Instrumentation

&
Process Control
Temperature
Sensors
Faisal Ahmed
CIIT, Laohore
Temperature Measurement

 Expansion of Materials
 Electrical Resistance Change
(Thermistors)
 Thermocouples
 Pyrometers
 Semiconductors
 1. Expansion of Materials
(i) Liquid in Glass Thermometers

• Most Commonly Mercury is used

• Mercury has high linear coefficient of expansion
• Doesn’t wet the glass b/c of high intermolecular
forces
• The operating range: -35oC to 450oC
• Inexpensive, Good accuracy (<0.1oC)
• High Linearity
(ii) Bimetallic Strip Thermometers
• Two strips of dissimilar metals
(Brass & Invar)
• Different thermal coefficient of
thermal expansion
• Form an arc as Temp. changes
• Inexpensive, Compact,
Rugged
• Usually configured as Spiral
or Helix for compactness
• Range: -180 to 430oC
(iii) Pressure Spring Thermometer
• Metal bulb: low coefficient of thermal expansion
• Capillary tube: high coefficient of expansion
• Material in bulb may be liquid or gas
• As Temperature rises Pressure increases
• Calibration: Stem & Bourdon tube are Temp.
sensitive
• Range:
up to 550oC
2. Resistance Temp. Devices
• RTD’s are wire wound resistors
• Sealed in stainless steel shell
• Remaining space is filled with ceramic for good
heat conduction and poor electrical conduction
• Resistance of pure metals is positive and
increases linearly.
• Range:
-170 to 780oC
Thermistors

• Belong to the resistance Temp. change

devices

• These are the class of metal oxides

(Semiconductor material)

• High sensitivity:
up to 10% change per oC

• Range: -50 to 300oC

3. Thermocouples
• Two dissimilar metals are joined to make two
junctions
• Because of Temp. difference, EMF is produced
at junctions
• The Potential difference is proportional to Temp.
4. Pyrometers
• Radiation is used to sense Temp.
(i) Radiation Pyrometer
• Senses heat radiated from hot body through a
fixed lens
• Lens focuses heat energy on to a thermopile
• Non-contact device (Used in furnace)
(ii) Optical Pyrometer
• Incident radiation is matched with radiation
from internal filament
• Current through filament is adjusted until color
of radiation matches
• Current is then related to Temp. of source
• Range: 1100 to 2800oC
5. Semiconductor Devices

• There are number of parameters that vary

linearly with temp.

• Normally the reference voltage of a zener diode

or the junction voltage variations are used for
temp. sensing

• Range:
-50 to 150oC