MJ 2440 – MEASURING TECHNIQUES

Lab No 01- temperature measurement

Prepared by:
Raveendra Sampath Kumara Sarukkali Kankanamge
800226-A298
rsksk@kth.se
International College for Business and Technology
Sri Lanka

26-05-2011

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Q 01) Finding the ambient temperature

Measured voltage (given) = 0.7896 mV

Vreading = 0.7896 mV

Vreading = V1 – V2

Temperature at J2 = 0 °C

Thus, V2 = 0 mV

Hence, V1 = 0.7896mV

From thermocouple reference table

Temperature ( oC ) Voltage (mV)

19 0.749
20 0.79

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 o
Voltage (mV) vs Temperature ( C)

0.795

0.79

0.785
y = 0.041x - 0.03
0.78

0.775
Voltage

0.77

0.765

0.76

0.755

0.75

0.745
18.8 19 19.2 19.4 19.6 19.8 20 20.2
Temperature

Voltage = 0.041×Temperature - 0.03

0.7896 = 0.041×Temperature - 0.03

Ambient Temperature = 19.99 °C

Q 02) Finding the temperature of hot water

From the previous measurement, the following is written down.

Ambient air temperature = 19.99 °C

Hence temperature of J2 = 19.99 °C

V2 = 0.7896 mV

Vreading = 2.568

Vreading = V1 – V2

2.568 = V1 – 0.7896

V1 = 3.358

Hence, temperature of J1 = 80 °C

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Q 03) If the polarity of the thermocouple placed in ice water had been reversed,
what would be the

Voltage :
Temperature :

By changing the polarity of TC on channel on logger

Voltage :
Temperature :

Q 04)

The equivalent circuit is as shown in the following figure.

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a) If the junction is at ambient air

Vreading = V1 – V2

Both the junctions are in ambient condition. i.e 19.99 °C

Thus, V1 = 0.7896 V2 = 0.7896

Vreading = 0.7896 - 0.7896

Vreading =0

b) If the junction is at ice

In this case junction J1 is in the ice and junction J2 is in the ambient condition, which is
19.99 °C.

Thus, V1 = 0 V2 = 0.7896

Vreading = V1 – V2

Vreading = 0 - 0.7896

Vreading = - 0.7896

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c) If the junction is at hot water

In this case junction J1 is in hot water and it is 80 °C, and junction J2 is in ambient
condition and it is 19.99 °C.

Thus, V1 = 3.358 V2 = 0.7896

Vreading = V1 – V2

Vreading = 3.358 – 0.7896

Vreading = 2.5684

Q 05) Connect the single thermocouple with the extremely long junction to a channel of the
instrument, and configure the logger reading voltage on the display. By inserting the junction
only partly into the hot or cold water, or by heating the wire in between your fingers, try to
figure out which part of the junction has the temperature displayed by the instrument. Is it the
tip, the end towards the insulation or perhaps an average of the whole length?

It is whole length

Q 06) Insert the thermocouple with a short junction to the bottom of the thin copper tube
(which could be a thermometer well of a test rig). Insert the copper tube two, five, ten and 20
cm into the ice-water and read the temperature for each insertion length, waiting till the
temperature has stabilized completely before each reading. Redo the test using the brass tube.
Finally, redo the test with only the (coiled) thermocouple wire without a tube. Compare the
results. Which of the two tubes is the better thermometer well? Why? What insertion length
is necessary to make a correct reading in the three cases?

In this case junction J1 is in ice water (0 °C), and junction J2 is in ambient condition
(19.99 °C)

Thus, V1 = 0 V2 = 0.7896

Vreading = V1 – V2

Vreading = 0 – 0.7896

Vreading = – 0.7896

Correct reading is (– 0.7896) mV

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 Thermocouple 2cm 5cm 10cm
Copper tube -0.7516mV -0.77022mV -0.78921mV
Brass tube -0.7586mV -0.78185mV -0.78921mV
Bare wire -0.78573mV -0.78921mV -0.78921mV

Errors of above values are shown in the following table.

