Alexandria University.

Faculty Of Engineering
Mechanical Engineering Department

Temperature Measurments
Using
Electrical Methods
By
Dr. Mohamed Alnakeeb
mohamedalnakeeb@alexu.edu.eg
Mechanical Engineering Department
Alexandria University
Methods of Temperature Measurement

Electrical Methods
a) Thermocouples
b) Thermistors
c) Resistance Temperature Detectors(RTD)

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 Thermoelecrtic Effects
1-Seebeck Effect in 1821 :
When two wires composed of dissimilar metals are joined
at both ends and one of the ends is heated, there is a
continuous current which flows in the thermoelectric
circuit. Thomas Seebeck made this discovery in 1821.
The emf is proportional to the temperature difference
and the type of dissimilar metals.

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 Thermoelecrtic Effects
1-Seebeck Effect in 1821 :
The emf is produced in the circuit and given by :

where: E = thermoelectric emf (V)

SA = the Seebeck coefficient for material A (V/K)
SB = the Seebeck coefficient for material B (V/K).
SAB = the relative Seebeck coefficient (V/K).
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 Thermoelecrtic Effects
The magnitude of emf depends on the junction temperature
and Seebeck coefficient of material.

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 Thermoelecrtic Effects
Applications of Seebeck effect:
Industrial applications of Seebeck effect are divided into
two categories. The first category is temperature
measurements (thermocouples) and the second category
is Thermoelectric generators.
Thermoelectric generator:
The Seebeck effect is used in Thermoelectric generators,
which function like heat engines, but are less bulky, have
no moving parts, and are typically more expensive and less
efficient.

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 Thermoelecrtic Effects
Thermoelectric generator:
This generator converts thermal energy to electrical
energy by Seebeck effect. Immerse the metal plates in
two different temperature baths. This Unit will generate
10mV/degree temperature difference used to run a small
fan.
Hot water Ice water

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 Thermoelecrtic Effects
2- Peltier effect
Whenever current passes through the circuit of two
dissimilar conductors, depending on the current direction,
heat is absorbed or released at the junctions of the two
conductors. This is known as Peltier effect, 1834.

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 Thermoelecrtic Effects
Applications of Peltier Effect
Cooling and heating applications include
refrigeration systems that can be smaller or
miniaturized. Some applications include small
refrigerators and mini in-vehicle refrigerators.
Electronics cooling applications include cooling
of CPUs and telecom devices .

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 Thermocouples
What is Thermocouple? It is a sensor which relies
on the physical principal that any two different metals (A
and B) are connected together, an emf that is the function
of the temperature will be developed at the junction of
these metals.
A polynomial equation is generally used to convert
thermocouple voltage to temperature.

Emf = a1T + a2T2 + ………. a9T9

The values of the constants a1, a2…..a9 depend on the type
of the metal used and the temperature. Therefore the emf-
temperature relation in nonlinear. 10
 Thermocouples
•Unless otherwise specified, all standard thermocouple
equations and tables are referred to a cold junction
temperature of 0 °C.

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 Thermocouple Types
TCs are identified by a single letter type and grouped according to
their temperature range
– Base Metals – up to 1400 °C
Most commonly used category of Thermocouple. The conductor
materials in base metal thermocouples are made of common and
inexpensive metals such as Nickel, Copper and Iron.
• Type J, Type E, Type T, Type K
– Noble Metals – up to 2000 °C
Noble Metal Thermocouples are another category of thermocouples
and are made of the expensive metals as Platinum and Rhodium.
• Type R, Type S, Type B
– Refractory Metals – up to 2600 °C
These thermocouples are made of high grade of metals asTungsten and
Rhenium, which are expensive, difficult to manufacture, brittle, and must
be handled carefully
• Type C, Type D, Type G
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 Thermocouple Types
Relation between temperature and electro-motive force

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 Thermocouple Types
TC Colours Range C Positive Negative
Type (Colored) (all Red)
J White/Red -210 to 1200 Iron Constantan

E Purple/Red -270 to1000 Chromel Constantan

T Blue/Red 0 to 400 Copper Constantan
K Yellow/Red -270 to1372 Chromel Alumel
R Black/Red -50 to 1768 Platinum-13% rhodium Platinum

S Black/Red -50 to 1768 Platinum-10% rhodium Platinum

B Grey/Red 0 to 1700 Platinum-30% rhodium Platinum-6% rhodium

C White- 0 to 2320 Tungsten/5% rhenium Tungsten 26% rhenium

Red/Red

Chromel = Nickel-chromium alloy

Alumel = Nickel-aluminum alloy
Constantan = Copper-nickel alloy 14
 Thermocouple Rules
There are two important rules for analysis of thermocouples
circuit:
1- Law of intermediate metals: If a third metal is connected
in the circuit as shown in the figure, the net emf of the
circuit will not be changed as long as the new connections
are at the same temperature.

