Noble Metal Thermocouples

Two categories of thermocouples are base metal and noble metal. Base metal thermocouples are types E, J, K, T, and N and use inexpensive metals such as nickel, copper, and iron. Noble metal thermocouples B, R, and S are platinum-based, tolerate higher temperatures, and provide greater accuracy than base metal thermocouples. 

A typical application for noble metal thermocouples would include jet engines, rocket engines, turbines, exhaust gas sensing, glass manufacturing, heat treating, laboratory research, nuclear environments, power stations, and vacuum furnaces.

Noble metal thermocouples have widespread applications involving high temperatures in oxidizing or inert environments but require a ceramic protective tube. These sensors are often brittle, and their use in reducing atmospheres or metallic vapor-containing environments is inadvisable. 

Insulators and protective tubes come in a variety of materials and forms. Typically, Alumina and Mullite. Mullite has excellent thermal shock immunity but low mechanical shock resistance. Alumina has good thermal and mechanical shock resistance and is resistant to gases up to 3,200°F.

In the harshest and most demanding conditions, noble metal thermocouples selection criteria include the temperature operating range, ambient atmospheric or media, the size and form, precision, and response time. For more information, or for assistance selecting the right noble metal thermocouple, contact:

Duro-Sense Corporation
310-533-6877
https://duro-sense.com

Custom Temperature Sensor Manufacturing

Build-to-order components, one-offs, short production runs, and customization are all examples of the types of temperature sensor production that fall under the umbrella of "custom temperature sensor production." Additionally, This term refers to the design, engineering, and manufacturing process based on the specific requirements of a customer. It is pointless to have a concept for a product if you cannot manufacture it. To produce your product effectively, you need to have a solid grasp of the design, the materials, the application, and the budget. 

On the other hand, there are a lot of unknowns, which may both push up costs and cause confusion. There is often a knowledge gap between the design and engineering, the materials and applications, and the manufacturing and installation phases of a project. We can add a knowledge layer that fills in these essential gaps because of the unique combination of design, application engineering, product experience, and collaboration that we bring to the table at Duro-Sense. We can get more value to any project by making it more straightforward for engineers, designers, manufacturers, and customers to interact with one another and collaborate on accomplishing project goals. Call Duro-Sense with your next custom temperature sensor application.

Duro-Sense 100 OHM Platinum RTD Temperature Sensors

RTDs (Resistance Temperature Detectors) are temperature detecting devices that vary their resistance value when surrounding temperature changes. RTD sensing elements use well-known materials that change resistance in a predictable and repeatable manner. Their popularity and general use are outcomes of the RTD's predictability and stability. 

The most common type and material of RTD is the 100-ohm platinum sensor. Its use is ubiquitous in the laboratory and industrial process applications going back many decades. The precision, reproducibility, and stability of 100-ohm platinum RTDs (PT100) are well known. 

For the most part, resistance temperature detectors (RTDs) fall into two main categories. Thin-film elements are one form of RTD, and wire-wound elements are the other. Each type provides advantages in certain situations and purposes. The more common design, wire-wound, is a length of tightly coiled wire wrapped around a ceramic or glass bobbin. Because the wire and wrapping are delicate, it is usually enclosed in an encased metallic tube to protect them from stress and vibration. 

The 100-ohm platinum RTD provides accurate temperature readings with excellent stability and repeatability. They are also very resistant to electrical noise, making them ideal for temperature monitoring in industrial facilities near motors, generators, and high voltage equipment. 

The American and European (known as the DIN or IEC standard) 100-ohm platinum RTD standards are the same, with the IEC standard considered the default for PT100. According to the IEC751 standard, the RTD must have:

•  The electrical resistance of 100.00 O at 0°C 
• A TCR (temperature coefficient of resistance) of 0.00385 O/O/°C between 0 and 100°C. 

Because resistance is used to measure temperature in 100-ohm platinum RTDs, the lead wires, connections, and measurement devices contribute extra resistance, requiring external compensation to offset the error. A solution is found by inserting a third or fourth lead wire inversely proportional to the external resistances.

Duro-Sense Corporation
310-533-6877
https://duro-sense.com

Precision Temperature Sensors for the Aerospace, Satellite Communications, and Space Industries

Duro-Sense Corporation
310-533-6877
https://duro-sense.com

Thermocouples Used in The Plastics Molding and Forming Industry

The term "plastics thermocouple" refers to a thermocouple used in the plastics, packaging, and rubber industries. Plastic thermocouple installations include injection molding, thermoforming, vacuum forming, and extruding machines to precisely measure the temperature of the plastic molds and nozzles. While plastic thermocouples come in various configurations such as bayonet, washer style, shim style, nozzle, and right angle, their essential components remain the same. 

Plastic thermocouples are typically calibrated to ANSI types J or K. Thermocouples lead wire comes in a variety of insulation and protection options, including high-temperature fiberglass, PVC, stainless steel braided fiberglass, and stainless steel flexible armor cable. Bare leads, male thermocouple jacks, female thermocouple plugs, or spade lugs are the most common electrical connections. 

Bayonet designs are straight or right-angle configurations, with industry-standard bayonet fittings easily retrofitted to most injection molding and plastics processing equipment. These fittings have adjustable depth and are spring-loaded to contact the media. The thermocouple sensing junction is welded or crimped directly to the washer or shim in washer and shim thermocouples. 

Bayonet thermocouples have a tube and wire design with stranded thermocouple cable running the length of the probe, and a metallic sensor is a stainless steel from the 301, 304, or 316 series. The thermocouple has either a grounded or an ungrounded junction. While the probe has a speedy response, a grounded T/C junction welded to the probe's tip can conduct electrical noise back to the instrumentation. An ungrounded junction is isolated from the metallic sensor and prevents the transmission of electrical noise. On the other hand, Ungrounded T/C junctions are slightly slower to respond to temperature changes.

Engine, Turbine and Compressor Thermocouples

A lot of electricity is needed to run complicated equipment on offshore oil and gas installations. Some of the things that need power in the drilling and processing area are pumps, valve operators, critical communications, turntables, engines, safety devices, and more. Like that used by a small town, much electricity gets consumed. Heating, air conditioning, water desalination, food storage, and even trash processing all use electricity from electric generators that run on gas or electricity. 

The conditions on offshore sites can be challenging. Equipment and parts must be robust to work correctly and cut down on regular maintenance. 

Temperature is one of the most critical measuring factors in a compressor, and its accuracy directly impacts compressor efficiency. According to the findings, temperature calculation errors account for more than 80% of efficiency errors. More information about compressor temperature measurement, as well as improved temperature measurement methods, are needed. Thermocouples measure the temperature of the interstage gas compressor and the temperature of the exit gas. 

In these cases, a unique temperature sensor called an "engine-compressor thermocouple" is used to measure temperature. These are temperature sensors that can tell you about many things, like how hot the exhaust gases are and how hot the lubricant is. Such sensors have been used for a long time and built to withstand the extreme mechanical and climatic conditions found in offshore maritime environments. If the thermocouple has exposure to a lot of vibration and chemicals, it needs to be durable and accurate at the same time. 

Engine-compressor thermocouples give oil and gas platform workers precise measurements, high precision, and quick responses to changes in the engine's temperature and compressor. As a bonus, engine-compressor thermocouples are easily calibrated, removed, and replaced if needed.

Duro-Sense Corporation
310-533-6877
https://duro-sense.com

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