Three Simple Questions for Choosing Thermocouples or RTDs

What's the best choice for your industrial temperature sensing requirement, a thermocouple or RTD? In industrial installations, both types of sensor can be specified with similar mounting accessories, dimensional specifications, and instrument interfaces. However, there are three criteria you need to consider before choosing between an RTD or thermocouple probe.

First, what is the temperature range you are trying to monitor?

Generally, if the temperature exceeds five hundred degrees Celsius (500 deg C), thermocouples are for you. RTD's are best between -200 and 500 °C, while thermocouples have a range of -180 to 2,320 °C. For anything above 500 Celsius, you should select the appropriate thermocouple calibration for the sensing range you're working in.

Second, what type of sensor accuracy do you need? 

RTDs are more accurate temperature sensors, offer highly repeatable readings, drift less over time, and are suitable for high precision requirements. Thermocouples are generally less accurate and are subject to drift. Typical thermocouple accuracy is 2 deg. C.

Third, how about the budget you're working under? 

Thermocouples can be up to three times less expensive than RTD probes, making thermocouples a good choice if high accuracy and repeatability are not critical. One caveat though. Make sure you consider any additional cost incurred with long runs of thermocouple extension wire. For installations requiring dozens or even hundreds of temperature sensors, the significant difference in basic sensor cost is an important consideration.

These three criteria are VERY basic, and intended just to point you in the right direction. There are many other differences between thermocouples and RTDs that need to be understood before application.  Consult a temperature sensor expert prior to installing or specifying a thermocouple or RTD wherever or whenever failure can cause harm.

What Kind of Thermocouple Should I Use?

What kind of thermocouple should I use? Depends on several variables related to the system to be tracked, such as its media / process environment compatibility, the frequency and precision of the necessary measurements, and the regulatory climate in your sector.

Temperature measurement in many industries, from refining to pharmaceuticals to aerospace, is a key parameter in manufacturing and processing operations. Precise temperature monitoring helps to ensure safe, efficient and optimal results.

A thermocouple is invariably the measuring tool of choice for applications above 1400° F, but the selection of the ideal industrial thermocouple also requires knowledge of the process where the device will be used.

INTERFACE WITH PROCESS

First, consider whether the thermocouple is itself in direct contact with the process media or whether it is incorporated into a thermocouple assembly that includes a thermowell. Thermowells are metal, glass, or ceramic tubes that protect the thermocouple against corrosive, fast-flowing or highly hot process media. About 75% of heavy industry thermocouples use thermowell assemblies; these industries include refining, petrochemical, the pulp and paper industry, and power generation.

JUNCTION

The thermocouple junction design depends on the applications requirements for response speed and the likelihood of electrical noise being conducted through the process. A thermocouple has three variations of sensing tip (or junction): Exposed junction, where the exposed wire tips and welded bead have no covering or protection; Grounded junction, where the welded bead is in physical contact with the thermocouple's sheath; Ungrounded junction, where the tip is inside the thermocouple sheath, but is electrical (and somewhat thermally) insulated from the sheath (no sheath contact).

MATERIAL SELECTION

Material selection is the second criteria to choose. A vast majority of industrial thermocouples are made from stainless steel, but specialized alloys such as Inconel 600, Hastelloy X, Monel,  and other unique metals are required in certain applications.

MOUNTING

Next, you have to consider the mounting arrangement. You need to determine whether a more traditional industrial thermocouple/well/head design is required, or if some sort of flexible or remote thermocouple sensor is required for use in a hard to access area.

TYPE

Last, you have to decide the "type" of industrial thermocouple you need. In the case of thermocouples, "type" refers to the composition of metal wires in the instrument whose physical properties respond to changes in temperature. Different metal compositions have different temperature ranges and other properties that make them suitable for use in special applications, or inappropriate for use.

