LECTURE37

TemperatureMeasurement:RadiationPyrometry
Contents
BlackBodyRadiation
Radiationfromrealsurfaces
Principlesofradiationpyrometer
Totalradiationpyrometer
LimitationsofRadiationPyrometer
DisappearingFilamentPyrometer
KeyWords:furnaces,radiation,pyrometer
Blackbodyradiation
Abodyathighertemperaturesemitselectromagneticradiation.Therateatwhichenergyisemitted
dependsonsurfacetemperatureandsurfaceconditions.Thethermalradiationfromabodyis
composedofwavelengthsforminganenergydistribution.Thetotalemissivepowerofablackbody(
ataparticulartemperatureis
e
b
)
e
b
= ] e
b\
u
\
0
(1)
Inwhich iswavelengthande ismonochromaticemissivepower.Plancksdistributionlawrelatese
tothewavelengthandtemperature:
b\ b\
e
b\
=
2 h a
2
\
-S
cxp_
ch
K
E
zT
_-1
(2)
Inwhich isPlancksconstant,aisvelocityoflight, iswavelength. isabsolutetemperatureandK is
Boltzmannconstant.
B
b
= T
4
Totalemissivepowerofablackbodyis
e .(3)
Inwhich isStefansBoltzmannconstantanditsvalueis . S.67 1u
-8
W m
-2
K
-4
Radiationfromrealsurfaces
Blackbodyisanidealizedconceptinradiation.Ablackbodyabsorbsallincomingradiationand
transmitsnone.Blackbodyisalsoaperfectemitter,sinceitemitsradiationofallwavelengths.Itstotal
emissivepoweristheoreticallythehighestthatcanbeachievedatanygiventemperature.
Thus,allrealsurfacesemitthermalradiationslowerthanblacksurfaceatanytemperaturesuchthat
e = e (4) e
b
Inwhich isemissivityand istotalradiationfromarealsurface.Obviouslye = forablackbodyand
forallarealsurfaces.Thus,monochromaticemissivepowerofarealsurfaceis
1
e < 1
e
\
=
2 c ha
2
\
-S
cxp_
ch
K
E
zT
_-1
(5)
InviewoftheStefanBoltzmannequation,thetotalemissivepowerofarealsurfaceis
e (6) = eT
4
. to u.4m
Totalradiationpyrometer
A radiation pyrometer consists of optical component to collect the radiation energy emitted by the

Qualitativelythespectralemissivityofmetalsdecreaseswithincreasingwavelength.Forthebaremetal
surface,theemissivitydecreaseswithincreasingwavelength.Roughnessincreasesemissivity.
Principlesofradiationpyrometer
Temperature measurement is based on the measurement of radiation either directly by asensor or by
comparingwiththeradiationofabodyofknowntemperature.Theradiationpyrometerisanoncontact
typeoftemperaturemeasurement.
Thewavelengthregionhavinghighintensityisbetween0.1toabout10m.Inthisregion,u1
istheultravioletregion,0.4to0.7isthevisibleregionand0.7onwardsistheinfraredregion.Withthe
increase in temperature, radiation intensity is stronger toward shorter wavelengths. The temperature
measurementbyradiationpyrometerislimitedwithin0.5to8mwavelengthregion.
object, a radiation detector that converts radiant energy into an electrical signal, and an indicator to
readthemeasurements.
Figure37.1:TotalRadiationPyrometer

The optical pyrometer is designed to respond narrow band of wavelengths that fall within the visible
rangeoftheelectromagneticspectrum.
Thermal detectorsareusedassensors.Their hotjunctionisthe radiationsensingsurface. Thermopiles
candetectradiationofallwavelengths.
A number of semiconductors are developed to sense the radiation. These are materials of Si, PbS,
indiumantimonidesetc.Theirresponseisthoughinstantaneousbutitisselectivetowavelength.
Siliconissuitableonlyaroundu.8 andleadsulphidearound1to2m. -u.9 m
C0
2
, B
2
0
2
It is important that gases like and dust should not obstruct the path of radiation. The dust
particlesscattertheradiation,whereasC0 andwatervaporselectivityabsorbsradiation.
Any instrument built to sense the radiation has to be in an enclosure to avoid dirt, dust and gases
presentinindustrialenvironment.Normallyawindowisprovidedwithsomeopticalmaterialstoseethe
radiatingbody.Thematerialsshouldhavegoodtransmissivity.Allopticalmaterialsallowonlyparticular
wavelengthtopassthroughitwithsufficientintensity.Forotherwavelengthstheyareopaque.

Materialforwindows Transmissivity
Glasseslikequartz,Pyrex,rubyetc.

Bariumfluorideandzincsulphide

Calciumfluoride
Goodinultravioletandvisibleregionofwavelengthbutareopaqueto
infrared.Glasswindowsareusefulforwavelengthslowerthan2.S .
Beyondwavelengthof2.Sm,transmissivitydecreasesdrastically.
m
6u -8u%
Ithasaverygoodtransmissivityinvisibleandinfraredregion.

Theyhave transmissivityintheinfraredandvisibleregion.

LimitationsofRadiationPyrometer
1. Availabilityofopticalmaterialslimitonthewavelengthsthatcanbemeasured.
doesnot
einemissivitywithtemperatureneedtobeconsidered.
DisappearingFilamentPyrometer

2. Thesurfaceofthehotobjectshouldbeclean.Itshouldnotbeoxidized.Scaleformation
allowtomeasureradiationaccurately.
Emissivitycorrectionisrequired.Chang 3.
Inthistypeofpyrometer,thetungstenfilamentofanelectricbulbisusedasaradiator.Theintensityof
radiation of filament is compared with the intensity of the radiation of the hot surface. When both
intensitymatch,thefilamentdisappearsagainstthebackground.
The intensity of the filament can be controlled by the current flowing through it. The maximum
temperatureofthefilamentis28u attheratedvoltage.Theminimumvisibleradiationisat
.Hencewecanmeasurethetemperatureinbetween 6uu .
u - Suuu
6uu - 28uu
Theamperemeterinthelampcircuitiscalibratedisdegreecentigrade

Figure37.2:DisappearingFilamentPyrometer

Figureshowsanopticalpyrometer.Theradiationsfromthesourcearefocusedontothefilamentofthe
reference temperature using an objective lens. Now the eye piece is adjusted to focus the images the
hotsourceandthefilament.Nowthelampcurrentiscontrolledsuchthatfilamentappearsdarkifitis
coolerthanthesource,thefilamentwillappearbrightifitishotterthansourceandfilamentwillnotbe
seenifthefilamentandthetemperaturesourceareatsametemperature.