RTD Company - RTD Installation & Maintenance

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RTD Installation & Maintenance

General
An RTD is a sensor whose resistance changes as its temperature changes. The resistance
increases as the temperature of the sensor increases. The resistance vs temperature
relationship is well known and is repeatable over time. An RTD is a passive device. It does
not produce an output on its own. External electronic devices are used to measure the
resistance of the sensor by passing a small electrical current through the sensor to generate
a voltage.

Standard Tolerances
RTDs are built to several standardized curves and tolerances. The most common standardized
curve is the DIN curve. The curve describes the resistance vs. temperature characteristics of
a Platinum, 100 ohm sensor, the standardized tolerances, and the measurable temperature
range. The DIN standard specifies a base resistance of 100 ohms at 0C, and a temperature
coefficient of .0038500 ohms/ohms/C. The nominal output of a DIN RTD sensor is shown
below:

There are two standard tolerance classes for DIN RTDs. These tolerances are defined as
follows:
DIN Class A Temperature tolerances: +/-(0.15 + .002|T|C)
DIN Class B Temperature tolerances: +/-(0.3 + .005|T|C)
DIN Class C Temperature tolerances: +/-(1.2 + .005|T|C)

Sensor Connections
RTD Sensors are available in a number of different leadwire configurations. The most
common configuration is the single element, three lead configuration. Schematics of the
available leadwire configurations are shown below:

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Two wire sensors are typically used in applications where accuracy is not critical. The two
wire configuration allows for the simplest measurement technique, but suffers from an
inherent inaccuracy due to the resistance of the sensor leads. In the two wire configuration,
there is no way to directly compensate for the resistance of the leadwires which will cause an
offset increase in the resistance measurement.
Three wire sensors are built with a compensation loop to allow the measurement to factor out
the resistance of the leads. With this configuration, the controller/measurement device makes
two measurements. The first measurement measures the total resistance of the sensor and
the connecting leadwires. The second measurement is the resistance of the compensation
loop resistance. By subtracting the compensation loop resistance from the total resistance, an
account net resistance is determined. Three wire sensors are the most common and give a
good combination of accuracy and convenience.
The four wire sensor configuration and measurement techniques allow measurement of the
sensor resistance without the influence of the leadwires. While this technique gives the best
accuracy, many industrial controllers/measurement devices cannot make a true four wire
measurement.
The transition from the sensor leadwires to the field wiring is typically done in a connection
head attached to the sensor. Terminal blocks are used to facilitate the connection. A typical
terminal block/sensor connection is shown in the following figure.

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Mechanical connection
RTD sensor assemblies typically use pipe threads (NPT) for the mechanical connections
between the connection heads, extensions and thermowells. For proper operation you should
tighten the threads at least 1-2 turns past hand tight. This will ensure that the threads mate
tightly, and that the proper sensor assembly length is obtained. To prevent thread galling
RTD Company recommends that anti-sieze compound or Teflon plumbing tape is used on all
NPT threads.

Ensuring accurate performance

To ensure good performance of the sensor, the sensor must be in good thermal contact with
the process. When using a sensor in conjunction with a thermowell you should use a suitable
heat transfer compound to fill the air space between the sensor and the bore of the
thermowell. This will improve the heat transfer between the process and the sensor, reducing
the stem conduction error and improving the response time of the sensor. For moderate
temperature applications (less than 250C) a silicone based heat transfer compound should
be used. Higher temperature applications will require a graphite based material. An easy way
to apply the heat transfer compound is to apply a generous amount to the tip of the sensor
and insert the sensor into the thermowell, pressing the sensor firmly into the well until the tip
reaches the bottom of the thermowell bore. The RTD sensor should be isolated from the
sensor sheath and other metal components. Checking the insulation resistance of the sensor
is an easy test to ensure the integrity of the sensor. Measure the resistance between the
sensor leads, and the metal sheath of the sensor. The resistance should measure at least 100
megohms (100,000,000 ohms). Lower insulation resistances could be an indication that the
sensor has suffered damage.

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2011 RTD Company

http://www.rtdco.com/technical_info/Install_rtd.cfm

26/05/2011