Laboratory of Control Process

Experiment (3)
The Infrared Thermometer
(Thermoelectric effect and connection thermocouple)

Objective:
1. To demonstrate the use and linearity of hand-held infrared thermometers.
2. To show the limitations of surface temperature measurement.

a) To connect two identical thermocouples together and prove the see beck
effect.
b) To show that when one junction of two directly connected thermocouples is
at a known reference temperature
c) You can calibrate the pair to directly measure temp on the Celsius scale.

 Introduction:

Temperature measurement is a fundamental aspect of engineering and

scientific experiments. One of the widely used tools for non-contact temperature
measurement is the infrared (IR) thermometer, which detects thermal radiation
emitted by objects. This experiment focuses on using a handheld IR thermometer
and evaluating its linearity when measuring surface temperatures.

Additionally, the thermoelectric effect, which is the principle behind

thermocouples, plays a key role in accurate temperature measurements. A
thermocouple generates an electrical voltage proportional to the temperature
difference between two junctions of dissimilar metals. This phenomenon is
essential in various industrial and laboratory applications for reliable temperature
readings.
 Theory:
1) Infrared Thermometers: These devices operate based on the Stefan-
Boltzmann law, which states that the thermal radiation emitted by a body is
proportional to the fourth power of its absolute temperature. The IR
thermometer detects this radiation and converts it into a temperature reading.
However, different materials have varying emissive values, which affect the
accuracy of the readings.
2) The thermoelectric Effect & Thermocouples: The thermoelectric effect
involves three main phenomena:

Seebeck Effect: When two different metals are joined at two points and exposed to
a temperature difference, a voltage is generated.

Peltier Effect: When an electric current flows through a junction of two different
conductors, it absorbs or releases heat.

Thomson Effect: A temperature gradient along a single conductor causes heat

absorption or release.

Thermocouples utilize the Seebeck effect to measure temperature, making them

useful as reference sensors for calibration and validation of IR thermometers.

Experimental Procedure:
1. Create a blank results table, like Table 22.

2. Now put the reference sensor into the heater tank (through the holes in its lid).
Switch on the heater and note the reference temperature.

3. At intervals of 10° C (shown by the reference temperature), aim the infrared

thermometer at the brushed steel (bare metal) and matt black surfaces of the heater
tank (see Figure 13).

4. Stop the experiment and switch off the heater when the reference temperature
reaches 100°C.
 Results and Analysis:
This experiment explores the thermoelectric effect and the use of thermocouples in
accurately measuring temperatures. The relationship between voltage and
temperature difference is examined, comparing theoretical and experimental values
to calculate the error percentage.
👉 Note: T Cold =21 ℃ , V Cold =838 Mv

Time(min TR ∆T V theo (mv ) V h ∆ V theo ∆ V exp(m v) ∆ V exp(M v ) %Error

) T h−T c V h−V c
0 21 0 838 0 1.1 55 /////////
2 29.7 8.7 1203 365 3.1 155 0.575342466
4 36.5 15.5 1489 651 8.9 445 0.316436252
6 43.9 22.9 1776 938 14.9 745 0.20575693
8 51.3 30.3 2064 1226 20.7 1035 0.155791191
10 58.1 37.1 2354 1516 26.4 1320 0.129287599
12 64.8 43.8 2644 1806 31.5 1575 0.127906977
14 70.2 49.2 2851 2013 36.9 1845 0.083457526
16 76.4 55.4 3100 2262 42 2100 0.071618037
18 81.7 60.7 3350 2512 46.7 2335 0.070461783
20 86.5 65.5 3557 2719 51.1 2555 0.060316293
22 91.9 70.9 3765 2927 55.1 2755 0.058763239
24 96.2 75.2 3931 3093 60 3000 0.030067895

(∆𝐕) Exp vs ∆𝐓
3500

3000
f(x) = 40.7015322552943 x − 143.343081771808
2500 R² = 0.994643308377045

2000
(∆𝐕) Exp

1500

1000

500

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Conection of thermocouble: ∆𝐓
Thermocouples can be connected in different configurations to achieve specific
measurement goals. The two common types of connections are parallel and series.

 Parallel Connection (Figure a): Multiple thermocouples are connected in

parallel, ensuring that the temperature difference is measured at multiple
points but averaged at the output. This setup is useful for reducing noise and
improving accuracy in varying environments.

 Series Connection (Figure b): Thermocouples are connected in series,

where the voltage output is the sum of individual thermocouple voltages.
This method enhances sensitivity and is used when small temperature
differences need to be amplified.

These connections help optimize temperature measurement systems based on the

specific requirements of the experiment or application.

Fig.a: Parallel Connection Fig.b: Series

Connection

Calculation of Conection of thermocouble:

  Parallel Connection:
V hot =58 mv , V cold =4 m v

Theoretical:
V hot +V cold 58+4
= =31 mv
2 2

Experimental:
∆ V E xp=26.5 mv

%Error = 0.1451

 Series Connection:
V hot =58 mv , V cold =4 m v

Theoretical:
V hot +V cold =58+4=62 mv

Experimental:
∆ V exp=53.6 mv

%Error = 0.1354

Discussion:
In this experiment, the thermoelectric effect was analyzed by measuring the
voltage generated due to temperature differences, as well as studying the effect of
thermocouple connections on the output voltage. The theoretical and experimental
voltage values showed a noticeable variation at the beginning, but this difference
decreased over time, indicating thermal stabilization of the system.

From the recorded data, the differences between theoretical and experimental
values were more pronounced in the initial minutes, where the percentage error
was relatively high but gradually decreased over time. This is likely due to factors
such as the thermal response delay of the thermocouples, heat loss to the
surrounding environment, and experimental errors related to the accuracy of the
measuring instruments used.

Regarding the thermocouple connections, in the parallel configuration, the

theoretical voltage was 31 mV, while the experimental voltage was 26.5 mV,
resulting in an error percentage of 0.1451. In the series connection, the error
percentage was higher, which may be attributed to minor effects on the electrical
contact between components or the internal resistance of the thermocouples
affecting voltage distribution.

Conclusion:
This experiment confirms the effectiveness of thermocouples in measuring
temperature differences and generating voltage based on the thermoelectric effect.
In general, the experimental values were close to the theoretical ones, with some
deviations caused by environmental factors and experimental errors.

It was observed that the percentage error decreased over time, indicating thermal
stabilization and reduced heat loss effects. Additionally, the parallel connection
yielded results closer to the theoretical values compared to the series connection,
suggesting that voltage distribution is more stable in a parallel configuration.

Based on these findings, future improvements to the experiment could include

using higher precision measuring devices and reducing heat loss by improving
thermal insulation, allowing for more accurate results that better align with
theoretical expectations.