In a flow state: How pressure monitoring works?

Real time pressure monitoring in IoT systems is a mix of sensors, data processing, and communication tech for water, oil & gas, manufacturing and HVAC applications (…among many others). Pressure sensors (like piezoelectric, capacitive, or strain gauge-based) are placed at key points in a system—pipelines, tanks, industrial machinery, etc.

These sensors measure pressure changes caused by fluid or gas movement. Some sensors give an analog output (voltage variation), while others are digital (pre-processed values). Wireless vs. Wired – Wireless sensors (NB-IoT, LoRa, LTE) cut down installation costs but may have power constraints. Wired options like RS 485 or RS 232 can be rugged and durable long term options

Data Processing

Sensor data isn’t useful on its own, it needs to be processed and converted into readable values. Some sensors pre-process data locally using microcontrollers, filtering out noise, before sending it forward.

Gateway Processing – If sensors are basic, a gateway device collects their data, processes it, and forwards it. Once pressure data is ready, it has to be sent somewhere. IoT protocols used depend on range, power needs, and environment:

  • NB-IoT / LTE-M / 2G – Good for long-range, low-power applications like water systems.
  • LoRaCheaper, but best for short-range deployments (local monitoring).
  • Wi-Fi / Ethernet – Common in industrial plants with stable power & connectivity.

Some devices use MQTT, CoAP, or HTTP/HTTPS to transfer data to cloud platforms like AWS IoT, Microsoft Azure, or private databases.

Turning Numbers into Insights

Once in the cloud, data is stored, structured, and analyzed. If pressure drops or rises beyond certain limits, the system triggers an alert (SMS, email, dashboard notifications). This is called a “threshold alert.” Some algorithms predict failures before they happen (used in industries like oil & gas) based on predictable behavior and trend analytics. Automated Controls (turning valves, adjusting pumps based on real-time input) can address specific sets of results or patterns.

Platforms like Grafana, Power BI, or SCADA turn pressure trends into readable graphs for human analysts. Operators, engineers or field workers access real-time pressure readings via dashboards (Web/mobile apps/Ops Centers) or through automated reporting (daily pressure logs).

How Much Does IoT Pressure Monitoring Cost?

Costs depend on the scale of the project, the scope of information required and the functionalities which the system has to offer. Usually cheap is not the best way to go. We have found over the last 15 years that our partners value “real” talk about realistic outcomes and they value robust and hard wearing tools that “just work.”

  • Sensors – $30–$500 per sensor (cheaper for basic, more expensive for high-accuracy industrial grade environments).
  • Connectivity: NB-IoT/LTE-M plans: $1–$5 per month per device. LoRa needs private network setup.
  • Data Processing & Storage – $10–$100 per month, depending on data volume or configuration.
  • Full Systems (Turnkey IoT solutions) – Industrial setups can cost significantly in upfront project costs, feasibility, pilot testing and rapid prototyping, but save money through automated monitoring, leak prevention and avoiding catastrophic system failures.

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