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High Accuracy Temperature Measurement

From VTI Instruments Corporation
 

 

There are many different approaches and techniques for measuring temperature, but one of the most fundamental issues involves understanding the application at hand. A basic evaluation of the application would include: * Physical environment * Test sample physical constraints * Temperature range * Required accuracies This list may seem trivial, but the answers to these questions will help determine the type of transducer, the measurement instruments, and the approach that must be taken to physically interface to the test article.

The most common temperature measurement transducers available are: * Thermocouple * RTD * Thermistor * IC sensor Each of these devices has been designed to address specific application spaces, and therefore it may not be appropriate to use these devices interchangeably. The fundamental operation of these devices varies significantly, and may limit the hardware that can be used for the measurement.

Product Announcements
Ultra Electronics formerly Weed Instrument Company - Custom Thermocouple Temperature Probes
A thermocouple consists of two dissimilar metals, joined together at one end. When the junction of the two metals is cooled or heated a voltage is produced that can be correlated back to the... (read more)
Invetech - Thermal Control
Invetech offers broad experience from safety critical applications to precision heating and cooling. (read more)
Dynisco Plastics - DynxPaks Melt Pressure Transducers
Dynisco offers a wide variety of 1% DynxPaks. The quick start kits are a fast, easy and cost effective way of obtaining pressure measurement. Pressure and temperature kits are also available. The... (read more)
Honeywell Sensing and Control / Sensors for Test & Measurement - Telemetry Sensors - Wireless Telemetry Sensors
Gathering data from rotating machinery has always posed challenges. Conventional inline torque sensing signal transfer techniques, such as brushes, slip rings, and rotary transformers, require... (read more)
Smith Systems, Inc. - Temperature Sensors
Thermo-Tran High Reliability Temperature thermistor sensor probes are available in a variety of configurations. (read more)
RDP Electrosense - Displacement Transducers for Triaxial Soil Tester
RDP has pioneered the design and development of linear displacement transducers suitable for use in triaxial soil testers, where ground samples are subject to pressure applied, most commonly by water... (read more)
AA Spectre Sensors, Inc. - Model 9510U USB Enabled Pressure Transducer
Model 510U USB Pressure/Temperature Transducers offer the first precision USB 2.0 enabled sensors on the market that are designed and calibrated to each customer's specific operating conditions. Each... (read more)
Conax Technologies - Autoclave Temperature Probes
Conax Technologies is the industry leader in the design and fabrication of autoclave temperature probes, high temperature thermocouples, temperature sensors, etc. Conax temperature and control sensors... (read more)
HITEC Corporation - Medical Device Custom Transducers from HITEC
HITEC Corporation offers strain gage (foil and semi-conductor) technology expertise in designing and manufacturing custom force, load and pressure transducers specific to the innovative needs of the... (read more)
 
Topics of Interest
Like the RTD, the thermistor is also a temperature-sensitive resistor. The name thermistors is derived from the term “thermally sensitive resistors,” since the resistance of the... (Read More)
You cannot measure the Seebeck voltage directly because you must first connect a voltmeter to the thermocouple, and the voltmeter leads create a new thermoelectric circuit. Consider a digital... (Read More)
Many types of transducers are beneficiaries of IC technology. The benefits are twofold. There is the advantage of the chips themselves -- enabling manufacturers to build more intelligence and better... (Read More)
14.4 Temperature sensors The most common electronic temperature measurement devices currently available include the thermocouple, the resistance temperature detector, the thermistor, and the... (Read More)
This application note shows how to select a temperature sensor and conditioning circuit to maximize the measurement accuracy and simplify the interface to the microcontroller. Practical circuits and... (Read More)