Measurement uncertainty of a pressure sensor submitted to a step input

In this paper we analyses the time response of a pressure sensor submitted to dynamic pressure step signals produced in a shock tube. The sensor is modeled as a linear second-order system and the mathematical modeling of the input signal is supplied by shock tube theory. The description of the sensor parameters is given and the experimental data are compared to the expected sensor response. The law of propagation of uncertainty and a Monte Carlo method are employed to estimate the uncertainty of the step input signal and uncertainties associated with the sensor parameters. Two approaches for estimate the damping were analyzed, one considering the first peak and other using the values of two consecutive peaks of the signal. The time response obtained by using the second approach showed a better agreement to the experimental output signal of the sensor and therefore seems to be more appropriate for the sensor characterization.