Temperature Sensors

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 Brief Overview
 Types of Sensors and how they work
 Sensor Applications
 Advantages and Disadvantages
 Sensors that will work with our project

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 Types of Temperature Sensors
 Thermocouples
 Resistance
Temperature Detectors
(RTDs)
 Thermistors
 Infrared Sensors
 Semiconductors

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 Thermocouples
 Two wires of different
metal alloys.
 Converts thermal energy
into electrical energy.
 Requires a temperature
difference between
measuring junction and
reference junction.
 Easy to use and obtain.

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 Thermocouple Applications
 Plastic injection molding
machinery
 Food processing
equipment
 Deicing
 Semiconductor processing
 Heat treating
 Medical equipment
 Industrial heat treating
 Packaging equipment

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 Thermocouples
Advantages Disadvantages

 Least stable,
Simple, Rugged least repeatable
 High sensitivity
Low temperatureto small
operation
temperature changes
 Low cost wire must be of the same thermocouple type
Extension
 No resistance
Wire may picklead
up radiated
wire problems
electrical noise if not shielded
 Point temperature
Lowest accuracy sensing
 Fastest response to temperature changes

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 Resistance Temperature Detectors
(RTDs)
 Wire wound and thin film
devices.
 Nearly linear over a wide
range of temperatures.
 Can be made small
enough to have response
times of a fraction of a
second.
 Require an electrical
current to produce a
voltage drop across the
sensor
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 RTD Applications
 Air conditioning and
refrigeration servicing
 Furnace servicing
 Foodservice processing
 Medical research
 Textile production

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 RTDs
Advantages Disadvantages

► High cost
Most stable over time
► Most accurate
Slowest response time
► Mostsensitivity
Low repeatabletotemperature
small temperature
measurement
changes
► Very resistant
Sensitive to vibration
to contamination/
(strains the platinum element wire)
► corrosion of the
Decalibration if used
RTD beyond
elementsensor’s temperature ratings
► Somewhat fragile

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 Thermistors
► A semiconductor used as a temperature sensor.
► Mixture of metal oxides pressed into a bead, wafer or
other shape.
► Beads can be very small, less than 1 mm in some cases.
► The resistance decreases as temperature increases,
negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistor.

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 Thermistors
► Most are seen in
medical equipment
markets.
► Thermistors are also
used are for engine
coolant, oil, and air
temperature
measurement in the
transportation
industry.
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 Thermistors
Advantages Disadvantages
► Limited
High sensitivity
temperature
to small
range
temperature
► changes
Fragile
► Temperature
► measurements
Some initial accuracy “drift”become more
► stable with use
Decalibration if used beyond the sensor’s
► Copper or nickel
temperature extension wires can be
ratings
► used
Lack of standards for replacement

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 Infrared Sensors
► An infrared sensor intercepts a portion of the infrared energy radiated
by an object.

► Many types Optical Pyrometers, Radiation Pyrometers, Total Radiation

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 Infrared Applications
► Manufacturing process like metals,
glass, cement, ceramics,
semiconductors, plastics, paper,
textiles, coatings.

► Automation and feedback control

► Improve safety in fire-fighting,

► Used to monitor and measure

► Reliability and maintenance needs

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 Infrared Sensors
Advantages Disadvantages
► Highcontact
No initial cost
with the product required
► Response
More complex
times- support
as fast or
electronics
faster thanrequired
thermocouples
► No corrosion
Emissivity variations
or oxidation
affecttotemperature
affect sensor
measurement
accuracy
► accuracy
Good stability over time
►
► Field of view and spot size may restrict sensor application
High repeatability
► Measuring accuracy affected by dust, smoke, background
► radiation, etc.

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 Semiconductors
► Are small and result from the fact that
semiconductor diodes have voltage-current
characteristics that are temperature
sensitive.
► Temperature measurement ranges that are
small compared to thermocouples and
RTDs, but can be quite accurate and
inexpensive.

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 Semiconductor Applications
► Hard Disk Drives
► Personal Computers
► Electronic Test Equipment
► Office Equipment
► Domestic Appliances
► Process Control
► Cellular Phones

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 Determining Factors
Extras
 Low Power
 ISerial
2
C Interface
Interface
 Temperature
Small Alarms
 Accurate
 Wide temperature range

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