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Lab 3

Lab Handout
ABE 374
Dr. Angela Green
ABE 374 ENVIRONMENTAL CONTROL FOR BUILDINGS SPRING 2012 Page 2/6
UsingThermistorstoMeasureTemperature
LabIntroduction
Our ability to control an environment is only as good as our ability to sense the controlled environmental
parameters. These parameters may include temperature, relative humidity, air speed, pressure
differentials, and gas concentrations. Not all sensors are created equally; sensors have varying levels of
accuracy, precision and reliability, as well as recalibration frequency. Different sensors used for the same
environmental parameter can use very different techniques to monitor the same result. For example,
temperature could be measured with a thermometer, a thermistor, a thermocouple, an RTD, chemical
reactions, or subjective observation. Each technique has its own advantages and disadvantages and
usefulness for quantification of temperature.
Anytime a measurement is taken for anything, the method used should be validated for its accuracy and
precision. One approach to improve the accuracy of a measurement is to calibrate against a known
standard measure. Calibration is the comparison of two measurements: one of known correctness
(standard) and one of unknown correctness. The measurement of unknown correctness is then adjusted
to match the standard. A linear least-squares fit calibration curve is often created to make this
comparison and correction.
Calibration is frequently necessary upon acquisition of a new measurement device, though some come
pre-calibrated from the manufacturer. Additionally, a sensors ability to accurately and precisely measure
a parameter may shift over time and usage. To address this, the sensor must periodically be re-calibrated.
The objectives of this lab are to (1) explore temperature measurement using thermistors and (2) calibrate a
set of thermistors using a standard linear regression.
LaboratoryTasks
1) Prepare and utilize thermistors with a datalogger. Each team will be provided four thermistors and one
digital multimeter for use during lab.
2) Create a relationship between the thermistors measured resistance and a standard reference
temperature. After the thermistor responses have been collected for the specified conditions, each team
will use their data to create a calibration equation for each thermistor tested.
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3) Evaluate the error between calibrated and non-calibrated temperature measurements. Based upon the
calibrations, each team will assess the performance of each thermistor before and after calibration.
Instrumentation
1. UnderstandingandUsingThermistors
Whatisathermistorandhowdoesitwork?
Thermistors are temperature sensitive resistors. All resistors vary with temperature, but thermistors are
constructed with a semiconductor material with resistivity that is especially sensitive and responsive to
temperature. Thermistor resistance either decreases with temperature (NTC) or increases with
temperature (PTC). In this lab we will be using NTC thermistors.
Whatistheresistancerelationshipforathermistor?
Thermistors have a relationship between resistance, R, and temperature, T, as follows:
ln [
R
R
c
= [ [
1
1
-
1
1
c
(1)
Where:
R
o
and T
o
are reference resistance at reference temperature.
is a constant unique to the thermistor with units of natural logarithm of the inverse of the absolute
temperature (ln(1/K)).
For this lab, Equation (1) can be solved to convert the measured resistance into temperature:
T
m
=
1
_
In (
R
R
c
)

+
1
T
c
_
(2)
Where, for our thermistors (Honeywell Model 10M5351):
Ro = 30K
= 4261
To = 25+273.15 = 298.15 (K).

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2. RecordingtheThermistorResistancewithaDigitalMultimeter
For this lab we will collect resistance from our thermistors using a FLUKE digital multimeter (you should
record the model number for the unit you are using). At each specific temperature point, you will connect
the leads of the multimeter to the leads of each thermistor, one at a time. With the multimeter set to
measure resistance in ohms, wait for the resistance to stabilize, and record the reading on your data sheet.
3. ControlledReferenceTemperatureUsingaRecirculatingWaterbath
The Endocal RTE-Series Refrigerated Bath/Circulators are designed to provide temperature control for
applications requiring a fluid work area or pumping to an external system. In this lab we will use the
temperature-controlled water bath to provide a constant environmental temperature to test our thermistors.
Ideally, we would use a NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) certified calibration
device to collect temperature in the water bath to use as our standard. Unfortunately, one is not available
to us for use with this lab. The waterbath incorporates an internal temperature sensor that we will use as
our standard in this lab.
Example
Measure resistance from one thermistor using the multimeter.

Procedure
1. PreparethemultimetertocollectRESISTANCEdatafromyourfourthermistors.
2. Usethewaterbathtoset4temperaturesetpoints(10C,15C,20C,and25C).Allowample
timeforsystemtoreachequilibriumaftereachchange.
3. Foreachwaterbathtemperature,youwillcollectRESISTANCER()withthemultimeter.Be
suretorecordtheTIMEandtheREFERENCEtemperatureT
ref
(C).
4. Fillinthefollowingdatacollectiontableswithresults.

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Thermistor 1
Time
Waterbath
setpoint
Reference T Resistance
10C
15C
20C
25C
Thermistor 2
Time
Waterbath
setpoint
Reference T Resistance
10C
15C
20C
25C
Thermistor 3
Time
Waterbath
setpoint
Reference T Resistance
10C
15C
20C
25C
Thermistor 4
Time
Waterbath
setpoint
Reference T Resistance
10C
15C
20C
25C
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LinearRegressionforCalibrationRelationship
1. Useequation(2)tocomputethemeasuredtemperature,Tm,foreachsetpointtemperature.

2. PlotTmagainstTref.Tmshouldbeontheyaxissinceitisthedependentvariable.Trefshouldbeon
thexaxissinceitisunderstoodasthedefiningstandardtemperatureandthusindependent.Each
thermistorwillhaveitsownindividualplot.

3. CreatealinearregressionmodelofMeasuredTemperatureandReferenceTemperature,using10C
and25Conly.Thiswillcreatearelationshipwiththefollowingnomenclature:
T
m
= b + m T
c]
(3)
4. UseMicrosoftExcel,Matlab,orothersoftwaretosolveforthestandarderrorofregression,e;the
intercept,b;theslope,m;andthecoefficientofdetermination,r2.

5. Invertcalibrationequation(3)topredictfuturevaluesoftemperaturedirectlyfromthemeasured
temperature,Tm:
T =
1
m
(T
m
- b) (4)
6. Useequation(4)tocalculatenewcalibratedtemperaturesbyinputtingyourthermistorsvaluesfor
T
m
at15Cand20C.Comparepercentageerrorbeforeandaftercalibration.

Note:Theresultsofasensorcalibrationshouldonlybeappliedfortherangeofthecalibration.
Inourcase,thethermistorswouldonlybeconsideredreliableovertherangeof1025C.

ReportforLab3
DUE March 7, start of class. Email report to Dr. Green.
Your report should cover the Laboratory Tasks section of this assignment. You should provide your
data tables and describe the methodology in sufficient detail to repeat your work. You should include
inferences about possible applications of your sensor to monitor a controlled environment. You must
submit reports as a team. You must also submit a performance evaluation for each member of your team.
Each students grade will be a combination of grade for the report (same for each member) and
performance grade (may vary for each member). The lab grading rubric will be available on the course
wiki.

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