CH2007D (Process Instrumentation)

SEMINAR
PRESENTATION
EXPANSION
THERMOMETERs
GROUP-4 :
Amal AP Aman Raj Singhania
(B190174CH) (B190709CH)
Amalladinne Prathibha
(B191189CH)
Amit Jacob K Anandapadmanabhan G
(B191016CH) (B190266CH)
 BIMETALLIC
THERMOMETER
- It is the expansion thermometer which is based on thermal expansion of solid.
- It consists of a bimetallic strip of two strips of different metals with different coefficient of
thermal expansions (α), welded together.
PRINCIPLES
1. A metal tends to undergo expansion / contraction, according to the change in
temperature.
2. Different metals have different coefficient of thermal expansion (α) & the rate of
volumetric change depends on this.
CONSTRUCTION
- The bimetallic strip is wounded in helix form, with one end welded with the outer casing &
the other connected to the pointer stem.
- For low expansion metal, nickel-iron alloys (mainly Invar) are used & for high expansion
metal, brass (low temp) / nickel alloys (high temp) are used.
- A pointer is attached to the upper end of the stem & sweeps over a circular dial to
indicate the temperature.
WORKING
- A change in temperature causes the free end of the strip to
expand/contract due to the different coefficients of thermal
expansion (α) of the two metals & this deflection is indicated
by the pointer-scale mechanism.
- The range of deflection of the strip depends on the type of
the metal used for construction.
- The deflection is proportional to the square of the length of the metal strip, total change in
temperature & is inversely proportional to thickness of metal.

ADVANTAGES
- Good accuracy, low cost, tough, easy to install, no power needed, can be used for -75° to 540°C.
DISADVANTAGES
- Permanent deformation of strip due to regular use, not for above 400°C, less sensitive & accurate
at low temperatures.
 LIQUID-IN-GLASS
THERMOMETER
- It is one of the simplest thermometer & is an expansion thermometer based on thermal
expansion of liquid.
- Two types : Mercury thermometer & Alcohol thermometer.
PRINCIPLE
- Thermal expansion of the liquid filled corresponds to change in liquid level which
corresponds to a specific temperature.
CONSTRUCTION
- A thick-wall glass capillary tube (stem), containing a bore (narrow tube) in the middle which
is connected to a glass bulb at its lower end.
- The bulb & the narrow tube partially filled with mercury/alcohol & the rest portion at
vacuum or filled with nitrogen.
WORKING
- When the bulb comes in contact with a heated body, the heat gets transferred to the
mercury/alcohol inside it, leading to expansion of the liquid.
- This expansion causes the mercury/alcohol level in the tube to rise & the level height is
measured with the help of scale calibrated on the outer glass tube.
ADVANTAGES
- Low cost, simple to use, no power needed, good repeatability.
DISADVANTAGES
- Not for extreme high/low temperatures, weak & delicate, no digital/automatic reading.
 LIQUID-IN-METAL
THERMOMETER
- It is also an expansion thermometer based on thermal expansion of liquid.
- It works on exactly the same principle as liquid-in-glass thermometer (the glass bulb
replaced by a steel bulb & glass capillary tube replaced by stainless steel tube.
PRINCIPLE
- Thermal expansion of the liquid filled corresponds to change in liquid level which
corresponds to a specific temperature.
CONSTRUCTION
- It has a steel bulb, which is connected to a bourdon tube through a fine bore capillary
tube & these all are filled with mercury.
- One end of the bourdon tube is fixed & the other one attached to a pointer.
WORKING
- The rise in temperature causes expansion of mercury, due to which some mercury is
driven through the capillary tube into the bourdon tube.
- As temperature continues to rise, more mercury is driven & that leads to bending of the
bourdon tube.
- This bending is indicated by the pointer-scale mechanism.
 GAS
THERMOMETER
- It is an expansion thermometer based on thermal expansion of gas.
PRINCIPLE
- Based on ideal gas law, that if the volume of the gas is maintained constant,
pressure of the gas is proportional to temperature & the pressure indicated by the
bourdon tube is calibrated to temperature.
CONSTRUCTION
- It has a C-shaped bent tube (bourdon tube) in which an inert gas such as nitrogen,
helium or argon is filled under high pressure.
- The bourdon tube is connected to a bulb as the actual measuring probe.
- The entire system is sealed gas-tight on all sides.
WORKING
- When the bulb is heated, the gas inside it gets heated.
- Due to this, the pressure of the gas increases because the gas cannot expand.
- The bourdon tube bends like a spring due to increasing pressure & this elastic
deformation serves as a measure of the temperature and can be read off a calibrated
scale.