Temperature Measurement

Harinivas P

Resistance Thermometer with wheat Stone Bridge

Presenter: Harinivas P USN No: 5WJ10MTZ05 IV SEM (TPE ) / M.Tech SIT, Tumkur.

Resistance Thermometer with wheat stone bridge

USN :5WJ10MTZ05

Temperature Measurement

Harinivas P

We are all familiar with modern electrical measuring instruments. These instruments accurately measure ac and dc volts, ac and

dc currents, resistance and other electrical quantities to a high accuracy.

But, have you ever thought about how these instruments are calibrated? How do we know, for example:

That when the instrument indicates 1.00V, there is actually 1.00V present?

Resistance Thermometer with wheat stone bridge

USN :5WJ10MTZ05

Temperature Measurement

Harinivas P

Before the arrival of the Digital Multimeter (DMM), galvanometers such as the moving coil meter, were the main way of measuring electrical quantities. Here, a coil is suspended in a permanent magnet field and when a current is passed through that coil it generates its own magnetic field. These fields then react with each other so causing a mechanical force to exist between them. With the aid of a spring and pivots, the coil rotates with respect to the permanent magnet and a pointer attached to the coil also moves.

Resistance Thermometer with wheat stone bridge

USN :5WJ10MTZ05

Temperature Measurement

Harinivas P

Resistance Thermometer
Resistivity of metals is a function of temperature. Resistance thermometers, also called resistance temperature detectors (RTD) Sensors used to measure temperature by correlating the resistance of the RTD element with temperature. Most RTD elements consist of a length of fine coiled wire wrapped around a ceramic or glass core. The element is usually quite fragile, so it is often placed inside a sheathed probe to protect it. The RTD element is made from a pure material whose resistance at various temperatures has been documented. The material will have predictable change in resistance as the temperature changes; it is this predictable change that is used to determine temperature.

Resistance Thermometer with wheat stone bridge

USN :5WJ10MTZ05

Temperature Measurement

Harinivas P

Resistance Thermometer
As they are almost invariably made of platinum, they are often called platinum resistance thermometers (PRTs). They are slowly replacing the use of thermocouples in many industrial applications below 600 C, due to higher accuracy and repeatability. Common RTD sensing elements constructed of platinum copper or nickel have a unique, and repeatable and predictable resistance versus temperature relationship (R vs T) and operating temperature range. The Resistance vs Temperature relationship is defined as the amount of resistance change of the sensor per degree of temperature change

Resistance Thermometer with wheat stone bridge

USN :5WJ10MTZ05

Temperature Measurement

Harinivas P

Wheat stone Bridge :

Figure shows a purely simplest form of resistive wheat stone bridge. The excitation voltage mat be AC or DC, we Consider Only DC supply. The Basic Principle May be of two ways.

The Null Method

Deflection Method

Deflection Method
Let us assume resistance are been adjusted to make the bridge balanced.

ie R1 / RA = R2 / R3

Now , if we change R1 Resistance, this will make the bridge unbalance and there will be a voltage change appear across. The meter reading is an indication of the change in R1 and this actually can be utilized to computer this change, this is known as deflection method.

Resistance Thermometer with wheat stone bridge

USN :5WJ10MTZ05

Temperature Measurement

Harinivas P

Null Method

In Null method, one of the resistors is adjustable manually. This if R1 changes, causing a meter deflection, R2 can be adjusted manually until Its effect just cancels that of R1 and the bridge returns to balanced conditions. The adjustment of that the meter returns to its null or zero position. In this case the numerical value of the changes in R1 required to effect the balance is recorded.

Resistance Thermometer with wheat stone bridge

USN :5WJ10MTZ05

Temperature Measurement

Harinivas P

Wheat stone Bridge :

Uses ratio of 3 known resistors. Measures fourth unknown resistance Balanced voltage between point 1 and batterys negative, and between point 2 and

batterys negative allows the measurement

By changing resistors to adjusting variable resistors to balance the device, the mathematical ratio is used to calculate the fourth (unknown) resistance. The Wheatstone Bridge is a very simple design, although there are more complex versions of achieving the same outcome Can be adjusted easily, Fairly inexpensive. Also indirectly measures any variable that would change the resistance of a material.

Ex: Temperature, force, pressure

Early Wheatstone bridge designs.

Resistance Thermometer with wheat stone bridge

USN :5WJ10MTZ05

Temperature Measurement

Harinivas P

Wheat stone Bridge // Deflection Method

In the case of a balanced bridge, there is no voltage drop between, B and C, hence, Ig = 0. We have

I1 R1 I 3 R3 0

& &

I 2 R2 I 4 R4 0
I3 I4

Furthermore,

I1 I 2
R 2 R4 R1 R3

Therefore, the following condition is established for a balanced bridge:

Any change in one arm of the bridge will imbalance in bridge. However, one can use the measured voltage across the bridge to calculate changes in one arm. Suppose that a volt meter of infinite impedance (Ig = 0) is used to measure the voltage across points B and C. Because (Ig = 0),

Early Wheatstone bridge designs.

Resistance Thermometer with wheat stone bridge

USN :5WJ10MTZ05

Temperature Measurement

Harinivas P

Temperature measurement with Resistance thermometers :

Example: A platinum RTD is connected as one arm of a Wheatstone bridge as shown
The fixed resistors, R2 and R3 are 25. The RTD has a resistance of 25 at 0oC, and the coefficient of resistance of the RTD is 0.00395o / C
A temperature measurement is made by placing the RTD in the measuring environment and balancing the bridge by adjusting R1 to a new value of 37.36 . Determine the temperature of the measuring environment..? Solution At balanced condition, we have From

RRTD R1

R3 R2

37.36 25(1 T )

We can find that the temperature is 126o C.

Resistance Thermometer with wheat stone bridge

USN :5WJ10MTZ05

Temperature Measurement

Harinivas P

Potential Problems / Limitations

RTDs are more fragile than thermocouples. Platinum often used since it can be used for a wide temperature range and has excellent stability. We can use Nickel or nickel alloys are used as well, but they arent as accurate. An external current must be supplied to the RTD. This current can heat the RTD, altering the results. For situations with high heat transfer coefficients, this error is small since the heat is dissipated to air. For small diameter thermocouples and still air this error is the largest. Use the largest RTD possible and smallest external current possible to minimize this error. Be careful about the way you set up your measurement device. Attaching it can change the voltage. RTDs are more accurate but also larger and more expensive than thermocouples.

Resistance Thermometer with wheat stone bridge

USN :5WJ10MTZ05

Temperature Measurement

Harinivas P

Applications:
1. In Foundry to measure of temp in Furnace wall. 2. Fool proofing arrangement / Safety Devices. 3. Food processing Industry 4. Chemical Industry for Controlling process. 5. In Automobiles Radiators, to send signal about temp of cooling water.

Advantages :
1. More accurate Instruments. 2. Compact instrument. 3. Output can be connected to DIGATAL to have continuous readings.

Resistance Thermometer with wheat stone bridge

USN :5WJ10MTZ05

Temperature Measurement

Harinivas P

Thank you

Resistance Thermometer with wheat stone bridge

USN :5WJ10MTZ05