subject: Measuring Temperature Changes Makes A Difference [print this page] What happens when the pilot light goes out in an older furnace or gas stove? What dangers occur when the temperature suddenly drops or rises in a manufacturing plant? How is temperature regulated to ensure safe operation of sensitive devices? Temperature detection can occur through a variety of ways including resistance temperature detection sensors and thermocouples. These devices can offer different strengths for various applications. RTDS and thermocouples are the most widely used temperature sensitive detection devices. A wide variety of probes and sensors are available to suit almost any situation.
Having the ability to accurately measure tiny temperature variations in your machinery and products as they are being manufactured can make the difference between success and failure. Not all temperature detectors are equal. The resistance temperature detector can be made out of different materials. Platinum is the the most popular and accurate, but they can also be made from nickel, copper and tungsten. Typically the RTD is composed from coiled resistance elements run through a ceramic or other insulator core with connector wires coming out the end.
One of the main differences between a thermocouple and an RTD is how they are manufactured and operate. A thermocouple has two different metals measuring the difference in temperatures. An RTD is made from a single metal that changes as the temperature rises or falls. While a thermocouple has a larger range of temperature detection, an RTD has a more precise measurement of temperatures in the range from -330 degrees F to 900 degrees F. So while thermocouples are used more widely in industrial environments where rugged durability is needed, RTDs are easier to recalibrate and use in lower average temperatures especially when more accurate readings are necessary. RTDs are mostly uninfluenced by surrounding electrical noise, like motors, generators and other high voltage equipment. RTDs are also much more sensitive than traditional thermocouples. RTDs come in many different forms and sizes. Depending on the type of application, they can be as small as a computer chip or as large as a pencil and shaped in a similar fashion.
While measuring changes in temperature as small as a fraction of a degree can be vital to manufacturing sensitive products and equipment, this ability is usually only only found with the use of platinum resistance temperature detectors. This technology has allowed for safer food in the food service industry as well as with microelectronics and medical research. Platinum RTDs are changing the way we measure temperatures in our world.
