12/4/2015

ThermistorApplicationExamplesThermistorThermometers,LiquidLevelIndicator,TemperaturCompensation,SurgeSuppression,FlowMeasurement

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ThermistorApplications
ThermistorThermometers:Abasiccircuitofathermistorfortemperaturethermometermeasurementcanbeshown

in Fig. 4. In this diagram a thermistor is connected in series with a voltage supply, meter, and variac. At room
temperature a current will flow through the thermistor following ohms law. As the temperature is increased, the
currentthroughthemeterwillincreaseandbycalibratingthecurrentthroughthemeterintermsoftemperature,a
directreadingcanbemade.Thevariaccanbeusefulinestablishingtheprotectionandthecalibrationofthecircuit.
ThecircuitinFig.4canbemodifiedasshowninFig.5wherethecurrentpassesthrougharesistorandthevoltage
dropacrosstheresistorismonitored.Thisvoltagedropcannowbecalibratedintermsoftemperature.
Forimprovingtemperaturemeasurementaccuracy,awheatstonebridgecircuitcanbeadaptedasshowninFig.6.

IfR2andR4arechosenequal,thenR3=R1orR3willreaddirectresistanceofthethermistorwhenbalancingof
thebridgeoccurs.BysubstitutingadecaderesistanceboxinplaceofR3toestablishgreateraccuracy,onecan
establishasensitivethermometercircuit.VariousothercombinationsorchangestothecircuitinFig.6canimprove
accuracyandsensitivity.

LiquidLevelIndicators:Thermistorscanworkwellasliquidlevelindicatorsorcontrols.Fig.7showsathermistor

intendedtosensetheliquidlevelinatank.Whenthethermistorispositionedinair,thesteadystatecurrentwill
keeptherelaycoil(C1)energizedandtherelaycontactclosed.Whentheliquidlevelrisesandmakescontactwith
thethermistor,itbecomescoolerresultinginariseinresistance.Thisincreasedresistancereducesthecurrent
throughthecoil,openingtherelaycontacts.Thisinturnactivatesanalarmorotherrelaysinthevalvecircuitwhich
willshutofftheflowofliquidintothetank.Astheliquidleveldropsinthetank,thecurrentthroughthethermistor
increases,againclosingtherelayandstartingthecycleoveragain
TemperatureCompensation: NTCthermistorsarebeingusedsuccessfullytocompensatetemperatureinacircuit

whereapositivetemperaturecoefficientprevails.Atypicalexampleisthecopperwireinthefieldcoilofameter.A
naturalerrorisintroducedbecausethecopperhasapositivetemperaturecoefficient.Thiswillcreateanerroras
temperaturerisesbytheincreaseintheresistanceofthewirethereforereducingthemeterdeflectionoverthefull
scalemetermovement.Asimplecorrectionforthiskindoferroristomatchthepositivetemperaturecoefficientof
the copper wire with the negative temperature coefficient of a properly selected thermistor. In this correction
application, the thermistor would be shunted with a resistor whose combined temperature coefficient would
produceanegativeslopeofthesamemagnitudeasthepositiveslopeofthecoil.ThecurvesinFig.8showthe
slopestobeconsideredandtheresultantcombination.
Surge Suppession: There are situations that exist where the surge

currentgeneratedbytheinitialappliedvoltageinacircuitwillresultin
damage to the filaments of tubes or incandescent light bulbs. By the
selection and insertion of a thermistor in series, a current delay will
occur. As the voltage is applied, the high value of the thermistor will
limit current flow. As the thermistor warms up, the current flow will
increasetothepointwherethecircuitwilloperateinanormalmanner
preservingthelifeofthefilaments.
Flow Measurement: The dissipation constant of thermistors is a
valuable characteristic when the measurement requires the accurate
monitoringofliquidorgasflow.Thesmallsizeofthethermistorandits
fasttimeresponseallcontributetoitsapplicationwhentheyareused
as two separate legs of a wheatstone bridge. The thermistors are
generallyinsertedintotwoseparatesectionstobemonitoredandare
operated in a self heat mode. The bridge is balanced with the same
environment in each section. As the environment changes in one
section, the bridge will become unbalanced indicating a flow change
whichcanbecalibratedintermsofresistance
OtherThermistorApplications:Flowmeters,VacuumGages,Motor

ThermalProtection,FireAlarms,TVdeflectioncircuits,Voltage
regulation,Amplifiergaincontrol,Timedelaycircuits,Thermal
switches,andmanyothers..
Formoreinformation'saboutThermistorssenduspleaseanemailWUNTRONIC@wuntronic.de,useourInfoForm,Faxorphone.
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ThermistorApplicationExamplesThermistorThermometers,LiquidLevelIndicator,TemperaturCompensation,SurgeSuppression,FlowMeasurement
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