Laboratory of Instrumentation

Second Class
RAC Division/Mech. Eng. Dep./UOT EXPREMENT No.4

EXP. No-4 Calibration of Digital Thermometer with Semiconductor Sensor

Objectives:
-Make a calibration for digital thermometer with semiconductor sensor.
-Draw the calibration curve for the measuring device.
-Calculate the absolute relative error beside the standard error.

Introduction: Before using any thermometer we should be insure about its accuracy. The brand
new device has certificate about their accuracy valid for a limit time. Therefore, the measuring
devices need to be calibrated according to specified schedule. To calibrate thermometers, reference
points temperatures must be defined by employing accurate thermometer like liquid-in-glass or
other types of thermometers with a controlled temperature bath working within the specified range
of temperature.

Connect the LM-35dz semiconductor sensor to the simple microcontroller

The LM-35dz semiconductor temperature sensors are used for measuring temperature with range
(0 to 100 ). Arduino uno is used as a reader (simple micro controller), while the measuring value
is displayed display through LCD monitor or through the arduino PC program on serial monitor.
LM-35dz consist of three pins and connected as show below:

Figure.1: a-connect LM35 to the Arduino, b- temperature sensor pins.

 VCC – 5V, +ive of the power Pin

 GND – Ground Pin
 Analog pin for signal

Experimental procedure: By connecting the LM35 temperature sensor to the microcontroller and
upload the code program after check, then immersed the sensor to the hot water figure.2. Other
thermometer (mercury or alcohol) immersed to the same hot path and employ as a reference to
calibrate the system of measuring temperature (Arduino+LM35).

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Laboratory of Instrumentation
Second Class
RAC Division/Mech. Eng. Dep./UOT EXPREMENT No.4

Figure.2: Hot path to calibrate thermometer system.

Controlled-Temperature Baths:
Calibrations usually are made in electrically heated temperature controlled stirred-liquid baths
wherein test sensors and standard thermometers are placed and the resulting outputs are compared.

Comparison Liquid Bath:

To compare the temperature sensor to be
calibrated with the standard thermometer
1- Heat up
2- Shut off
3- Take cooling curve

Errors in Temperature Measurements:

Error in temperature measurements may be attributed to:
1- Instruments Error: Inherent error as manufacturing effect, calibration error etc.
2- Error caused by sensor not reaching zone temperature e.g, Response time, flow velocity
effects, heat transfer effects etc.

Readings: The readings can be organized in a table format that includes the temperature measured
by the semiconductor sensor and compared with mercury or alcohol thermometer reading as
shown in table.1.
Table-1
Reading Synchronous measuring temperature
Real temperature ( ) notes
no ( )
1 X1 Y1
2 X2 Y2 Write notes
.. … … if there is
… .... .... any error
n Xn Yn
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Laboratory of Instrumentation
Second Class
RAC Division/Mech. Eng. Dep./UOT EXPREMENT No.4

Calculations: Create the calibration curve from the reading table as shown in figure.3 below

Also to calculate absolute relative error (ARE) %

from the equation

| | ∗ 100%

∑
The average of , where n= number of reading

The Standard error (SE) is calculated by the

∑ Figure.3: Calibration curve for ultrasonic

distance meter

Tabulate the result of error in table-2 as shown below

Table-2
Reading Real temp. synchronous
Absolute relative error% Standard error
no ( ) measuring temp. ( )
1 X1 Y1 ARE1
2 X2 Y2 ARE2
… … … …
2 2
…. …. …. …. ∑ 1
n Xn Yn AREn SE=
1
∑

Results and discussion:

Briefly:

1- Discuss the calibration curve between actual and measured value.

2- Give the meaning value of absolute relative error and Standard error.
3- Explain method to reduce the error causes in this experiment.
4- Explain, how can enhance the performance of assembly measurement- device.
5- Answer if you can calibrate other type of thermometer.
6- Write the difference between semiconductor temperature LM35dz, LM35dt, LM34,
LM36, LM35A, LM350.

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Laboratory of Instrumentation
Second Class
RAC Division/Mech. Eng. Dep./UOT EXPREMENT No.4

Below is the code program upload to the PIC of arduino-uno, this code program was wrote
specially to the temperature semiconductor sensor LM35.

Code program
// LM35 TEMPERATURE SENSOR
//HVAC-MECH. ENG. DEPA./UOT
float temp; //Define the temp float variable
int sensor = 0; // sensor middle pin on analog pin 0

void setup()
{
Serial.begin(9600); //start the serial monitor
}

void loop()
{
temp = analogRead(sensor); //assigning the analog output to temp
temp = temp * 0.48828125; //converting volts to degrees celsius ----- 0.48828125 = [(5V*1000)/1024]10

//print information on the serial monitor

Serial.print("The temperature is :");
Serial.print(temp);
Serial.println("deg. Celsius");

//wait 1 second
delay(2000);
}

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