• Type J thermocouples use iron for the positive leg and copper-nickel (constantin) alloys for the negative leg. They may be used unprotected where there is an oxygen-deficient atmosphere, but a thermowell is recommended for cleanliness and generally longer life. Because the iron (positive leg) wire oxidizes rapidly at temperatures over 1000 deg.F, manufacturers recommend using larger gauge wires to extend the life of the thermocouple when temperatures approach the maximum operating temperature.
• Type K thermocouples use chromium-nickel alloys for the positive leg and copper alloys for the negative leg. They are reliable and relatively accurate over a wide temperature range. It is a good practice to protect Type K thermocouples with a suitable ceramic tube, especially in reducing atmospheres. In oxidizing atmospheres, such as electric arc furnaces, tube protection may not be necessary as long as other conditions are suitable; however, manufacturers still recommend protection for cleanliness and prevention of mechanical damage. Type K thermocouples generally outlast Type J, because the iron wire in a Type J thermocouple oxidizes rapidly at higher temperatures.
• Type N thermocouples use nickel alloys for both the positive and negative legs to achieve operation at higher temperatures, especially where sulfur compounds are present. They provide better resistance to oxidation, leading to longer service life overall.
• Type T thermocouples use copper for the positive leg and copper-nickel alloys for the negative leg. They can be used in either oxidizing or reducing atmospheres, but, again, manufacturers recommend the use of thermowells. These are good stable thermocouples for lower temperatures.
• Types S, R, and B thermocouples use noble metals for the leg wires and are able to perform at higher temperatures than the common Types J and K. They are, however, easily contaminated, and reducing atmospheres are particularly detrimental to their accuracy. Manufacturers of such thermocouples recommend gas-tight ceramic tubes, secondary porcelain protective tubes, and a silicon carbide or metal outer protective tube depending on service locations.

For more information about industrial thermocouples, contact Duro-Sense Corporation. Call them at 310-533-6877 or visit their web site at https://duro-sense.com.

Duro-Sense Corporation: Celebrating Our 40th Year in Business

Duro-Sense designs and manufactures temperature sensors and assemblies used in power generation, plastics production, semiconductor processing, environmental control, packaging, aerospace, medical equipment, foodservice equipment and a myriad of other industries. Duro-Sense partners with customers to optimize their temperature sensing processes, thereby assisting in improving their customers efficiency and profitability.

Since 1979, Duro-Sense has grown exponentially in product capability and market experience. The company today continues to succeed by operating under a simple core value – providing customers with superior products, meticulously engineered for their individual requirements.

Duro-Sense: A Long History of Solving Tough Temperature Sensing Problems

With engineering, design, and support resources available at their headquarters in Southern California, Duro-Sense delivers value-added temperature sensing solutions that improve operations and increase profitability for customers in the power generation, alternative energy, plastics, medical, gas & oil, chemical, refining, mining, agricultural, food service, pharmaceutical, and aerospace industries.

Duro-Sense offers their customers products and services designed to provide outstanding value and cost savings throughout the customer's equipment life span. By integrating the highest quality standards, state-of-the-art machinery, and decades of application experience, Duro-Sense assists customers through:

• Improved product quality
• Optimize asset uptime and performance 
• Lower total cost of operation and maintenance
• Increase equipment reliability
• Improve plant and personnel safety

ENGINEERING AND TECHNICAL SERVICES

Technical Analysis — Duro-Sense can identify temperature sensor operational issues that may be constraining output or elevating operating costs, and then recommend laser-focused solutions.

Reliability and Efficiency Services — Duro-Sense lends their decades of hands-on experience to offer practical temperature sensing solutions that improve the performance, efficiency, and reliability of your process control equipment - all while lowering your total cost of ownership.

Loop Design, Integration and Engineering Support — Duro-Sense engineers engage with their customers, providing support for grassroots project planning, system design, or project management requirements.

Equipment Life Cycle Optimization — Through a combination of assessments and technology, Duro-Sense experts help customers benchmark operational performance, define key metrics, and implement precise sensor solutions to achieve long-term operational goals.

Intelligent Product Design — By employing an array of sophisticated products, services, and software that collects, examines and understands data, Duro-Sense helps customers use predictive analytics to take action and improve asset reliability and reduce downtime.

