The process media or wetted material is important in the selection of a pressure sensor. Many transducers are made of brass and have internal o’rings for sealing the process media from the pressure sensor’s internal electronics. The SSI Technologies’ MediaSensor™ P51 is a good choice for harsh media as it is made of stainless steel and is laser welded for optimum design integrity. In addition, the pressure port fittings come standard in 304L stainless steel and optional 316L stainless steel. Some piezoresistive pressure transducers use only an unprotected silicon sensing element. Silicon is a brittle crystalline material, which can sometimes crack under severe cold transient environments. The P51 pressure sensors use an additional 316L stainless steel convoluted diaphragm with a protective non-silicone oil to protect the sensitive silicon sensing element from the harsh media and environmental conditions. The P51 pressure sensor can handle cold temperature transients without sustaining damage. When exposed to extreme temperature transient conditions, and within normal operating temperature ranges, the oil acts as a buffer for the silicon sensing element against signal bounce resulting from thermal shock characteristic of certain applications such as refrigeration.