Applied Sensor Technologies offers four basic types of temperature sensor:
Thermocouples
RTDs
Thermistors
Integrated circuit (IC)
Thermocouples
At its most basic, a thermocouple is two wires of dissimilar metals, joined at one end. Changes in the temperature at
the hot junction (measuring end) induce a change in electromotive force (emf) at the cold junction, where it can
be input into a controller or indicator. As the temperature increases, this output emf also rises, though not
completely linearly. Thermocouples can measure temperatures over wide ranges, fairly inexpensively. They are
very rugged, but they are somewhat less accurate vs. RTDs and thermistors.
Here is a summary of some of the advantages and disadvantages of thermocouples:
Advantages Disadvantages
Self powered Non linear
Simple Low voltage
Rugged Reference required
Inexpensive Least stable
Wide variety Least sensitive output vs. temperature change
Wide temperature range
Thermocouple Types (Calibrations)
There are many different types of thermocouples, made of different types of wire and having very different
properties. This sometimes makes one type better for a specific application than another. Below are descriptions of
the types of thermocouples that Applied Sensor Technologies manufactures:
Type J The most widely used thermocouple; it is versatile and has widespread usage throughout industry. It is
recommended for reducing atmospheres. The operating range for this alloy combination is from 0 to 750C (32 to
1380 F) for the largest wire sizes. Smaller size wire should operate in correspondingly lower temperatures.
Type K Often used at high temperatures, it is recommended for use in clean oxidizing atmospheres. The operating
range for this alloy is from 0 to 1250 C (32 to 2280 F) for the largest wire sizes. Smaller size wire should
operate in correspondingly lower temperatures.
Type E With the highest emf of all standard thermocouples, it is recommended for use in oxidizing, inert or dry
reducing atmospheres or for short periods of time in a vacuum. These elements must be protected from sulfurous
and marginally oxidizing atmospheres. Type E thermocouples can be used for temperatures from 0 to 900 C (32
to 1650 F).
Thermocouple Types (Calibrations), Continued
Type T Type T is recommended for use in mildly oxidizing and reducing atmospheres at temperatures from 0 to
350 C (32 to 660 F). It is suitable for applications where moisture is present. This alloy is recommended for low
temperature work since the homogeneity of the component wires can be maintained better than with other base
metal wires. Therefore, errors due to material variation within wires in zones of temperature gradients are greatly
reduced.
Types R, S & B Made from platinum and platinum alloy wires, these thermocouples are designed for high
temperature applications, such as vacuum furnaces and a variety of process applications. Because of the chance for
contamination, they should be protected by a suitable protection tube, preferably of high-purity alumina (99% or
better). Mullite is not recommended for use with Types R&S due to the chance of silica contamination, and the
thermocouple should never be inserted directly into a metal tube..
Thermocouple Constructions
Applied Sensor Technologies offers three thermocouple constructions depending on the application:
GP - General Purpose thermocouples that are comprised of a pair of thermocouple wires inside a metal tube. This
inexpensive method can typically be used to measure temperatures of 260 C (500 F) or less.
MI - For higher temperature applications, magnesium oxide powder is compacted around the wires inside the
sheath. This Mineral Insulated construction is very rugged, can be bent and is used to measure temperatures of
throughout the thermocouples temperature range (depending on sheath material).
BTC - Beaded thermocouples are constructed of bare wire, separated by ceramic beads. This simple yet effective
construction is used for high temperature applications such as furnaces and many applications in the metals industry.
Thermocouple Ranges and Accuracy
Thermocouple conductors are specified with either standard or special limits of error. The chart below shows
the usable range of each sensor calibration, along with their accuracies. Accuracy is based on the larger of the two
values given, for temperatures above 0 C..
Insulation color-code Accuracy
Calibration Range
(North America) (Standard Limits) (Special Limits)
White (+) 32 to 1380 F
J 2.2 C or 0.75% 1.1 C or 0.4%
Red (-) 0 to 750 C
Yellow (+) -325 to 2280 F
K 2.2 C or 0.75% 1.1 C or 0.4%
Red (-) -200 to 1250 C
Purple (+) -325 to 1650 F
E Red (-) 1.7 C or 0.5% 1.0 C or 0.4%
-200 to 900 C
Blue (+) -420 to 660 F
T 1.0 C or 0.75% 0.5 C or 0.4%
Red (-) -250 to 350 C
Black (+) 32 to 2730 F
R&S 1.5 C or 0.25% 0.6 C or 0.1%
Red (-) 0 to 1500 C
Gray (+) 32 to 3100 F
B Red (-) 0.5% over 800 C N/A
0 to 1700 C
RTD's or Resistance Temperature Detectors
An RTD capitalizes on the fact that the electrical resistance of a material changes as its temperature changes. Most
RTDs use a thin film of a conductor (platinum, nickel iron or copper) deposited on a ceramic substrate. However,
some special applications require the older method of wrapping a length of thin conductor around an insulator.
