ME 120 Experimental Methods

Temperature Measurement

BJ Furman
07MAY03

BJ Furman SJSU MAE

Introduction

Direct comparison with a standard is difficult
❖ Change of a temperature-dependent property is
most often used:
• Physical dimension

Bimetallic strip

(from: Temperature Measuring Instruments, http://www.tpub.com/fluid/ch2t.htm, 2002)

BJ Furman SJSU MAE

1
Temperature Measurement Methods, cont.

Physical dimension change methods, cont.

❖ Liquid-in-glass thermometer

Change in pressure
❖ Constant-volume gas thermometer
❖ Pressure thermometer

Change in emitted thermal
radiation
❖ Pyrometer

Changes in chemical http://www.humboldt.edu/~scimus/Instruments/Thrm-Duff/ThrmStdScl.htm

phase
❖ Liquid crystals

http://www.omega.com/ppt/pptsc_lg.asp?ref=RLC-50&Nav=
BJ Furman SJSU MAE

Temperature Measurement Methods, cont.

Changes in electrical properties:
Thermocouples (TC’s)
Metal A
❖
• Seebeck effect (Thomas Seebeck, 1821): an emf is T1 V(T1)

produced across the junction of two dissimilar metals Metal B

(see next slide for common TC alloys)
• The act of measuring the emf Metal A Cu

introduces two more TC junctions,

because DMM wiring is often different (Cu)
than original two metals!

These two junctions will each produce Metal B Cu
an emf
• Add a fourth TC junction and keep it at a Cu

known reference temperature (0 °C) Metal A

Make sure Metal A – Cu junctions are

at the same temperature (isothermal Metal B Metal A
zone box) Cu
“Cold” junction
BJ Furman SJSU MAE

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Sample of Thermocouple Types
Limits of Error (Select whichever is greater)
Type of Wire
Temperature Range
(USA and Canada colors)
Standard Grade Premium Grade

-200 to 0°C ±1°C or ±1.5% ---

Type T 0 to 350°C ±1°C or ±0.75% ±0.5°C or ±0.4%
Copper-Constantan
(Blue or brown sheath; blue+, red-) -300 to 32°F ±1.5°F or ±2% ±0.75°F or ±1%
32 to 700°F ±1.5°F or ±0.75% ±0.75°F or ±0.38%

Type J
0 to 750°C ±2.2°C or ±0.5% ±1.1°C or ±0.4%
Iron-Constantan
32 to 1400°F ±4°F or ±0.5% ±2°F or ±0.38%
(Black or brown sheath; white+, red-)
Type E
0 to 900°C ±1.7°C or ±0.5% ±1°C or ±0.4%
Chromel-Constantan
32 to 1600°F ±3°F or ±0.5% ±2°F or ±0.38%
(Purple or brown sheath; purple+, red-)
Type K
0 to 1250°C ±2.2°C or ±0.75% ±1.1°C or ±0.4%
Chromel-Alumel
32 to 2300°F ±4°F or ±0.75% ±2°F or ±0.38%
(Yellow sheath; yellow+, red-)
Type R or S
0 to 1450°C ±1.5°C or ±0.25% ---
Platinum-Rhodium/Platinum
32 to 2700°F ±3°F or ±0.25% ---
(Green sheath; black+, red-)
Type B
Platinum 30% Rhodium/ 800 to 1700°C ±0.5% ---
Platinum 6% Rhodium 1600 to 3100°F ±0.5% ---
(Grey sheath; grey+, red-)

http://www.exhaustgas.com/accuracy.htm

BJ Furman SJSU MAE

Thermocouples, cont.

Cold junction
❖ Crushed ice and water slurry (with no mineral
contamination) in an insulated container, or
❖ Electronic “cold junction compensation”
• Measure the emf produced by the reference junction, and
add it to the measured emf of the “hot” junction
• ITS-90 polynomial functions:

http://www.omega.com/temperature/Z/pdf/
z198-201.pdf

BJ Furman SJSU MAE

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Temperature-Voltage curves for common thermocouples

Non-linear

http://www.dataforth.com/catalog/bb/193_806659937.pdf
BJ Furman SJSU MAE

Temperature Measurement Methods, cont.

Resistance Temperature Detectors (RTD’s)

❖ Coil of wire or metal film (usually platinum)
❖ Resistance varies with temperature
❖ Very accurate (≈0.1% at 100 °C)
❖ Very stable (<0.2 °C after 104 hrs at max temp.)
❖ -270 – 850 °C possible “4-Wire” resistance measurement

❖ IEC standard is 100 ohm at 0 °C and

temperature coefficient (alpha) is
0.00385 ohm/ohm-°C

http://www.omega.com
/ppt/pptsc_lg.asp?ref=1
00W30&Nav=temc13

BJ Furman SJSU MAE

4
Temperature Measurement Methods, cont.

Thermistors
❖ Resistance is a strong function of temperature (approximately
4%/°C), usually negative slope
❖ Non-linear
❖ Moderate temperature range (-60 – 200 °C)
❖ Semiconductor powder

http://www.omega.com/temperature/Z/pdf/z036-040.pdf

http://zone.ni.com/devzone/prenticehall.nsf/webm
ain/CB88715C4BC5463F8625685C005DAE73?o
pendocument&node=DZ52552_US
BJ Furman SJSU MAE

Temperature Measurement Methods, cont.

Integrated circuit temperature sensors

❖ Ex. LM35 (http://www.national.com/ds/LM/LM35.pdf)
• Linear output: 10 mV/°C
• -55 – 150 °C range
• 4 – 30 V input needed
• Accurate to at least ±0.75 °C
• Cheap: $2
• Relatively slow

http://www.omega.com/ppt/pptsc_lg.asp?ref=AD590&Nav=temd10

BJ Furman SJSU MAE

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Advantages/Disadvantages

http://www.omega.com/temperature/Z/pdf/z019-020.pdf

BJ Furman SJSU MAE

Temperature Measurement Methods, cont.

Infrared temperature sensors

❖ Detect IR radiation
(IR⇒λ=0.7 – 1000 µm)
(practical 0.7 – 20 µm)
❖ Non-contact
❖ Wide range (30 – 4500 °C)
❖ Accuracy: 1% of reading
http://www.omega.com/techref/iredtempmeasur.html
Q

= εσ T 4
A

BJ Furman SJSU MAE

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IR Camera

http://www.ir55.com/MikroScan.html

BJ Furman SJSU MAE

Selection Exercise

Scenario 1:
❖ Airflow temperature sensing for air conditioning system in a
semiconductor lithography tool.
• Need ±0.1 °C control

Scenario 2:
❖ Web server enclosure temperature control system
• Needs to control fan speed in order to maintain internal temperature to
±2.5 °C
• 3000/mo. production level, cost sensitive

Scenario 3:
❖ Induction heating system for materials research
• Needs ±25 °C temperature control at melting temperature of steel

Scenario 4:
❖ Water jacket design for a new heat exchanger
• Need to determine the temperature profile (50-100 °C) along a 3 ft
length of copper pipe

BJ Furman SJSU MAE