TEMPERATURE MEASUREMENT

Devarajan K
 METHOD OF MEASUREMENTS
• Non Electrical method
– Bimetallic thermometer
– Liquid in glass thermometer
• Electrical method
– Resistance temperature Detector (RTD)
– Thermistor
– Thermocouple
• Radiation method
– Pyrometer
Bimetallic strip/thermometer
 Bimetallic Thermometer

Two basic principles of operation is to be followed in

the case of a bimetallic sensor.

1) A metal tends to undergo a volumetric dimensional

change (expansion/contraction), according to the
change in temperature.

2) Different metals have different co-efficient of

temperatures. The rate of volumetric change depends
on this co-efficient of temperature.
CONSTRUCTION
• The device consists of a bimetallic strip of two different metals .
• They are bonded together to form a spiral or a twisted helix.
• Both these metals are joined together at one end by either
welding or riveting.
• It is bonded so strong that there will not be any relative motion
between the two.
• The image of a bimetallic strip is shown below.
 Construction
 A change in temperature causes the free end of the
strip to expand or contract due to the different
coefficients of expansion of the two metals.

 This movement is linear to the change in temperature

and the deflection of the free end can be read out by
attaching a pointer to it.

 This reading will indicate the value of temperature.

Bimetallic strips are available in different forms like
helix type, cantilever, spiral, and also flat type.
 Advantages
1) Power source not required
2) Robust, easy to use and cheap.
3) Can be used to 500 °C.

 Disadvantages
1) Not very accurate.
2) Limited to applications where manual reading is
acceptable.
3) Not suitable for very low temperatures because the
expansion of metals tend to be too similar, so the
device becomes a rather insensitive thermometer
Applications of bimetallic thermometer

Iron Box
LIQUID IN GLASS THERMOMETER
 Liquid in glass thermometer
• The mercury-in –glass thermometer, widely used in
both laboratory and industry, is one of the simplest
temperature measuring devices.
• It utilizes the volumetric expansion of mercury with
temperature as a means of indicating the temperature.
• As the temperature rises, the liquid expands, moving
up the tube. The scale is calibrated to read
temperature directly
• Usually, mercury or some kind of alcohol is used for
the liquid
 TEMPERATURE
MEASUREMENT

ELECTRICAL OUTPUT
Resistance Temperature Detector (RTD)
 Resistance Temperature Detector (RTD)

RTD can also be called a resistance thermometer as

the temperature measurement will be a measure of the
output resistance.

The main principle of operation of an RTD is that when

the temperature of an object increases or decreases, the
resistance also increases or decreases proportionally.
 BLOCK DIAGRAM

Resistance Voltage
Change Change
Temperature Voltage
Response
Change
Wheatstone Difference
RTD Amplifier
Bridge
 RESISTANCE TEMPERATURE DETECTOR

RT = Resistance of the wire at temperature T°C

Ro = Resistance of the wire at temperature 0°C
T = Temperature in °C
α = Temperature co-efficient of resistance (°C-1)
RTD (Rx) in WHEATSTONE BRIDGE
• Advantages
1. Very high accuracy
2. Excellent stability and reproducibility
3. Ability to measure narrow spans
4. Suitability for remote measurement
• Disadvantages
1. Susceptibility to mechanical damage
2. Sometimes expensive
3. Susceptibility to self-heating error
4. Susceptibility to signal noise
5. Generally not repairable
6. Need for power supply
THERMISTOR
 THERMISTORS
• Thermistors are thermally sensitive resistors used in
a variety of applications, including temperature
measurement
• There are two types of thermistors – negative
temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistors, whose
resistance decreases with increasing temperature,
and positive temperature coefficient (PTC)
thermistors, whose resistance increases with
increasing temperature.
• NTC thermistors are much more commonly used
than PTC thermistors, especially for temperature
measurement applications
 THERMISTORS
A thermistor is another special type of resistor.
Its resistance changes as its temperature changes.
When the temperature of the thermistor is low, its
resistance is high. This is because a thermistor is
made of a material which does not conduct
electricity well at low temperatures.
 THERMISTORS
This change in resistance
according to their temperature
means that thermistors can be
used as temperature sensors.
For example, they can be used
to warn drivers when the car
engine is overheating
THERMISTOR
 THERMISTOR
Advantages:

Low cost
Sensitivity is high
Small in size
Good stability

Disadvantages

Non-linear output is seen

Not suitable for high temperature measurement
Requires external power supply
THERMOCOUPLE
 THERMOCOUPLE
• The Thermocouple is a thermoelectric temperature
sensor which consists of two dissimilar metallic wires,
e.g., one chromel and one constantan.
• These two wires are connected at two different
junctions, one for temperature measurement and the
other for reference.
• The temperature difference between the two junctions is
detected by measuring the change in voltage
(electromotive force, EMF) across the dissimilar metals
at the temperature measurement junction.
Typical Thermocouple Circuit
RADIATION PYROMETER
 PYROMETER
• A pyrometer is a device that is used for the temperature measurement of an
object. The device actually tracks and measures the amount of heat that is
radiated from an object
• The thermal heat radiates from the object to the optical system present inside
the pyrometer. The optical system makes the thermal radiation into a better
focus and passes it to the detector. The output of the detector will be related
to the input thermal radiation
• The biggest advantage of this device is that, unlike a Resistance
Temperature Detector (RTD) and Thermocouple, there is no direct contact
between the pyrometer and the object whose temperature is to be found out
 OPTICAL PYROMETER
• The radiation pyrometer has an optical system, including a lens, a mirror
and an adjustable eye piece.
• The heat energy emitted from the hot body is passed on to the optical lens,
which collects it and is focused on to the detector with the help of the
mirror and eye piece arrangement
• The detector may be a thermistor and it converts heat energy into its
corresponding electrical signal by the detector and is sent to the output
temperature display device