy), but for the right price, they come very small and lightweight. This may involve more work than you are ready for...?

As for temp, it should be easy to find a small Transmitters or thermocouples on ebay as well.

I saw one of the electronics hobby sites selling kits for a wireless thermometer. I bet parts or perhaps the whole thing could be useful?
Spaceman Spiff
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bandsons
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Re: Logging Temperature and Pressure

Post by bandsons »

bandsons wrote:
orenk wrote:Hi all,

I am tasked with finding a way of measuring temperature and pressure inside a bottle rocket throughout an entire flight to prove some calculations about the chemistry involved in the water bottle rockets. I have been having a really difficult time finding inexpensive loggers (similar perhaps to the altimeters some of us use) that could do the job. Does anyone have any experience with this?


Thanks
Oren
For pressure, I've been using a pressure transducer designed for oil I got on ebay. I use Arduino to grab the serial port data. The one i'm using is not for flight (too heavy), but for the right price, they come very small and lightweight. This may involve more work than you are ready for...?

As for temp, it should be easy to find a small Transmitters or thermocouples on ebay as well.
Actually the one I'm using could be used for flight if you are building a large rocket. 55g http://www.ebay.com/itm/500PSI-Pressure ... c3&vxp=mtr

I'm new to this so it's been a huge learning curve for me but it really depends on what you are comfortable with. If you understand electronics and programming there are tons of options out there. It will be hard to find any off-the-shelf solution i think.

Let us know what you come up with or if you need anything. What do you have in mind for communication?