03.01.2015 Views

handbook of modern sensors

handbook of modern sensors

handbook of modern sensors

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

484 16 Temperature Sensors<br />

(A)<br />

(B)<br />

Fig. 16.16. Use <strong>of</strong> a thermocouple: (A) equivalent circuit <strong>of</strong> a thermocouple; (B) front end <strong>of</strong><br />

a thermometer with a semiconductor reference sensor (LM35DZ).<br />

Laws 1–3 provide for numerous practical circuits where thermocouples can be<br />

used in a great variety <strong>of</strong> combinations. They can be arranged to measure the average<br />

temperature <strong>of</strong> an object, to measure the differential temperature between two objects,<br />

and to use other than thermocouple <strong>sensors</strong> for the reference junctions and so forth.<br />

It should be noted that thermoelectric voltage is quite small and the <strong>sensors</strong>, especially<br />

with long connecting wires, are susceptible to various transmitted interferences.<br />

A general guideline for the noise reduction can be found in Section 5.9 <strong>of</strong> Chapter<br />

5. To increase the output signal, several thermocouples may be connected in series,<br />

while all reference junctions and all measuring junctions are maintained at the respective<br />

temperatures. Such an arrangement is called a thermopile (like piling up<br />

several thermocouples). Traditionally, the reference junctions are called cold and the<br />

measuring junctions are called hot.<br />

Figure 16.16A shows an equivalent circuit for a thermocouple and a thermopile. It<br />

consists <strong>of</strong> a voltage source and a serial resistor. The voltage sources represent the hot<br />

(e b ) and cold (e c ) Seebeck potentials and the combined voltage V p has a magnitude<br />

which is function <strong>of</strong> a temperature differential. The terminals <strong>of</strong> the circuit are assumed<br />

to be fabricated <strong>of</strong> the same material—iron in this example.<br />

16.2.2 Thermocouple Circuits<br />

In the past, thermocouples were <strong>of</strong>ten used with a cold junction immersed into a<br />

reference melting ice bath to maintain its temperature at 0 ◦ C (thus, the “cold” junction<br />

name). This presents serious limitations for many practical uses. The second and<br />

third thermoelectric laws allow for a simplified solution. A “cold” junction can be<br />

maintained at any temperature, including ambient, as long as that temperature is<br />

precisely known. Therefore, a “cold” junction is thermally coupled to an additional<br />

temperature sensor which does not require a reference compensation. Usually, such<br />

a sensor is either thermoresistive or a semiconductor.<br />

Figure 16.16B shows the correct connection <strong>of</strong> a thermocouple to an electronic<br />

circuit. Both the “cold” junction and the reference sensor must be positioned in an<br />

intimate thermal coupling. Usually, they are imbedded in a chunk <strong>of</strong> copper. To

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!