THERMOCOUPLE,RTD

AND
TEMPERATURE SWITCH

TRAINER: WAHEED JILLANI (I.E-II)

 OVERVIEW

•HEAT
•TEMPERATURE
•SCALES
•WAYS TO MEASURE TEMP
•THERMOCOUPLE
•RTD
•TEMPERATURE SWITCH
•PRACTICAL DEMONSTRATION
 HEAT

Heat is a form of energy, which flows from hot to cold body.

Unit:
The unit of heat is joule, calorie

Heat is energy associated with the activity of molecules of a substance.

since these minute particles are assumed to be in continuous vigorous
motion, their activity is sensed to a greater or lesser degree as heat.
 TEMPERATURE

“Degree of hotness or Coldness measured on a definite scale”

The amount of heat, a body holds is related to its

temperature.

Units:
°C
Fahrenheit
Kelvin
Rankine
 SCALES

°C:
The SI temperature scale on which the freezing point of water is 0°C and the
boiling of water is 100°C [°C= 5/9*(F-32)] or [(F-32)/1.8]
F:
The SI Temperature scale on which the freezing point of water is 32°C and the
boiling point is 212°F [F= (9/5*°C)+32] or [(°C * 1.8)+32]
Kelvin:
A thermodynamic absolute centigrade temperature scale, having as its zero the
absolute zero of temperature (-273.15°C)
Rankine:
Absolute Fahrenheit temperature scale, with the freezing point of water 491.69°
and the boiling point 671.69°C
 Temperature Measurement

•Chemical Change
•Changes in volume or (or pressure,viscosity,density etc)
•Change in state (Solid to Liquid; Liquid to Gas)
•The intensity of the total radiation emitted
•The EMF created at the junction of two dissimilar metals
•A change in Electrical resistance
 Chemical Change

Cones made of certain materials will deflect at a specific

temperature.Moreover crayons and Paper which change their colour
or texture with temperature ,have limited use in certain industries
where;

•economy is necessary and

•sensitivity of measurement is not critical.
 Change In Volume
(Pressure, Viscosity, Density etc)

The Liquid Expansion Thermometer has the entire system filled with a
suitable Organic liquid or mercury. Changes in Bulb temperature
causes the liquid to expand or contract, which in turn causes the
bourdon tube to expand or contract.Temp changes along the capillary
and at the case also cause some expansion and contraction of the liquid,
and some form of compensation is therefore required.

Ranges:
Mercury: -35 to +950 °F
Alcohol: -110 to +160°F
 Change in State

In the Vapor-Pressure thermometer. A volatile liquid partially fills

the bulb. Different temperatures of the bulb cause corresponding
pressure variations in the saturated vapor above the liquid
surface in the bulb. These pressure variations are transmitted to
the Bourdon tube, the pressure indications acting as a measure
of the temperature in the bulb. Moreover Gas pressure
thermometer is similar to the vapor pressure thermometer.
Some liquids used are Methyl Chloride, Ether, Ethyl Alcohol etc
 The intensity of the total radiation emitted

Hot objects generate radiant energy in the infrared, visible and

ultraviolet spectra. These waves radiating through space will strike
other objects and heat them.
Heat measurement by Radiation Pyrometer will explain the said
concept.
The EMF created at the junction of two dissimilar metals

THERMOCOUPLE

T.J Seebeck discovered in 1821 that if a circuit consisting of two

dissimilar metallic conductors is formed it will develop an emf if one of
the junctions is heated.
Electrical Sensor produce or modify an electrical signal in
response to changes in temperature
The potential developed across the gap is called thermodynamic
potential or Seebeck potential
The CONTACT potential depends upon the
•Material of the wires and
•Temperature of the junctions

CONSTRUCTION:
Thermocouple Thermometers made up of
•Thermocouple
•Extension wires
•Reference compensator and
•Indicator
Laws Of Thermocouples:
1. A thermodynamic potential can not be sustained in a circuit of a
single homogeneous material.
2. The algebraic sum of thermo electromotive forces (voltages) in a
circuit composed of dissimilar materials is zero if all of the circuit
is at uniform temperature.

Facts:
1. Thermocouples do not measure an absolute temperature, but rather
measure the difference in temperature between two junctions.
2. The Accuracy is dependent upon how closely any given thermocouple
and its extension wire match the accepted emf curve.
ADVANTGES:

•Simple structure
•Convenient to produce
•Wide temperature range (-250 to 2000°C)
•High Accuracy
•Easy to transmit its output
Requirements for Selected Material:

 High Seebeck coefficient

 Linear Thermoelectricity
 Steady physical and chemical properties
 Low Temperature Coefficient of resistance
 High Electrical conductivity
 Resistant to corrosion and oxidation
 No metal permeating between the electric poles
 Reproducibility, technicality and compatibility
 Fine machining performance
 Convenient to be installed
 Low cost and high measuring precision
Thermocouple Types:

1. Copper-Constantan (Type T)
2. Iron-Constantan (Type J)
3. Chromel-Alumel (Type K)
4. Chromel-Constantan (Type E)
5. Platinum-13% Rhodium/Platinum (Type R)
6. Platinum-10% Rhodium/Platinum (Type S)
7. Platinum-30% Rhodium/Platinum-6% Rhodium (Type B)

*constantan: copper-nickel Alloy

Copper-Constantan (Type T):
Copper wire: positive conductor
Constantan: negative conductor
Temp range: -184°C to 315°C
They are excellent for use in measuring sub-zero temperatures because of
their high resistance to corrosion from atmospheric moisture or moisture
condensation.

