Bimetallic Thermometer

Definition: The bimetallic thermometer uses the bimetallic strip which converts the
temperature into the mechanical displacement. The working of the bimetallic strip depends
on the thermal expansion property of the metal. The thermal expansion is the tendency of
metal in which the volume of metal changes with the variation in temperature.

Every metal has a different temperature coefficient. The temperature coefficient shows the
relation between the change in the physical dimension of metal and the temperature that
causes it. The expansion or contraction of metal depends on the temperature coefficient, i.e.,
at the same temperature the metals have different changes in the physical dimension.

Working Principle of Bimetallic Thermometer

The working principle of bimetallic thermometer depends on the two fundamental properties
of the metal.

1. The metal has the property of thermal expansion, i.e., the metal expand and contract
concerning the temperature.
2. The temperature coefficient of all the metal is not same. The expansion or
contraction of metals is different at the same temperature.

Constructions of Bimetallic Thermometer

The bimetallic strip is constructed by bonding together the two thin strips of different metals.
The metals are joined together at one end with the help of the welding. The bonding is kept
in such a way that there is no relative motion between the two metals. The physical
dimension of the metals varies with the variation in temperature.

Since the bimetallic strip of the thermometer is constructed with different metals. Thereby,
the length of metals changes at different rates. When the temperature increases, the strip
bends towards the metal which has a low-temperature coefficient. And when the

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temperature decreases, the strip bends towards the metal which has a high-
temperature coefficient.

The figure below shows the bimetallic strip in the form of the straight cantilever beam. The
strip fixed at one end and deflects at the other end.

The range of deflection of bimetallic strip depends on the type of metals used for
construction. The deflection of the metal is directly proportional to the length of the strip and
the variation of temperature and is inversely proportional to the thickness of the strips.

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Let understands this with the help of the mathematical formula. Consider the bimetallic strip
is made of two different metals, i.e., metal A and metal B. Both the metals have a different
temperature coefficient. The T2 – T1 shows the variation of temperature, which causes the
expansion of the string.

Where,

t – Total thickness of the strip

n – Ratio of moduli of elasticity = EB/EA
m – Ratio of the thickness
(T2 –T1) – Change in temperature
tA, tB – Thickness of metal A and metal B
αA, αB – Thermal coefficient of expansion of metal A and B

The expansion causes the strip to move in the uniform circular arc. The radius of the arm is
given by formula shown below.

The above equation shows that the strip bend towards the metals which has a low
temperature coefficient (when the temperature increases) and the inverse will happen when
the temperature decreses.

For practical applications, the strip is made of metals whose moduli of elasticity and
thickness are same. The moduli of elasticity show the ability of the material to regain its
original position or shape after the removal of force or load.

Consider the strip is fixed at one end and free to move at the other end. When the
temperature surroundings the strip varies, the strip bends towards the circular arc.

Consider the strip is made of the metal having thickness t/2. So,

If one of the metals has the very small temperature coefficient, then the

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Above equation shows that if one end of the metal is fixed, the deflection of the free end of
metals shows the variation of temperature. This thermometer is not used for industrial
application because of low sensitivity and small deflection. The sensitivity of the
thermometer increases with the increase of the length of the strip.

Types of Bimetallic Strip

The linear strip shows the small deflection. If the length of strip increases, the size of
thermometer also increases. For keeping the size of the thermometer in the manageable
limit, the helix or spiral strip is used for making the thermometer.

Spiral Strip bimetallic thermometer – In bimetallic strip thermometer, the spiral-shaped

strip is used. This type of thermometer is used for measuring the ambient temperature.
Because of the thermal expansion property of metal the deformation occurs in the spring
with the variation of temperature. The pointer and dials attached to the spring, which
indicates the variation of temperature.

Helical Types Bimetallic Strip – The helix type bimetallic strip is mostly used for industrial
applications. In this thermometer, the helix shape strip is used for measuring the
temperature. The free end of the strip is connected to the pointer. The deflection of the strip
shows the variation of temperature.

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Advantages

The thermometer is simple in construction, robust and less expensive.

Disadvantages

The thermometer gives the less accurate result while measuring the low temperature.

Applications of Bimetallic Thermometer

The bimetallic thermometer is used in household devices like oven, air conditioner, and in
industrial apparatus like refineries, hot wires, heater, tempering tanks etc. for measuring the
temperature.