Precise knowledge of cylinder pressure is needed for optimizing engine performance. To ensure reliability of measurements, pressure sensors need to be calibrated at conditions that correspond to actual use, i.e., at dynamic conditions and elevated temperatures. VTT has developed a dynamic pressure calibrator based on reference sensor principle to enable cost-effective dynamic calibrations up to 35 MPa at temperatures up to 200 °C. Moreover, a novel cylinder pressure sensor that can withstand the harsh conditions inside an engine was developed and the performance was validated in laboratory and inside a marine engine.

This paper presents the main results and achievements of the EMPIR DynPT project [1]. Dynamic measurement of pressure and temperature are a key requirement for process control in several demanding applications, such as automotive, marine and turbine engines, manufacturing processes, and ammunition and product safety. The quality of these measurement has been significantly improved in this project through development of dynamic measurement standards and methods and characterized sensor technologies and means of estimating measurement uncertainties in real process conditions.