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Category Archives: Thermistors

Temperature Sensor Selection for Design Engineers: Technology Review

Temperature is probably the most commonly measured physical parameter. Appropriate temperature sensor selection is essential. Designers have to decide on the best technology to employ considering the design brief. The sensor design comprises the employed sensor technology and the protection of the sensor from the process. This article covers the choice of temperature sensor selection.

 

Temperature Sensor Selection Technology Review

 

Each common technology has attributes:

 

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Thermocouple Thermistor Resistance Thermometer Digital Sensor Infrared
Temp Range °C -270 to +2000 -90 to + 130 -200 to + 600 -10 to +85 -50 to 3000
Cost Medium to Very High Low Low Medium High
Instrumentation Readily Available or designed on a board Designed in Circuit board Readily Available or designed on a board Designed in Circuit board IR Supplier
Linearity Non Linear NTC’s are Non Linear Linear Linear
Signal mV K Ohms 100 / 1000 Ohms Digital
Accuracy Fair Fair Good Excellent Fair
Extension Cable 2 leads made of TC Extension Cable 2 leads 2, 3 or 4 leads 3 Leads
Notes Cold Junction Compensation Lead resistance can be significant Non Contact Optical Sensor.

Identifying Temperature Sensor Type

We often receive phone calls from potential customers who have a temperature sensor in their hands, but little other information about it. This presents us with a number of problems. The first issue is identifying exactly what type of sensor it is.

 

Most industrial plant contact temperature sensors are thermocouples, resistance thermometers or thermistors. To identify the type of sensor, our advice goes along the lines of:

 

  1. Is there any visible information on the instrument that displays the temperature?
  2. What temperatures are usually recorded?
  3. How many and what colour are any wires on the sensor or subsequent cabling?
  4. Disconnect the sensor from the system and take a resistance measurement across any terminals on the sensor with a multimeter.

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