Thermal Sensors

Thermal Energy: In a solid material individual atoms or molecules are strongly attracted or bonded to each other, so that each atom or molecule cannot move far from its equilibrium position. The concept of thermal energy can be introduced in terms of the vibration of atoms or molecules about their equilibrium position. No vibration means zero thermal energy. If we add some heat into a solid material then the atoms or molecules will exhibit vibrations implying having a finite amount of thermal energy. If we keep increasing the amount of heat added to a material then the vibrations will continue to increase and at some point the bonding between the molecules will break and move about in the material. The material is said to be melted (i.e. in liquid state) and the average speed of the molecules is a measure of the amount of thermal energy in the material. Further increase in thermal energy will intensify the velocity and the molecules will eventually escape completely, material is said to be in gas state. Average speed of the molecules is again a measure of thermal energy.

Temperature
Temperature of a material is a measure of its thermal energy. There are different types of temperature scales and these scales differ in two respects: 1. The location of the zero temperature. 2. The size of one unit of measure, i.e. the average thermal energy per one unit of the scale.

 When a material is placed in some environment, the material will come into equilibrium with the temperature of the environment. If the temperature of the environment increases, then the material temperature increases and also its thermal energy increase. If a current is passed through the material then the conducting electrons collide with the vibrating atoms and molecules.

 Increased environment temperature increased temperature in the material increased thermal energy increased vibrations increased collisions increased resistance of material. Therefore the resistance of the material is a measure of temperature.

Resistance-Temperature Detectors (RTD)

RTD is a temperature sensor that is based on measuring temperature by detecting changes to resistance. RTD has a response time of 0.5 to 5 seconds or more. An RTD is simply a wire: platinum, nickel.

This may cause an error in the measurement.

Thermistors
Uses temperature dependence of semiconductor material resistance to measure temperature. As you increase the temperature of a semiconductor material, electrons jump from the valence band to the conduction band and therefore improve conductivity. As the temperature increases the resistance decreases.

Thermocouples
Thermocouples produce an emf which is proportional to temperature being measured.

Other Thermal Sensors

Use temperature dependence of length of metals to measure temperature.

Bimetallic Strip
Curves when temperature is increased. Can use as a switch to turn ON/OFF some device.

Gas Thermometer
If the volume is constant then

Because temperature changes are converted to pressure, it is particularly useful in pneumatic systems.

Solid-State Temperature Sensors

Voltages of these devices vary linearly.

How can you minimize the self-heating effect of the sensor?