Thermocouple 2cm 5cm 10cm

Copper tube 0.038mV 0.01938mV 0.00039mV
Brass tube 0.031mV 0.00775mV 0.00039mV
Bare wire 0.00387mV 0.00039mV 0.00039mV

Error (mV) vs Inserted Length (cm)

0.05
Copper Tube
Brass tube
Bare wire
0.04

0.03
Error (mV)

0.02

0.01

0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5

-0.01
Inserted Length (cm)

Error decreases with the insertion length increases. Minimum error happens when bare
wire is used. But Brass is better for thermometer well.

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Q 08) Connect a Pt100 sensor to the logger. Make a drawing below, and explain how the
measurement is done. Read the manual of the logger to see how Pt100 measurements are
conducted. Illustrate the use both 2 wire as well as 4 wire measurements. What is the
difference between these measurements?

Two Wire Configuration

The above figure illustrates two wires configuration. It is only used when high accuracy
is not required as the resistance of the connecting wires is always included with that of
the sensor leading to errors in the signal. The values of the lead resistance can only be
determined in a separate measurement without the resistance thermometer sensor and
therefore a continuous correction during the temperature measurement is not possible.

Four Wire Configuration

The four wire resistance thermometer configuration even further increases the accuracy
and reliability of the resistance being measured. In the diagram above a standard two
terminal RTD is used with another pair of wires to form an additional loop that cancels
out the lead resistance.

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Q 09) Configure the logger to read the temperature of the Pt100 sensor while having the
sensor in the air. What is the temperature for the 2 wire setup?

Measured resistance is 107.8 ohm

PT100 has a resistance of 100 ohms at 0 °C and 138.4 ohms at 100 °C.

(138.4 − 100)
resistance = Temperature + 100
100

(138.4 − 100)
107.8 = Temperature + 100
100

Temperature = 20.31 °C

Q 10) Redo point 9 above but insert resistance of the each of the wire, simulating (very) long
connection cables. What is the new reading? Conclusion? What would be an alternative
connection which may be better?

Measured resistance = (107.8+1+1) ohm

= 109.8 ohm

(138.4 − 100)
resistance = Temperature + 100
100

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Temperature = 25.52 °C

Conclusion: When long connection cables are used, two wires configuration should not
be used, since resistance of the cables cause an error to the final reading.

Alternative connection
Four wires configuration can be used, if long cables are used.

Q 11) Read the temperature of ice-water with the illustrated setup using thermocouple and a
Pt100-element.
What is reading of the thermocouple?
………………………mV
………………………°C
-What is reading of the Pt100-element?
………………………Ω
………………………°C

Resistance of Pt100 element = 107.8 ohm

Temperature corresponds to 107.8 ohm = 25.52 °C. (Calculated in question 9)

Thus, temperature of J2 and J3 = 25.52 °C

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Thermocouple reading = Vreading

Vreading = V3 + V1 – V2

Vreading = -0.7896 mV

V3 =0

since the junction is made up of similar metal.

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Calculated values of V2

Temperature ( oC ) Voltage (mV)

25 0.992
26 1.033

o
Voltage (mV) vs Temperature ( C)

1.04

1.035

1.03

1.025
y = 0.041x - 0.033
1.02

1.015
Voltage

1.01

1.005

0.995

0.99

0.985
24.8 25 25.2 25.4 25.6 25.8 26 26.2
Temperature

From the above graph

Voltage = 0.041×temperature + 0.033

V2 = 0.041×25.52 + 0.033

V2 = 1.07932

Vreading = V3 + V1 – V2

-0.7896 = 0 + V1 – 1.07932

V1 = 0.28972

Temperature ( oC ) Voltage (mV)

7 0.273
8 0.312

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 Voltage (mV) vs Temperature (oC)

0.315

0.31

0.305

0.3
y = 0.039x
0.295
Voltage

0.29

0.285

0.28

0.275

0.27
6.8 7 7.2 7.4 7.6 7.8 8 8.2
Temperature

Voltage = 0.039×temperature

0.28972 = 0.039×temperature

Temperature of junction 1 = 7.429 °C

When thermocouple is used in practical application, it is not simple to maintain reference

temperature. RTD is integrated with the thermocouple to measure the temperature of the
secondary junction of the thermocouple. Thus, reference temperature is measured by the
RTD. Since, reference temperature is known; it is possible to calculate the actual
temperature.

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