Iron-Constantan (Type J):

Iron: positive conductor
Constantan: negative conductor
Temp range: absolute zero to 760°C
Seebeck Coefficient: 50-63uv/°c
Chromel-Alumel (Type K):
Nickel Chromium Alloy: positive conductor
Nickel Aluminum Alloy: negative conductor
Temp range: 500°C to 1100/1200 °C
Seebeck coefficient: 34-43uV/°C
Can be used in oxidizing and reducing atmosphere, cheaper than
B,R & S Thermocouples, thermoelectric voltage is linear to the
temperature.
Chromel-Constantan (Type E):

Temp range: -200 to 900°C

Seebeck coefficient: 63-76uV/°C
Most suitable for low temperature measurement in oxidizing or
week reducing atmosphere.
Platinum-30% Rhodium/Platinum-6% Rhodium (Type B):

Advantages:

Can be used intermittently up to 1800°C and continuously up to about

1600°C. Improved stability, increased mechanical strength, and
higher possible temperatures.

Disadvantages:

Low thermodynamic potential (1 to 11.7mv) and seebeck coefficient.

Require sensitive instrument and reliable only when are used at
oxidizing atmosphere.
Platinum-10% Rhodium/Platinum (Type S)
Advantages:
Can be used up to 1300°C continuously and up to 1600°C
intermittently. Reproducible, stability and resident to oxidation.
Disadvantages:
High cost, low thermodynamic potential (i-e seebeck coefficient 7-
12uV/°C),should not be used in reducing atmosphere
 Calibration Of Thermocouples

The calibration of thermocouples usually use the comparison method. With

this method the device is compared with a suitable standard. That means
put the thermocouple to be calibrate and the standard thermocouple
together in the same temperature point and compare their voltages.
RTD:
At temperature below 500°C the thermocouple potential value is very
small, so in this temperature range the accuracy of measurement is
low.
Resistance thermometers operate on the principle that the electrical
resistance of some metals varies directly with changes in temperature.
If a resistance value is obtained then a relative temperature value will
be obtained. Resistance thermometers can operate within range of
-200 to 850°C.
For each 1°C rise in temperature, to most metals the resistance value
is increased by 0.4% ~ 0.6% and to semiconductors the resistance
value is reduced by 3% ~ 6%.
Relationship between Temp & Metal Resistance:

Rt = Rt0 [1+ α(t-t0)]

The material used to make thermal resistors should have

•High temperature coefficient of resistance
•Chemical stability and
•Easy to purify
•Resistance of these materials should vary linearly with
temperature
Characteristics of RTD:

They have high measurement precision

RTD is a positive temperature coefficient
They do not need compensating devices for cold end
The output signal is easy to send faraway
They are not suitable to measure high temperature
The volume of the sensing element is big
The thermal inertia is high
They can only measure the average temperature of a small area
Construction:

Resistance thermometer
Connection leads
Sheath
Insulator
Working Principle:
Three Wires RTD:

Three wires connections is often adopted in bridge measurement circuit; so as

to reduce or counter act the measurement error caused by resistance of lead
wire.
Four Wire RTD:

Four wires connections is adopted in bridge measurement circuit; so as to

reduce or counter act the measurement error caused by resistance of lead
wire.
Types:
Platinum RTD
Copper RTD

Platinum RTD:
Measuring range is -200 to 500°C
Good chemical stability
Resist high temperature
Can measure in a wide temperature range
Costly due to Platinum
Pt50, Pt100, Pt300 examples
Copper RTD:

Measuring range is -50 ~ 150°C

Cheap
Easy to purify
Easy to processed into insulating wire
Too easy to be oxidized
Volume is big
Cu50, Cu100 examples
 Semiconductor Thermal Resistor
Called Thermistor
Derived from THERMally sensitive resISTOR
They are usually made of metal oxides of iron, nickel, copper, manganese,
Molybdenum Titanium and Magnesium, and they can also be made of
carbonates, nitrates and chlorides.

Characteristics:
•Measuring range is -100 ~ 300°C
•Negative temperature coefficient
•Sensitivity is high
•Volume is small
•Construction is simple
•Compatibility is poor
 Temperature Switches

Temperature Switch is a Sensor that upon the increase or decrease of

temperature, OPEN or CLOSE one or more Electrical Switching Elements
at a predetermined set point.
A bimetal strip of dissimilar metals is used as the sensing element for
temperature sensitive switches.
Temperature sensitive switches are often used for thermal protection
purposes. If a device gets too hot, the temperature sensitive switch
opens the electrical circuit, thereby eliminating power to the circuit.

For protection against thermal overload, semiconductor switches are

provided with integrated temperature sensors. The temperature sensors
acquire the temperature of the power switch and convert this into a
temperature-dependent, analog signal which then can be interpreted in a
circuit. Temperature sensitive switches, such as a thermostat, typically
comprise a temperature sensor which is used to open or close electrical
contacts at specified temperatures.
 LL ANI
ED JI
WAHE