Temperature Sensors

Thermocouples Resistance-Temperature Detectors (RTD) Thermistors

Thermocouple
In 1821, T.J.Seebeck discovered that an electric potential occurs when two different metals are joined into a loop and the two junctions are held at different temperatures. Seebeck e.m.f a voltage difference between the two ends of the conductor that depends on the temperature difference of the ends and a material property. If the ends of the wire has the same temperature, no e.m.f occurs, even if the middle of the wire is hotter or colder.

Thermocouple - Principle

Twisting or welding of 2 wires

In normal operation, cold junction is placed in an ice bath

In normal operation, cold junction is placed in an ice bath

Thermocouples
Type K Type J Type E Type N Type T : Chromel-Alumel : Iron-Constantan : Chromel-Constantan : Nicros-Nisil : Copper-Constantan

It is important to note that thermocouples measure the temperature difference between two points, not absolute temperature.

Thermocouples Characteristics

Magnitude of thermal EMF

E c(T1 T2 ) k (T T )
2 1 2 2

where
c and k = constants of the thermocouple materials T1 = the temperature of the hot junction T2 = the temperature of the cold or reference junction

Problem
A thermocouple was found to have linear calibration between 0oC and 400oC with emf at maximum temperature (reference junction temperature 0oC) equal to 20.68 mV.
a) Determine the correction which must be made to the indicated e.m.f if the cold junction temperature is 25oC. b) If the indicated e.m.f is 8.92 mV in the thermocouple circuit, determine the temperature of the hot junction.

Solution
(a) Sensitivity of the thermocouple = 20.68/(400o-0o) = 0.0517 mV/C Since the thermocouple is calibrated at the reference junction of 0C and is being used at 25C, then the correction which must be made, Ecorr between 0C and 25C Ecorr = 0.0517 x 25 Ecorr = 1.293 mV

Solution
(b) Indicated emf between the hot junction and reference junction at 25oC = 8.92 mV Difference of temperature between hot and cold junctions = 8.92/0.0517 = 172.53oC Since the reference junction temperature is 25oC, hot junction temperature = 172.53 + 25 = 197.53oC.

Thermocouple - applications
Thermocouples are most suitable for measuring over a large temperature range, up to 1800 K. Example: Type K: Chromel-Alumel (-190C to 260C) Type J: Iron-Constantan (-190C to 760C) Type E: Chromel-Constantan(-100C to 1260C)

Thermocouple - applications
Thermocouples are most suitable for measuring over a large temperature range, up to 1800 K. They are less suitable for applications where smaller temperature differences need to be measured with high accuracy, for example the range 0100C with 0.1C accuracy. For such applications, Thermistors and RTDs are more suitable.

Resistance temperature detector (RTD)

Resistance temperature detectors (RTDs), also called resistance thermometers, are temperature sensors that exploit the predictable change in electrical resistance of some materials with changing temperature. Temperature Metal Resistance

The resistance ideally varies linearly with temperature.

RTD/Resistance Theromometer/PRT100 Circuit Connection:

Resistance Vs Temperature Approximations

Resistance vs Temperature Approximations

A straight line has been drawn between the points of the curve that represent temperature, T1 and T2, and T0 represent the midpoint temperature.

Resistance Vs Temperature Approximations

Linear Approximation

R (T ) R(To )[1 o T ] T1 T T2
R( T )
R(T0 ) o T

= approximation of resistance at temperature T = resistance at temperature T0 = fractional change in resistance per degree of temperature at T0 = T - T0

Resistance Vs Temperature Linear Approximations

Linear Approximation

1 R2 R1 o ( ) R(T0 ) T2 T1
R2 R1 = resistance at T2 = resistance at T1

Example

RTD quadratic approximation

More accurate representation of R-T curve over some span of temperatures.

RTD quadratic approximation

R(T ) R(To )[1 1T 2 (T )2 ] T1 T T2
R(T) R(T0) 1 = quadratic approximation of resistance at temperature T = resistance at temperature T0 = linear fractional change in resistance with temperature = quadratic fractional change in resistance with temperature = T - T0

2
T

Example
Find the quadratic approximation of resistance versus temperature for the same data given in the previous problem, between 60O and 90O F.

Example - Solution

Nickel

Tungsten Copper

Platinum

Platinum: very repeatable, sensitive, expensive Nickel: not quite repeatable, more sensitive, less expensive

RTD - sensitivity
Sensitivity is shown by the value o
Platinum 0.004/ C Nickel 0.005/ C

Thus, for a 100 platinum RTD, a change of only 0.4 would be expected if the temperature is changed by 1C

RTD response time

Generally 0.5 to 5 seconds or more The slowness of response is due principally to the slowness of thermal conductivity in bringing the device into thermal equilibrium with its environment.

Construction of a platinum resistance thermometer

Construction of a platinum resistance thermometer

Wire is in a coil to achieve small size and improve thermal conductivity to decrease response time.

Construction of a platinum resistance thermometer

Protect from the environment

Thermistors
Semiconductor resistance sensors Unlike metals, thermistors respond negatively to temperature and their coefficient of resistance is of the order of 10 times higher than that of platinum or copper. Temperature Symbol semiconductor resistance

Thermistor: resistance vs temperature

Thermistor

 Scan example 6.3 module page 109