RTD's are stable and have a fairly wide temperature range, and in many cases are similarly priced to thermocouples.
Because they must be isolated from the environment, they are less responsive to changes compared to grounded or
exposed junction thermocouples. Since they require an electric current source to make measurements, RTD's can be
subject to small inaccuracies from self-heating. RTD's can be used to measure temperatures from -200 to 800 C (-
325 to 1475 F)
Here is a summary of some of the advantages and disadvantages of RTDs:
Advantages Disadvantages
Stable More expensive than a thermocouple
Accurate Current source required
More linear than thermocouple Small change in resistance
Low absolute resistance
Self heating
Less rugged that thermocouples
RTD Types
The most common type of RTD (and Applied Sensor Technologies standard) is platinum, with characteristics that
have been standardized under the European IEC 751 standard. It has a temperature coefficient () of 0.00385 and its
reference resistance is 100. There are also variations of the platinum that have 500 and 1000 references, and a
similar RTD with an = 00.392 (called the American curve, it has different levels of purity to the platinum and is
much less common). In addition, there are RTDs made from copper and nickel-iron. Applied Sensor Technologies
can offer any of these as options if required.
RTD Wiring Configurations
Because the absolute resistance of the RTD element is relatively small in most cases (roughly 100), the leadwire
length between the sensor and the measuring equipment becomes a potential area of significant error. In order to
compensate for this error, RTDs may be constructed with extra leads so that the wire resistance can be measured and
negated. Applied Sensor Technologies manufactures 2-wire, 3-wire and 4-wire configurations to handle every
requirement.
2-Wire. Common in many types of OEM equipment (such as lab, medical and appliance)
where the short lead lengths do not impart significant resistance and the designer is looking
to keep cost to a minimum (the leadwire itself is inexpensive, but connectors and connector
real estate on a PC-board can be expensive).
3-Wire. The most common configuration in industrial applications. The third leadwire
allows for the measurement of the resistance of one leg, and the resistance of the other is then
inferred. In most applications, this provides an acceptable level of accuracy.
4-Wire. This configuration is used in applications where the highest level of accuracy is
required. It allows for the resistance of each leg to be measured separately, and then
eliminated.
RTD Tolerances
Platinum RTDs are categorized by their tolerances, with Class B considered the most common in industrial
applications. There are also Class A, 1/3 DIN and 1/10 DIN also available, with progressively tighter tolerances.
The chart and graph below illustrate the tolerances for Class A and B (based on the IEC 751 standard). Actual
accuracy of the instrument however may be dependent on the leadwire used, the manufacture of the RTD assembly,
stresses incurred in the application and many other factors.
Tolerance
Temperature
Class A Class B
(C)
(+/- C) (+/- C)
-200 0.55 1.3
-100 0.35 0.8
0 0.15 0.3
100 0.35 0.8
200 0.55 1.3
300 0.75 1.8
400 0.95 2.3
500 1.15 2.8
600 1.35 3.3
700 3.6
800 4.3
Thermistors
A thermistors output is based on the resistance change in a metal-oxide semiconductor material as its temperature
changes. Thermistors can be either NTC (Negative Temperature Coefficient), where the resistance drops non-
linearly with a temperature rise, or PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient), where the resistance increases as the
temperature rises. Thermistors can be a low cost solution to temperature measurement. They tend to have large
signal outputs and their small size permits fast response to temperature changes. Thermistors may be more accurate
than thermocouples, but they have a much more limited temperature range because of their marked non-linearity.
Thermistors are typically used to measure temperatures from -45 to 260 C (-50 to 500 F).
Here is a summary of some of the advantages and disadvantages of thermistors:
Advantages Disadvantages
High output Non linear
Fast response time Limited temperature range
Low cost Current source required
Accurate over small ranges Self-heating
IC Sensors
The newest type of temperature sensor to be developed is the integrated circuit (IC) temperature transducer. IC
sensors can be designed to produce either voltage or current output and are extremely linear. IC sensors are a very
effective way to produce an analog voltage proportional to temperature. They have a limited temperature range and
are used to measure temperatures from -45 to 150 C (-50 to 300 F). Typically, these are used on OEM
equipment, where their linearity is an advantage to the design engineer.
Here is a summary of some of the advantages and disadvantages of IC sensors:
Advantages Disadvantages
Most linear Temperatures limited to 150 degrees C
Highest output Power supply required
Inexpensive Slow response time
Self-heating
Larger in size than other types of sensor
Limited configurations
