THEORY If metals of two different materials were joined at both ends and one ened was at a different temperature

than the other, a current was created. This phenomenen is known as the Seebeck effect and is the basis for all thermocouples.

A thermocouple is a type of temperature sensor, which is made by joining two dissimilar metals at one end. The joined end is referred to as the HOT JUNCTION. The other end of these dissimilar metals is referred to as the COLD END or COLD JUNCTION. The cold junction is actually formed at the last point of thermocouple material.

Certain combinations of metals must be used to make up the thermocouple pairs. If there is a difference in temperature between the hot junction and cold junction, a small voltage is created. This voltage is referred to as an EMF (electro-motive force) and can be measured and in turn used to indicate temperature.

The voltage created by a thermocouple is extremely small and is measured in terms of millivolts (one millivolt is equal to one thousandth of a volt). In fact, the human body creates a larger millivolt signal than a thermocouple.

The equations for the thermocouple: UT = KAB (TM TE) The proportionality factor KAB is the thermal sensitivity of the pair of the metals, expressed as the thermal e.m.f. generated in mV at a temperature difference of 100 degrees between both junctions.

TM is the temperature of the hot junction (hot end). TE is the temperature of the reference junction. Maintaning it at a constant, known leel makes the thermocouple suitable for measuring the absolute temperature TM at the hot junction. The temperature if the reference junction is usually lover than of the hot junction.

To use the thermocouple to measure a temperature, the reference temperature must be known, and the reference junction must be held at the same temperature. The temperature should be constant, or at least not vary much.

THERMOCOUPLE TYPES

There are several different recognized thermocouple types available. Each type has different useful temperature ranges as well as different recommended applications. a) Type E has the highest millivolt (EMF) output of all established thermocouple types. Type E sensors can be used in sub-zero, oxidizing or inert applications but should not be used in sulfurous, vacuum or low oxygen atmospheres. b) Type J can be used in vacuum, oxidizing, reducing and inert atmospheres. Due to the oxidation (rusting) problems associated with the iron leg, care must be used when choosing this type for use in oxidizing environments above 1000F. c) Type K for use in oxidizing or completely inert environments. Type K and type E should not be used in sulfurous environments. Because type K has better oxidation resistance then types E, J and T, its main area of usage is at temperatures above 1000F but vacuum and low oxygen conditions should be avoided. d) Type N very similar to Type K except that it is less susceptible to selective oxidation. Type N should not be used in vacuum and or reducing environments in an unsheathed design.

DISCUSSION AND QUESTIONS A thermocouple is a device for the measurement of tempeature. It is also a device which converts thermal energy to electric energy. The amount of electric energy produced can be used to measure temperature. PART A - MEASUREMENTOF THE THERMAL E.M.F WITH INPUT FROM THERMOCOUPLE SIMULATOR Discuss about your result. If there is difference between the measured temperature and the temperature set at the Thermocouple Simulator, explain why? Refer to Table 3.1, the results show that the range of the measured temperature from 57C to 201.0C. The measured temperature,Tmeas is obtained from the equation: Tmeas= Umeas / A x 40.95V. However, the output voltage,Umeas must be recorded from the digital multimeter in order to calculate the measured temperature of the thermal e.m.f. with input from the Thermocouple Simulator. The actual temperature starting form 90C to 200C are known as the reference temperature to conduct this experiment. Based on the Table 3.1, shows that the reading of the measured temperature and the temperature set at the Thermocouple Simulator are varied to each other. This may because of the errors happened while conducting the experiment. Refer to Table 3.1, the measured temperature of the actual temperature 90C is 57C. This shows a bit different of between both temperature. On the other hand, while conducting the actual temperature 200C, the reading of the measured temperature is 201C. The e.m.f of the thermocouple will correspond to a temperature difference of the 57C instead of 90C (refer Table 3.1); its e.m.f will bee too small owing to the 33C difference at the reference junction. Thermocouple Situmalor is used to stimulate the temperature of the thermocouple. PART B - MEASUREMENT OF THE DIRECT THERMAL E.M.F Discuss the difference between the measured temperature and the temperature on the display thermometer of the Oven Model. Refer to Table 3.2, shows the measurement of direct thermal e.m.f. after removing the Thermocouple Simulator and connecting the input of the D.C Bridge Amplifier directly to the thermocouple on the Thermocouple Connection Plate. The data of the output voltage,Umeas must be taken first in order to get the value of the measured temperature,Tmeas.

Based on Table 3.2, there are difference between the measured temperature and the temperature on the display thermometer of the Oven Model. The differences happened because the thermometer of the Oven Model is being heated first. Therefore, the output voltage which is the direct thermal e.m.f will be reduced. This causes the measured temperature has different values. The values obtained are from the range of 25.6C to 171.8C.

PART C MEASUREMENT OF THE THERMAL E.M.F A comparison between the data showing measured temperature of thermal e.m.f with input from Thermocouple Simulator (Table 3.1) and the data showing measuremen data of thermal e.m.f (Table 3.2) reveals differences. In general, the measured temperature on Table 3.1 are lower than the measured temperature on Table 3.2, and the measured values are not exactly linear. Several errors could explain the differences: precision errors in the Thermocouple Simulator and the thermocouple and bias errors in the calibration curve for the thermocouple. The bias errors might arise from the large temperature range considered. The comparison also might be happened due to the different methods while conducting the experiment. From Table 3.1 is the measured temperature is obtained when Thermocouple Simulator is used in the experiment whereas from Table 3.2, the experiment conducted using the thermometer of the Oven Model. This also due to the certain pairs of thermocouple elements give e.m.f which vary in a regular way with the temperature differences betweern their junctions. Thermometric use may be made of this behaviour by maintaining one of the junctions at a known, fixed, reproducible temperature.

CONCLUSION As a conclusion, the results obtained from the calculation and the experiment are varied with each other. These may because of the errors happened while conducting the experiment. We conducted this experiment with various kinds of method; measurement of the thermal e.m.f with input from thermocouple simulator, measurement of the direct e.m.f, and the measurement of the thermal e.m.f. Overall the experiment succeed as we can se the step response of the thermocouple at the oscilloscope. At the end of this experiment, we are able to investigate the functional operation of thermocouple using NiCr-Ni Thermocouple as the object of demonstration. We also can analyze the response time of the thermocouple while conducting this experiment. Therefore, the objectives of the experiment have been achieved.

REFERENCES
1) http://www.intertechnology.com/Ectron/Ectron_1140A_Thermocouple_Simulator_Calibrato r.html 2) http://www.facstaff.bucknell.edu/mastascu/elessonshtml/Sensors/TempThermCpl.html 3) Laboratory Manual,Electrical Power Engineering Laboratory 1 (EPO 350) 4) Daniel D. Pollock,The Theory and Properties of Thermocouple Elements, Issue 492.

Issued on 9 July 2012.