Document Title:

Training on GET-Instrumentation

November
2014

TEMPERATURE MEASURMENT AND CONTROL

Code: PI

Introduction:Temperature is one of the most frequently used process measurements, all most all the chemical
and petro chemical processes and reactions are temperature dependent, not in chemical plants
there are many other areas or industries where temperature measurement is essential such
industries include power plants, oil & gas industries, paper mills...Etc
To ensure that process temperature remains within the limits of plant design so that damage does
not occur to the equipments by exceeding their safety limits
Temperature: - Temperature is a measure of degree of hotness or coldness of an object
Units: - The two most common temperature scales are:
Fahrenheit (F)
Celsius (C).

Measurement:
For measuring the temperature there are different types of sensors used in the industries, some of
the sensors used to measure the temperature.
TEMPERATURE GAUGES
THERMOCOUPLES
RESISTANCE TEMPERATURE DETECTOR (RTD)
THERMISTOR

Temperature Gauges:There are two types of temperature gauges.

Bimetal Temperature sensors.
Fluid Filled Temperature sensors.

Bimetal Temperature sensors: Solids tend to expand when heated. The amount that a solid sample will expand with
increased temperature depends on the size of the sample, the material it is made of, and
the amount of temperature rise. The following formula relates linear expansion to
temperature change:

Document Title:

Training on GET-Instrumentation

November
2014

TEMPERATURE MEASURMENT AND CONTROL

Code: PI

l = l0 (1 + T)
Where,
l = Length of material after heating
l0 = Original length of material
= Coefficient of linear expansion
T = Change in temperature
One way to amplify the motion resulting from thermal expansion is to bond two strips of
dissimilar metals together, such as copper and iron. If we were to take two equally-sized
strips of copper and iron, lay them side-by-side, and then heat both of them to a higher
temperature, we would see the copper strip lengthen slightly more than the iron strip:
Iron copper Expansion
If we bond these two strips of metal together, this differential growth will result in a
bending motion greatly exceeding the linear expansion. This device is called a bi-metal strip

Bimetallic strip

Bimetallic thermometer

Document Title:

Training on GET-Instrumentation

November
2014

TEMPERATURE MEASURMENT AND CONTROL

Code: PI

Fluid Filled Temperature Sensors:-

Filled-bulb systems exploit the principle of fluid expansion to measure temperature. If a

fluid is enclosed in a sealed system and then heated, the molecules in that fluid will exert a
greater pressure on the walls of the enclosing vessel. By measuring this pressure, and/or by
allowing the fluid to expand under constant pressure, we may infer the temperature of the
fluid.

Thermocouple:When two dissimilar metal wires are joined together at one end, a voltage is produced at the other
end that is approximately proportional to temperature. That is to say, the junction of two different
metals behaves like a temperature-sensitive battery. This form of electrical temperature sensor is
called a thermocouple
Thermocouple works on the principle of see beck effect. See beck discovered that if a closed circuit is
formed of two metals, and two junctions of the metals are at different temperature an electric
current will flow round the circuit.

Document Title:

Training on GET-Instrumentation

November
2014

TEMPERATURE MEASURMENT AND CONTROL

Code: PI

With the measurement (J1) and reference (J2) junction voltages opposed to each other, the
voltmeter only sees the difference between these two voltages. Thus, thermocouple systems are
fundamentally differential temperature sensors. That is, they provide an electrical output
proportional to the difference in temperature between two different points. For this reason, the
wire junction we use to measure the temperature of interest is called the measurement junction
while the other junction (which we cannot eliminate from the circuit) is called the reference junction
(or the cold junction, because it is typically at a cooler temperature than the process measurement
junction).
Thermocouple Types: Certain combinations of alloys have become popular as industry standards. Selection of the
combination is driven by cost, availability, convenience, melting point, chemical properties, stability,
and output. Different types are best suited for different applications. They are usually selected on
the basis of the temperature range and sensitivity needed. Thermocouples with low sensitivities (B,
R, and S types) have correspondingly lower resolutions.

Thermowell:
A thermowell is an integral part of a process plant that serves two important functions:
it protects an industrial thermometer from the process fluid
it enables the thermometer to be replaced without breaking the containment of
the process plant

Document Title:

Training on GET-Instrumentation

November
2014

TEMPERATURE MEASURMENT AND CONTROL

Code: PI

Types of thermowells:-

Thermowell Installation in pipe:

Difference between Thermocouple grade and Extension grade wire:

Thermocouple grade wire is wire that is used to make the sensing point (or probe part) of
the thermocouple. Extension grade wire is only used to extend a thermocouple signal from a
probe back to the instrument reading the signal. The extension grade wire typically will have
a lower ambient temperature limit in which the wire may be used. Namely, it may pass a
signal representing a higher temperature as received from the probe, but the wire physically
may not be exposed to higher temperatures. Thermocouple wire may be used as extension
wire, but extension grade wire may not be used in the sensing point (or probe part) of the
thermocouple. Part numbers for extension wire typically begin with an "EX" prefix.