Have a challenging temperature sensing requirement? Call Duro-Sense.

Duro-Sense Corporation
310-533-6877

https://duro-sense.com

Happy Independence Day from Duro-Sense Corporation

US Power Grids, Oil and Gas Industries, and Risk of Hacking

A report released in June, from the security firm Dragos, describes a worrisome development by a hacker group named, “Xenotime” and at least two dangerous oil and gas intrusions and ongoing reconnaissance on United States power grids.

Multiple ICS (Industrial Control Sectors) sectors now face the XENOTIME threat; this means individual verticals – such as oil and gas, manufacturing, or electric – cannot ignore threats to other ICS entities because they are not specifically targeted.

The Dragos researchers have termed this threat proliferation as the world’s most dangerous cyberthreat since an event in 2017 where Xenotime had caused a serious operational outage at a crucial site in the Middle East.

The fact that concerns cybersecurity experts the most is that this hacking attack was a malware that chose to target the facility safety processes (SIS – safety instrumentation system).

For example, when temperatures in a reactor increase to an unsafe level, an SIS will automatically start a cooling process or immediately close a valve to prevent a safety accident. The SIS safety stems are both hardware and software that combine to protect facilities from life threatening accidents.

At this point, no one is sure who is behind Xenotime. Russia has been connected to one of the critical infrastructure attacks in the Ukraine.  That attack was viewed to be the first hacker related power grid outage.

This is a “Cause for Concern” post that was published by Dragos on June 14, 2019.

“While none of the electric utility targeting events has resulted in a known, successful intrusion into victim organizations to date, the persistent attempts, and expansion in scope is cause for definite concern. XENOTIME has successfully compromised several oil and gas environments which demonstrates its ability to do so in other verticals. Specifically, XENOTIME remains one of only four threats (along with ELECTRUM, Sandworm, and the entities responsible for Stuxnet) to execute a deliberate disruptive or destructive attack.

XENOTIME is the only known entity to specifically target safety instrumented systems (SIS) for disruptive or destructive purposes. Electric utility environments are significantly different from oil and gas operations in several aspects, but electric operations still have safety and protection equipment that could be targeted with similar tradecraft. XENOTIME expressing consistent, direct interest in electric utility operations is a cause for deep concern given this adversary’s willingness to compromise process safety – and thus integrity – to fulfill its mission.

XENOTIME’s expansion to another industry vertical is emblematic of an increasingly hostile industrial threat landscape. Most observed XENOTIME activity focuses on initial information gathering and access operations necessary for follow-on ICS intrusion operations. As seen in long-running state-sponsored intrusions into US, UK, and other electric infrastructure, entities are increasingly interested in the fundamentals of ICS operations and displaying all the hallmarks associated with information and access acquisition necessary to conduct future attacks. While Dragos sees no evidence at this time indicating that XENOTIME (or any other activity group, such as ELECTRUM or ALLANITE) is capable of executing a prolonged disruptive or destructive event on electric utility operations, observed activity strongly signals adversary interest in meeting the prerequisites for doing so.”

Thermocouple Extension Wire

Thermocouple extension wire is a single pair wire that cannot be made into a thermocouple, but is used to carry the signal from a thermocouple to the recorder, controller, or instrument reading the signal.

Extension grade wire is used to carry a signal representing the higher temperature seen by the sensing location, but extension wire itself cannot be generally exposed to those higher temperatures.

Extension wire cannot be used to make a thermocouple, but thermocouple wire can be used as extension wire. Insulation is typically PVC, but other option are available.

Multi-pair extension wire is simply more than a single pair in the same jacket.  It is extension onlyand is usually available in 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, and 24 pairs. It is used primarily when a contractor has to run multiple runs of wire. It allows them to run one piece of wire rather than multiple individual runs.

For more information on all varieties of thermocouple wire, contact Duro-Sense by calling 310-533-6877 or visiting https://duro-sense.com.