STUDY OF CHARACTERISTICS OF TEMPERATURE SENSORSTHERMISTOR, THERMOCOUPLE AND RTD

AIM: To study the characteristics of Thermistor, Thermocouple and RTD temperature sensors.

MATERIALS REQUIRED: Thermistor, Thermocouple, RTD, Thermometer, Temperature sensor kit, beakers containing cold and hot water, multimeter.

PRINCIPLE: THERMISTOR Thermistors are solid-state devices that operate on the basis of change of electrical resistance with temperature and are available as negative temperature coefficient (NTC resistance falls with rising temperature), or positive temperature coefficient (PTC resistance increases with rising temperature). THERMOCOUPLE When any conductor is subjected to a thermal gradient, it will generate a voltage. This is now known as the thermoelectric effect or Seebeck effect. Any attempt to measure this voltage necessarily involves connecting another conductor to the "hot" end. This additional conductor will then also experience the temperature gradient, and develop a voltage of its own which will oppose the original. Fortunately, the magnitude of the effect depends on the metal in use.

RTD Resistance Temperature Detectors or RTDs for short, are wire wound and thin film devices that measure temperature because of the physical principle of the positive temperature coefficient of electrical resistance of metals. The hotter they become, the larger their resistance. THEORY:
1.

THERMISTOR:

A thermistor is a thermally sensitive resistor that exhibits a change in electrical resistance with a change in its temperature. The resistance is measured by passing a small, measured direct current (dc) through it and measuring the voltage drop produced. They are semiconductors which exhibit large changes in electrical resistance with corresponding changes in temperature. The thermistor may employ NTC (negative temperature coefficient) material whose resistance is decreased as temperature increases or PTC (positive temperature coefficient) material whose resistance is increased as temperature increases. The thermistor is used to provide a signal voltage that change as a function of the change in resistance of the temperature sensor. The most important characteristics of thermistors are an extremely high temperature coefficient of resistance and precise resistance versus temperature characteristics. The sensitivity to temperature change can result in a thermistor resistance change of 10 million to one over an operating temperature range. Because of their sensitivity, accuracy, and stability, thermistors are generally accepted to be the most advantageous sensor for many applications including temperature measurement, compensation, and control. PTC (positive temperature coefficient) thermistors are well known devices which have been employed in electronic circuits for over current protection and for thermal sensing. The electrical resistivity of a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) thermistor increases with increase in temperature. PTC

thermistors switch from a low resistance to a high resistance state at a specific temperature. Organic PTC (positive temperature coefficient) thermistors made of an organic thermistor material are coming to be used as circuit protection units for suppressing over currents. Such organic PTC thermistor devices make use of an organic thermistor material obtained by dispersing carbon in a resin material such as polyethylene to provide a positive temperature characteristic. In NTC thermistors, their resistivity decreases approximately exponentially with temperature. NTC thermistors used for temperature measurement and compensation are usually made from various compositions including the oxides of manganese, nickel, cobalt, copper, iron, and other metals to form a ceramic semiconductor material.

2. THERMOCOUPLE A thermocouple is a junction between two different metals that produces a voltage related to a temperature difference. Thermocouples are a widely used type of temperature sensor for measurement and control and can also be used to convert heat into electric power. They are inexpensive and interchangeable, are supplied fitted with standard connectors, and can measure a wide range of temperatures. The main limitation is accuracy: system errors of less than one degree Celsius (C) can be difficult to achieve. Any junction of dissimilar metals will produce an electric potential related to temperature. Thermocouples for practical measurement of temperature are junctions of specific alloys which have a predictable and repeatable relationship between temperature and voltage. Different alloys are used for different temperature ranges. Properties such as resistance to corrosion may also be important when choosing a type of thermocouple. Where the measurement point is far from the measuring instrument, the intermediate connection can be made by extension wires which are less costly than the materials used to make the sensor. Thermocouples are usually standardized against a reference temperature of 0 degrees Celsius; practical instruments use electronic methods of cold-junction compensation to adjust for varying temperature at the instrument terminals. Electronic instruments can also compensate for the varying

characteristics of the thermocouple, and so improve the precision and accuracy of measurements. LAWS OF THERMOCOUPLE: Law of homogeneous material A thermoelectric current cannot be sustained in a circuit of a single homogeneous material by the application of heat alone, regardless of how it might vary in cross section. In other words, temperature changes in the wiring between the input and output do not affect the output voltage, provided all wires are made of the same materials as the thermocouple. Law of intermediate materials The algebraic sum of the thermoelectric forces in a circuit composed of any number of dissimilar materials is zero if all of the junctions are at a uniform temperature. So if a third metal is inserted in either wire and if the two new junctions are at the same temperature, there will be no net voltage generated by the new metal. Law of successive or intermediate temperatures If two dissimilar homogeneous materials produce thermal emf1 when the junctions are at T1 and T2 and produce thermal emf2 when the junctions are at T2 and T3, the emf generated when the junctions are at T1 and T3 will be emf1 + emf2.

3. RTD Resistance Temperature Detectors or RTDs for short, are wire wound and thin film devices that measure temperature because of the physical principle of the positive temperature coefficient of electrical resistance of metals. The hotter they become, the larger or higher the value of their electrical resistance.

Usually they are provided encapsulated in probes for temperature sensing and measurement with an external indicator, controller or transmitter, or enclosed inside other devices where they measure temperature as a part of the device's function, such as a temperature controller or precision thermostat.

The advantages of RTDs include stable output for long period of time, ease of recalibration and accurate readings over relatively narrow temperature spans. Their disadvantages, compared to the thermocouples, are: smaller overall temperature range, higher initial cost and less rugged in high vibration environments.

MODEL GRAPH: THERMISTOR

THERMOCOUPLE

RTD

TABULATION: TABLE 1-Thermometer vs. thermistor, thermocouple and RTD readings (in degree Celsius) Thermometer reading Thermistor reading Thermocouple reading RTD reading

TABLE 2-Temperature vs. thermistor reading, Temperature vs. thermocouple reading, Temperature vs. RTD reading Thermometer reading(degree Celsius) Thermistor reading(kilo ohms)

Thermometer reading(degree Celsius)

Thermocouple reading(mv)

Thermometer reading(degree Celsius)

RTD reading(ohms)

PROCEDURE: 1. The corresponding thermistor, thermocouple and RTD probes are connected to the temperature sensor kit and the readings are taken at different temperatures. 2. The 2 terminals of the sensors from the instrument is removed 3. The corresponding terminals of thermocouple, RTD and thermistor are connected to the multimeter to measure milli volt and ohm. 4. The experiment is repeated for various temperature values. 5. Readings are tabulated in the tabular column and the graph is plotted for temperature change in the thermometer vs. change in mv or resistance.

RESULT: Thus the characteristics of thermistor, thermocouple and RTD temperature sensors are studied and their graph is plotted.