T1

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 Thermocouple Rules
2- Law of intermediate temperature: If a thermocouple
produces emf e1 when its junctions are at the temperature T1
and T2 and e2 when at temperature T2 and T3, then it will
produce an emf of (e1+e2) if the junctions are at the
temperature T1 and T3
Metal A Metal A

T1 T2
T2 T3
e1 e2
Metal B Metal B
Metal A

T1 T3
e1+e2
Metal B 16
 Thermocouples
Cold junction compensation
If ambient temperature variation of the cold junction can
cause significant error in the output of a thermocouple pair,
there are two alternatives:
1- maintain the cold junction at constant temperature, by
some technique as an ice bath( zero temperature).
But keeping the reference
junction of the thermocouple
in an ice bath is not
practical for most
measurement systems.
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 Thermocouples
Cold junction compensation
2- Add a voltage that is equal to the voltage developed
across the cold junction at any temperature in the expected
ambient temperature range. This can be done by developing
an electric circuit. The electronics generally rely on a
thermistor, a temperature-sensitive integrated circuit, or
an RTD to determine the reference junction temperature, as
shown for a thermistor in Figure

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 Thermocouple Tables
Voltage to Temperature Conversion
Type T Thermocouple (Blue & Red) Reference Junction 0 °C

C 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

0 0.000 0.039 0.078 0.117 0.156 0.195 0.234 0.273 0.312 0.352

10 0.391 0.431 0.470 0.510 0.549 0.589 0.629 0.669 0.709 0.749

20 0.790 0.830 0.870 0.911 0.951 0.992 1.033 1.074 1.114 1.155

30 1.196 1.238 1.279 1.320 1.362 1.403 1.445 1.486 1.528 1.570

40 1.612 1.654 1.696 1.738 1.780 1.823 1.865 1.908 1.950 1.993

1.445 mV equal to temperature ……………………………………..

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 Thermocouple Tables

4.279 mV equal to temperature ……………………………………..20

 Thermocouple Advantages and Disadvantages

• Advantages: • Disadvantages:
– Self Powered (does not – Extremely Low
require a current or Voltage output (mV)
voltage source) – Not very stable
– Inexpensive – Needs a reference
– Simple point
– precision of calibration – Non linear
– Rugged

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 Typical Industrial Thermocouple Assembly
Thermocouples are most commonly made in the form of
wires, insulated and welded together at the measuring
junction. The measuring junction is formed in different
ways as shown

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 Typical Industrial Thermocouple Assembly
The choice of connection depends upon the requirements
of the application such as the need for strength or high
speed of response. For applications requiring high strength
of the bead or resistance to vibration then a welded bead
may be most appropriate.
In order to prevent the forming of a second junction the
wires of a thermocouple are insulated from each other by
being threaded through porcelain insulator.

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Thermopiles: Multiple junction thermocouple circuits
Thermopile is a term used to describe a multiple junction
thermocouple circuit that is designed to amplify the output of the
circuit. Since thermocouple voltage are typically in the millivolt
range, increasing the voltage output may be a key element in
reducing the uncertainty in the temperature measurement.

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 Thermopiles: Multiple junction thermocouple circuits
In the thermopile the measuring junction are usually located at the
same physical location to measure one temperature.

The figure shows a thermopile for providing an amplified output

signal. In this case the output voltage would be N times the single
thermocouple. Where N is the number of junctions in the circuit.

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 Thermocouples in Parallel
- When a spatially averaged temperature is desired, multiple
thermocouple junctions can be arranged, as shown in the Figure

In such an arrangement
of N junctions, a mean
emf is produced, given by

The mean emf is

indicative of a mean
temperature,

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