SENSORS- Temperature
Department of Mechatronics Engineering
School of Engineering and Engineering Technology (SEET)
Federal University of Technology Minna, Niger State.
Sensors
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In our previous class, we made mention of the sensors to be a class of the
transducers. This in class we attention shall be on the various types of
sensors and their applications.
For a quick recap, we defined Sensors as any devices that senses or detects
or measures a real-world conditions such as heat, light and converts it into
an analog or digital representation.
Sensors are basically classified based on the physical quantities they
measure. In essence there are numerous types of physical quantities that
may require measurement, so are the sensors that are required to detect
them.
In this course we shall limit ourselves to a number of sensors, which are as
follows: Temperature , Level, Position, and flow sensors. Although there
exist numerous other types such as, pressure, Chemical ,Biosensors,
Accelerometer and Inclinometer etc.
Under the identified sensors our attention shall be on the following;
Sensors
TEMPERATURE;
Thermocouple
RTD
Thermistor
LEVEL
RF –capacitance
Conductance
Ultrasonic
Hydrostatic head
POSITION, Displacement, force and Torque – TDB
LVDT
Potentiometer
Capacitor
Strain Gauge.
Temperature Sensors: Thermistors
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Temperature sensors basically creates changes in voltage/resistance based on
the amount of temperature sensed.
Thermistor measures temperature in terms of Resistance
RTD measures temperature in terms of resistance
Thermocouple- measures temperature in terms of voltage
Just as we have highlighted the thermistor is one of the temp sensor that will
create a change on the resistance based on the temp sensed.
Thermistors are thermal resistors and behaves basically like a temperature
electrical resistor. The change in temperature affects the resistance or results
changes in the resistance.
The thermistors are fabricated in droplets bar, cylinders , rectangular shapes
and also in thick films.
Temperature Sensors thermistor
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Various types of thermistors
There are basically 2 types of thermistor namely the NTC and
PTC. NTC for negative temperature coefficient and PTC for
positive temperature coefficient.
In the NTC the resistance decreases with increase in
temperature. They are the mostly used for temperature sensing
operations.
They are made up metal oxides such as Mn, Ni,Co,Cu,Fe, Ti.
Temperature Sensors thermistor
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The resistance-Temperature relationship is non-linear in nature.
Temperature Sensors thermistor
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The non-linearity can be represented in terms of the
mathematical equation:
Ro is the calibration temperature, Rt is the resistance at the calculated
temperature. Beta is the materials characteristic temperature
In the PTC the resistance increases with increase in temperature.
They are Made of small quantity of semi conducting materials mixed into
poly crystalline ceramic.
They are mostly used for electrical current control applications.
Generally the thermistor are
•Highly sensitive and accurate (10%/oC)
•Fast in response 8
•Limited in temperature range -100oC to 300oC, hence used for narrow
ranges.
Advantages
•Detects temperature which the RTD and thermocouple can not
measure.
•They are small sizes and mass means that they can be packaged in a wide
variety of assemblies.
•They have high resistance value (Kilo to Mega Ohms) allows them to be
used with longer leads wires without requiring lead wire compensation.
•Resistance versus temperature changes in the thermistor is larger than in
RTD. Hence has more resolution over given range.
•Less expensive the RTD
•NTC has more sensitivity than PTC.
Disadvantages 9
•Melting or deteriorating of the semi-conductor
•Deterioration of the encapsulation
•Insensitivity at higher temperature the slope curve goes to zero.
•Response time depends on the material and environment
•Non-linearity temperature vs resistance relationship limits application
•Limited to much lower temperature range than RTD and thermocouple
•Small nature makes them have limited power handling capability.
•Self exciting
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Applications:-
•temperature sensing,
• switching at higher temperature 60 to 180 oC,
•liquid level sensors
•self heating applications,
•small temperature range as they are very sensitive and effective.
•Used mostly in flow switches, coffee makers , kettles.
Resistance Temperature Detector (RTD)
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RTD temperature sensing is based on the particular property of metals wherein
there electrical resistance changes with temperature.
The higher the temp the higher the resistance which is due to the fact that the
higher the temp in a metal results in electrons vibration that impede the flow of
free electrons in the metal
rho – is the resistivity constant –property of a specific conductor
material being a wire and is dependent on temperature.
Basically metal senses as temperature increases the resistance increases.
RTD are slow in response (0.5 to 5sec) due to thermal conductivity in
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bringing the device into thermal equilibrium with its environment.
It requires the passage of current through it to give or measure changes in
resistance.
Some of the metal includes the following
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High precision wire wound resistor whose resistance varies with
temperature, by the measurement of the resistance its temperature can be
determined.
Pt- predominate because in order range and the most repeatable and
stable of all metals.
Cu and Ni- operates at low temp range and less expensive than Pt.
RTD advantages
•Larger sensitivity
•High resistivity to ensure small wire length for high resistance.
•Linearity between temp and resistance.
•Resistant to chemical and corrosion
•Excellent repeatability
•Faster in response compared to the thermocouple
•More accurate and sensitive than thermocouple and less compared to
thermistor.
RTD Disadvantages
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•Cost (most expensive than thermocouple) because of the pure nature of
metals involved.
•Range problem (-260 to 850oC)
•Cant be used for application above 660oC as could results in
contamination of the metals
•All junction or connection must be tight as resistance is being measured.
Thermocouple
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Thermocouple :- operates on the principle of seebeck (junction of two
dissimilar metals generate voltage which is a function of the temperature.)
Principle of Operation-
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Basically when metals are heated up or excited in one form or the other the
electrons in it becomes excited and migration begins resulting in to the
generation of some form of voltage.
However if 2 dissimilar metals are joined together a small amount of current is
generated or produced due to the molecular structure difference in the metal.
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The density difference in the electrons causes the flow of small current for
one end to the other. This current can be measured with appropriate device
and signal conditioning.
Thermocouples are self powered. The voltage generated is in terms of
milivolts and its dependent on the temperature of the junction. In order to
use the thermocouple one of the junctions is kept at constant temperature –
the cold junction while the other is kept in contact with the temperature to be
measured and it is known as Hot junction
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Types of thermocouple :
K – type made of chromel and Alumel,
E- type made of chromel and constantan,
J type made of Iron and constantan.
Advantage:
▪linear operation, 19
▪ simple in operation,
▪measure temperature at a point
▪largest operation range -250 to 2500oC
▪low cost of construction
▪rugged construction
▪self powered.
Disadvantage:
▪unstable, because of the low voltage involved makes it susceptible to noise,
▪ sensitivity to very small,
▪slow in response,
▪requires cold junction compensation,
▪has extension issues as it requires special cable if placed at a distance from
the measuring point.
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Cold junction compensation: -
Controlled temperature block ,IC cold junction compensation, Software
programming for cold junction compensation .
Consideration for use
•Wire size of the thermo couple :- longer life –large wire sizes and
sensitivity –smaller wire sizes.
•Length of thermo couple probe:- immersed four times the outside
diameter of the protection tube.
•Location : one third the distance from work piece to the heat source.
Elimination of noise
•Extension wire are twisted and then wrapped with a grounded foil sheath
•Measurement junction itself is grounded at point of measurement.
•Instrumentation amplifier is used.
Temperature Sensors General
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Thermistor RTD Thermocouple
Temp Range -80 to 300 -260 to 850 -270 to 2500
Sensor cost Low Moderate Low
System cost Moderate Moderate High
Stability Moderate Best Low
Sensitivity Best Moderate Low
Linearity Poor Best Moderate