School of Engineering

Taylors’ University

Temperature Measurement Methods and

Calibration
Name : Phang Zhen Fei

Student ID : 0311819

Group Members : Lee Carmen

Lim Khai Ming

Fabian Goh

Date of Experiment: 22/04/15

Report due date: 06/05/15
Report submission date: 06/05/15
Checked by:

Item/marks
Format/10
Abstract and Introduction/10
Figures and Diagrams/15
Materials and Method/10
Results Discussions/45
References/10
Total
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Contents
Abstract 2

1.0Introduction 2
2.0Methodology 2
3.0Results and Discussion 3
4.0Conclusion 4

References 5

Appendix 6
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Abstract

This report presents the measurement readings of type K thermocouple, vapor pressure
thermometer, RTD, mercury glass thermometer and bi-metallic thermometer. The
aforementioned measurement tools are used to measure a temperature range of around 35
degree Celsius to 80 degree Celsius for deviation and accuracy purposes. The relationship
of voltage versus temperature is also studied in this report and the results showed that
voltage is directly proportional to temperature.

1.0 Introduction

There are many different types of temperature measurement techniques to measure

temperature of a certain substance, and it is important to understand the fundamentals of
how the temperatures are measure. Since the rise of temperature of a certain substance is
linear to the rise of voltage of the same substance, this relationship can be used as a
reference in temperature calibration. The temperature readings taken from each
measurement tools are different from each other but that does not mean the readings are
wrong. In fact, all the readings taken from measurement tools in this report are correct as
there is no definite way to measure temperature. Thus, by learning various temperature
measurement techniques, the right technique can be apply to process control
instrumentation in process plant design.

2.0 Methodology

Temperature Measuring Bench (Model: HE 151) are used to conduct all of the following;

Measuring distilled water at different temperature with different type of measuring tools

RTD wire and type K thermocouples are connected into their respective sockets on the
Measuring Bench. Cold water is then prepared by adding ice cubes into 1000ml of
distilled water while boiling water is prepared by boiling distilled water with the electric
water heater. The temperature of the boiling water is measured right after the water boils
and the temperature of the cold water is measured 1 minute after the ice cube has been
added to the distilled water. All these temperature are measured by type K thermocouple,
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vapor pressure thermometer, RTD, mercury glass thermometer and bi-metallic

thermometer with their respective reading recorded.

Voltage of type K thermocouple in parallel connection

In order to prove that voltage does not change in parallel connection, a single type K
thermocouple is plugged into its respective socket on the Measuring Bench. The probe of
the type K thermocouple is left in the open atmospheric air and the voltage shown on the
display from the Measuring Bench is recorded. The method is repeated with parallel
connection of 2 and 3 type K thermocouples with their respective voltages recorded.

Voltage of distilled water in different temperature

Using type K thermocouple as the temperature measurement tool, voltage of distilled

water at temperature range 65 – 85 degree Celsius with an interval of 5 degree Celsius is
recorded.

Reading and deviation of the different temperature measuring tools

With RTD as the temperature benchmark, glass mercury, type K and vapor pressure
thermometer are used to measure the distilled water at temperature range of 35-55 degree
Celsius. The readings from each measurement tools are recorded.
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3.0 Results and discussion

Since all the measuring tools use different measuring techniques to measure the
temperature of the distilled water, it is only logical that each of the measuring tools give
different temperature value. The table below shows the reading taken from Measuring
distilled water at different temperature with different type of measuring tools.

Table 1: Temperature reading measured by different temperature measurement tools

Temperature Room temperature Boiling water (ºC) Cold water (ºC)

Measuring Devices (ºC)
RTD 26.85 95.6 0.53

Type K 24.9 97.7 0.67

Bi-metallic 24.75 95.8 2

Vapor Pressure 26 96 5

Glass Mercury 24.25 96.7 1.5

As voltage is directly proportional to temperature, the average output voltage of the same
substance at the same temperature should have the same value. The below table shows
reading of type K thermocouple in connected in parallel.

Table 2: Voltage reading of type K thermocouples in parallel at room temperature

Number of type K thermocouple Average Voltage (mV)

1 1.40

2 1.52

3 1.45
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To show that voltage is directly proportional to temperature, voltage of distilled water

with a temperature range of 65-85 degree Celsius is measured and recorded as below.
From the below results, it clearly shows that the linearity of the rise in voltage to the rise
in temperature.

Table 3: Voltage reading of distilled water at temperature range of 65-85 degree Celsius

Water temperature (ºC) Average Voltage (mV)

65 5.3

70 7.3

75 9.23

80 12.73

85 15.2

The table below shows the reading of different temperature measurement tools against
the set temperature measured by the benchmark temperature measurement tool, RTD. It is
noticeable that none of the temperature measurement tools have the same value with each
other.

Table 4: Reading of the each temperature measuring tools with RTD temperature as the
benchmark

Water Glass Mercury Type K Vapor Pressure

temperature (ºC)

35 40.7 36.7 40.3

40 47.6 41.8 44

45 52.8 46.3 48.5

50 56.6 51.4 52.8

55 60.8 56.9 56.5

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The data below shows that glass mercury have the highest temperature deviation against
RTD temperature measurement device but since the deviation is consistent, the reading is
thus reliable. Vapor pressure on the other hand gives a very interesting reading because of
its deviation reducing as the temperature rise. It can be said that vapor pressure is not
effective at lower temperature range and its effectiveness rise at higher temperature
range.

Table 5: Temperature deviation of each tool against RTD

Water temperature Temperature deviation (ºC)

Glass Mercury Type K Vapor Pressure
(ºC)
35 5.7 1.7 5.3

40 7.6 1.8 4

45 7.8 1.3 3.5

50 6.6 1.4 2.8

55 5.8 1.9 1.5

4.0 Conclusion

Based on the results above, it is concluded that temperature of a certain substance can be
determine by voltage alone, provided a reference table of temperature and voltage of the
said substance exist. It is almost impossible to tell which devices give a more accurate
reading since the actual temperature is not known. Though distilled water supposed to
boil at 100 degree Celsius, it does not mean that the electric heater will stop when the
water is at exactly 100 degree Celsius. Same can be said to cold water which supposed to
be at 0 degree Celsius. The temperature measurement tools are only a mean to tell the
user how hot or how cold the substance is. Understanding on how the measurement tools
work to get the temperature value and their effective range is crucial in process plant
design.

REFERENCES
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1. Nave, R undated, Temperature, HyperPhysics, viewed on 13 November, 2014,

http://ef.engr.utk.edu/hyperphysics/hbase/thermo/temper.html
2. Omega Engineering, What are RTD Sensors?, viewed on 13 November, 2014,
http://www.omega.com/temperature/pdf/rtd_gen_specs_ref.pdf
3. Artmann, N, Vonbank, R and Jensen R.L. 2008, Temperature measurements using type
K thermocouples and the Fluke Helios Plus 2287A data logger, Department of Civil
Engineering, Aalborg University, viewed on 14 November, 2014,
http://vbn.aau.dk/files/16197033/Temperature_Measurements_Using_Type_K_Therm
ocouples_and_the_Fluke_Helios_Plus_2287A_Datalogger