7

EXPERIMENT NO. 6
OBJECT:
To calibrate a thermocouple, a thermistor and a
Resistance Temperature
Detector (RTD) and to measure a temperature with the help of above
sensors and compare outputs of the three sensors.

APPARATUS USED:
A thermocouple, a thermistor, a Resistance
Temperature Detector (RTD),
Instrumentation Tutor, a thermometer, a Temperature controlled water
vessel fitted with heater.

THEORY:

Water is heated to a certain temperature in a temperature controlled water

heater vessel, Athermocouple, a thermistor, aResistance Temperature
Detector (RTD) and a thermometer are put in the hot water vessel. The
temperature of the water shown by the thermometer is taken as a standard
temperature for calibration for the rest of the three temperature sensors.
/Readings of the thermocouple, the thermistor and the Resistance
Temperature Detector (RTD) are recorded at different temperatures of
the hot water with the help of the temperature controller attached to the
water vessel.

PROCEDURE:
1. Connect leads of the temperature sensors to the proper 'port in the
Instrumentation tutor.
Cotd..
2. Switch on the power supply of the Instrumentation tutor.
3. Check for proper connectivity of the temperature sensors to the
Instrumentation tutor by putting these sensors in the hot or cold water
for a short time, If the output-indicating device on the tutor is not
responding properly to the change in temperature, then recheck the
electricalconnections and repeat step 1to 3.
4. Fillwater up to the marked level in the
water vessel.
5. Set the span of the output-indicating device with the
help of span knob
on the Instrumentation tutor for
each temperature sensor.
6. Set cut-off temperature of the water vessel by the temperature
controller.
7. Switch on the heater of the water vessel.
8. Switch off the heater of the water vessel once the water get
heated
to the set temperature.
9. Put the temperature sensors in the hot water
vessel.
10. Note down the readings of the output-indicating device for
each
temperature sensor and the thermometer.
11. Remove temperature sensorsand the thermometer from the hot water
vessel.
12. Repeat step 6 to 11 for different temperatures.
13. Plot curves between readings of the output-indicating device and
temperatures of the water for each temperature sensor and obtain the
best fitting straight line using the method of least square for each
temperature sensor.
14. Set cut-off temperature of the water vesselto a different value and
repeat step 7 to 11 for this value of the temperature.
15. Correspornding to readings of the output-indicating device for each
sensor (for temperature in step 14), find out the temperature of the

Ked.
 3/s
water from the calibration curves obtained in step 13 for different
sensors.
16. Find out the percentage error in the measurement of temperature
obtained in step 15 for each sensor w.r.t. the temperature recorded by
the thermometer in step 14.

OBSERVATIONS:
(A)
1. Least count of the thermometer =
2. Least count of the
output-indicating device
3. Leist count of the temperature controller =

(B) COservation Table:

Thermometer Output-Indicating device

Sr.
Reading
No. Thermocouple Thermistor RTD
Reading Reading Reading
T, °C
e3

(C)

(() Output corresponding to Thermocouple (step 14 to step 10) e =

(ii) Output corresponding to Thermistor (step 14 to step 10) e,
(ii) Output corresponding to RTD (step 14 to step 10) e; :
(iv) Thermometer reading (step 14 to step 10) T'=
CALCULATIONS:
For a given
set of data point (X1, y) (say ndata points), the equation of best
fitting line using method of least squares is given by the following
expression:
y= 4x +ao ...(1)
where,
Zyi Ex{-Zx xiyi ...(2)
nx{-(x)2
and

n xËyi-Xx|Eyi
...(3)
n2x-2x)2
The value of the temperature of the water from the calibration curve of one
of the temperature sensors i.e. from equation (1) is given by,

T* = e1-a0 ...
(4)

Thus, the percentage error in the measurement of temperature by that

sensor (referred in equation 4)
T*-T'
% Error=
T'
X 100 ...(5)

RESULTS:

The temperature of water found by each sensor and the percentage error
against the
present in the measurement of temperature by each sensor
thermometer reading T"are given below.

I. Thermocouple:
Temperature of water = % Error in temperature =

II. Thermistor:
Temperature of water = % Error in temperature =
 II, RTD:
Temperature of water = % Error in temperature =

PRECAUTIONS:
1.
There should not be any physical defect in the measuring instruments
and sensors.
2.
ruT sensors and thermometer in the water vessel after
switching off
the heater to avoid electric
shock.
3. In collection of data points for calibration,
temperature of the water
should be evenly distributed over its range.
4. Reçord readings at steady state temperature of the water.

SOURCES OF ERRORS:

Give a scientific justification of your result point wise. (Hint: Identify the
modifying and the interfering inputs that are sources of errors in the
results).

EXPERIMENT LEVEL OUTCOME:

After performing this experiment, students will be able to calibrate

temperature sensors for measurement of temperature of a system as per
the scientific standards: and to evaluate a best suited for the given system.