Document Title:

Training on GET-Instrumentation

November
2014

TEMPERATURE MEASURMENT AND CONTROL

Code: PI

Resistance Temperature Detector (RTD):RTD s are devices made of pure metal wire (usually platinum or copper) which always
increase in resistance with increasing temperature. RTDs are relatively insensitive but very
linear.
A Resistive Temperature Detector (RTD) is a special temperature-sensing element made of fine
metal wire, the electrical resistance of which changes with temperature as approximated by the
following
Formula:
RT = Rref *1 + (T T ref)]
Where,
RT = Resistance of RTD at given temperature T (ohms)
Rref = Resistance of RTD at the reference temperature T ref (ohms)
= Temperature coefficient of resistance (ohms per ohm/degree).
Note:100 is a very common reference resistance (Rref at 0 degrees Celsius) for industrial RTDs.
1000 is another common reference resistance, and some industrial RTDs have reference
resistances as low as 10 . Compared to thermistors with their tens or even hundreds of thousands
of ohms nominal resistance, an RTDs resistance is comparatively small. This can cause problems
with measurement, since the wires connecting an RTD to its ohmmeter possess their own resistance,
which will be a more substantial percentage of the total circuit resistance than for a thermistor.

Document Title:

Training on GET-Instrumentation

November
2014

TEMPERATURE MEASURMENT AND CONTROL

Code: PI

2-WIRE RTD:The following schematic diagrams show the relative effects of 2 ohms total wire resistance on a
RTD circuit:
2-wire construction is the least accurate of the 3 types since there is no way of eliminating the lead
wire resistance from the sensor measurement. 2-wire RTDs are mostly used with short lead wires or
where close accuracy is not required.
Measured resistance Rt = R1 + R2 + Rb

3-WIRE RTD:3-wire construction is most commonly used in industrial applications where the third wire provides a
method for removing the average lead wire resistance from the sensor measurement. When long
distances exist between the sensor and measurement/control instrument, significant savings can be
made in using a threewire cable instead of a four-wire cable.
(R 1+2+R b ) - (R 2+3) = (R b )
The 3 wire circuit works by measuring the resistance between #1 & #2 (R 1+2) and subtracting the
resistance between #2 & #3 (R 2+3) which leaves just the resistance of the RTD bulb (R b). This
method assumes that wires 1,2 & 3 are all the same resistance

4-WIRE RTD:4-wire construction is used primarily in the laboratory where close accuracy is required. In a 4 wire
RTD the actual resistance of the lead wires can be determined and removed from the sensor
measurement. The 4-wire circuit is a true 4-wire bridge, which works by using wires 1 & 4 to power
the circuit and wires 2 & 3 to read. This true bridge method will compensate for any differences in
lead wire resistances.

Document Title:

Training on GET-Instrumentation

November
2014

TEMPERATURE MEASURMENT AND CONTROL

Code: PI

RTD Connections:-

It is critically important to note that the common connections shown by the symbols for 3and 4-wire RTD sensors represent junction points at the sensor ; not terminals jumpered by the
technician at the time of installation, and not internal jumpers inside the transmitter. The whole
purpose of having 3-wire and 4-wire RTD circuits is to eliminate errors due to voltage drop along the
current-carrying wires, and this can only be realized if the sensing wire(s) extend out to the RTD
itself and connect there. If the transmitters sensing terminal(s) are only jumpered to a current
carrying terminal, the transmitter will sense voltage dropped by the RTD plus voltage dropped by
the current-carrying wire(s), leading to falsely high temperature indications.
Misconceptions surrounding proper RTD connections unfortunately abound both in students
and in working industry professionals. With any luck, the following presentation will help you avoid
such mistakes, and more importantly help you understand why the correct connections are best.

Thermistors:A Thermistor is a temperature-sensing element composed of sintered semiconductor material which

exhibits a large change in resistance proportional to a small change in temperature. Thermistor
usually have negative temperature coefficients which mean the resistance of the Thermistor
decreases as the temperature increases.

Document Title:

Training on GET-Instrumentation

November
2014

TEMPERATURE MEASURMENT AND CONTROL

Code: PI

Thermistors can be classified into two types: If the resistance increases with increasing temperature,
the device is called a positive temperature coefficient (PTC) thermistor. If the resistance decreases
with increasing temperature, the device is called a negative temperature coefficient (NTC)
thermistor. Resistors that are not thermistors are designed to keep their resistance almost constant
over a wide temperature range.
Accuracy
Thermistors are one of the most accurate types of temperature sensors. OMEGA thermistors have
an accuracy of 0.1C or 0.2C depending on the particular thermistor model. However thermistors
are fairly limited in their temperature range, working only over a nominal range of 0C to 100C .
Stability
Finished thermistors are chemically stable and not significantly affected by aging.