Comparison of Time Constant* vs.

Overall
Outside Diameter of Bare Thermocouple Wires
or Grounded Junction Thermocouples In Air
Time constants calculated for air at
room temperature and atmospheric
pressure moving with velocity of
65 feet per second for thermocouples
shown in Figures #1 and #2.

* The Time Constant or Response TIme is defined

as the time required to reach 63.2% of an instantaneous
temperature change.

1.1

2.1

1.0

2.0

.9

1.9

.8

1.8

.7

1.7

.6

1.6

Time constant of
thermocouple made with
exposed, butt welded
0.001 in. dia. wire
= .003 sec.

.5
.4
.3

1.5
1.4
1.3
1.2

.2

1.1

.1

1/64 in.

1/32 in.
1.0

0.0
.002 .004 .006 .008 .010 .012 .014 .016 .018 .020 .022 .024 .026 .028 .030 .032 .034
.001

WIRE OR SHEATH DIAMETER - INCHES D

D
GROUNDED
Junction
Fig. #2

BARE WIRE
Butt Welded
Fig. #1

BEADED-TYPE UNGROUNDEDThermocouple
TYPE
Fig. #3
Thermocouple
Fig. #4

Because of space limitations,

time constant curve is divided
into 4 separate curves.

11.0

110

10.0

100

9.0

90

8.0

80

7.0

70

6.0

60

5.0

50

4.0

40

3.0

30

20

2.0

1.8 sec.
10

1.0

.03125

.0625

.09375

.125

.15625

.1875

.21875

.250

.28125

.3125

.375

1/32

1/16

3/32

1/8

5/32

3/16

7/32

1/4

9/32

5/16

3/8

WIRE OR SHEATH DIAMETER - INCHES D

Note:
These comparisons apply to either bare butt-welded or grounded junction thermocouples. If the thermocouples are the beaded type or
ungrounded, the time constant is longer. These times are only approximate and are provided for comparison purposes only. Multiply values
from Time Constants by 1.5 for junctions shown in Fig. #3 and Fig. #4.

Z-51

TIME CONSTANT - SECONDS

TIME CONSTANT - SECONDS

Figure M Sheath Diameter 132" to 38 "

TIME CONSTANT - SECONDS

Time constant of thermocouple made

with exposed butt welded 0.001 inch
dia. wire = .003 sec.

TIME CONSTANT - SECONDS

For beaded-type and ungrounded

junctions (Figures #3 or #4), multiply
time constants by 1.5.

1.2

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