Sensors
Applications
Disadvantages
- Not easily interchangeable
- Non linear
- Narrow span
- Fragile
- High resistance, noise problems
Non-Electronic Thermometry
Expansion
thermometers
Common
Inexpensive
Absolute or differential
Huge thermal mass
Very slow to respond
Bimetallic strip
thermometers
Dial
Convenient
Inexpensive
Poor accuracy and
precision
Great for food
preparation
Bimetallic strip thermometers
These devices operate on the
principle that metals are pliable,
and different metals have different
coefficients of expansion
If two strips of dissimilar metals, such
as brass and invar (copper-nickel
alloy), are joined together along
their length, then they will flex to
form an arc as the temperature
changes.
• Two dissimilar metals bonded
together Metal A has a lower
coefficient of thermal expansion
than metal B
• As temperature increases, metal B
expands more than metal A
Frequently used in home
thermostats, oven thermometers,
mercury switches, indicators
Continue
When using a straight
bimetallic strip, an important
calculation to determine the
movement of the free end
of the strip is given by:
Low cost
Small size
Robust
Wide range of operation
Reasonably stable
Accurate for large temperature changes
Provide fast response
Radiative Methods
Optical pyrometer
Body of interest must emit in the visible
Ancient technology
Temperature measured must be at least
650 C
Essentially no upper limit to capability
Infrared Thermometers
“Quantum detectors”
Basically solar cells in the IR
Fit blackbody spectrum
“Thermal detectors”
Bolometers, pyroelectric detectors
Radiation causes temperature of detector to
rise
Pyrometers
Pyrometers
Pyrometric methods of temperature
measurement use the electromagnetic
radiation that is emitted from a material.
The emitted radiation is proportional to
the temperature.
Any object with a temperature above
absolute zero will radiate
electromagnetic energy.
Infrared pyrometers measure the
amount of energy radiated from an
object in order to determine its
temperature.
There are a number of different types of
infrared pyrometers:
- Total radiation
- Single wavelength
- Dual wavelength
Advantages and disadvantages
Advantages
- Non contact measurement
- High temperature sensing
- Remote sensing
- Fast response and can sense objects in motion
- Sense small or area targets
Disadvantages
- Expensive
- Non linear response
- Subject to emissivity of material
- Require wide range of operation
Practical Temperature Measurements
References