Thermocouples

How to measure temperature with a thermocouple?

To measure a thermocouple Seebeck voltage, you cannot simply connect the thermocouple to a voltmeter or other
measurement system because connecting the thermocouple wires to the measurement system creates additional
thermoelectric circuits.

Consider the circuit illustrated in the figure, in which a J-type thermocouple is in a candle flame that has a
temperature you want to measure. The two thermocouple wires are connected to the copper leads of a voltmeter.
Notice that the circuit contains three dissimilar metal junctions J1, J2 and J3. J1, the thermocouple junction,
generates a Seebeck voltage proportional to the temperature of the candle flame.
J2 and J3 each have their own Seebeck coefficient and generate their own thermoelectric voltage proportional to the
temperature at the data acquisition terminals. To determine the voltage contribution from J1, you need to know the
temperatures of junctions J2 and J3 as well as the voltage-to-temperature relationships for these junctions .
You can then subtract the contributions of the parasitic junctions at J2 and J3 from the measured voltage at junction
J1.
Thermocouples require some form of temperature reference to compensate for these unwanted parasitic "cold"
junctions. The most common method is to measure the temperature at the reference junction with a direct-reading
temperature sensor and subtract the parasitic junction voltage contributions. This process is called cold-junction
compensation. You can simplify computing cold-junction compensation by taking advantage of some thermocouple
characteristics.
By using the Thermocouple Law of Intermediate Metals and making some simple assumptions, you can see that the
voltage a data acquisition system measures depends only on the thermocouple type, the thermocouple voltage, and
the cold-junction temperature. The measured voltage is in fact independent of the composition of the
measurement leads and the cold junctions, J2 and J3.

What is the law of intermediate metals?

According to the Thermocouple Law of Intermediate Metals, illustrated in the figure, inserting any type of wire into a
thermocouple circuit has no effect on the output as long as both ends of that wire are the same temperature, or
isothermal

Consider the circuit in the next figure.

=

Both circuits are quite similar but a short length of constantan wire has been inserted just before junction J3 and the
junctions are assumed to be held at identical temperatures. Assuming that junctions J3 and J4 are the same
temperature, the Thermocouple Law of Intermediate Metals indicates that the circuit in the figure on left is electrically
equivalent to the circuit of the figure on right. Consequently, any result taken from the circuit in the figure on left also
applies to the circuit illustrated in the figure on right.

What is the typical internal construction of a thermocouple?

The leads of the thermocouple are encased in a rigid metal sheath. The measuring junction is normally
formed at the bottom of the thermocouple housing. Magnesium oxide surrounds the thermocouple
wires to prevent vibration that could damage the fine wires and to enhance heat transfer between the
measuring junction and the medium surrounding the thermocouple.

Beaded wire thermocouples

A beaded wire thermocouple is the simplest form of thermocouple. It consists of two pieces of thermocouple wire
joined together with a welded bead. Because the bead of the thermocouple is exposed, there are several application
limitations. The beaded wire thermocouple should not be used with liquids that could corrode or oxidize the

thermocouple alloy. Metal surfaces can also be problematic. Often metal surfaces, especially pipes are used to
ground electrical systems The indirect connection to an electrical system could impact the thermocouple
measurement. In general, beaded wire thermocouples are a good choice for the measurement of gas temperature.
Since they can be made very small, they also provide very fast response time.

Thermocouple probes
A thermocouple probe consists of thermocouple wire housed inside a metallic tube. The wall of the tube is referred to
as the sheath of the probe. Common sheath materials include stainless steel and Inconel. Inconel supports higher
temperature ranges than stainless steel, however, stainless steel is often preferred because of its broad chemical
compatibility. For very high temperatures, other exotic sheath materials are also available. View our line of high
temperature exotic thermocouple probes.
The tip of the thermocouple probe is available in three different styles. Grounded, ungrounded and exposed. With a
grounded tip the thermocouple is in contact with the sheath wall. A grounded junction provides a fast response time
but it is most susceptible to electrical ground loops. In ungrounded junctions, the thermocouple is separated from the
sheath wall by a layer of insulation. The tip of the thermocouple protrudes outside the sheath wall with an exposed
junction. Exposed junction thermocouples are best suited for air measurement.

Surface probes
Measuring the temperature of a solid surface is difficult for most types of temperature sensors. In order to assure an
accurate measurement, the entire measurement area of the sensor must be in contact with the surface. This is
difficult when working with a rigid sensor and a rigid surface. Since thermocouples are made of pliable metals, the
junction can be formed flat and thin to provide maximum contact with a rigid solid surface. These thermocouples are
an excellent choice for surface measurement.

What are the different types of thermocouples?

A thermocouple is available in different combinations of metals or calibrations. The four most common calibrations
are J, K, T and E. There are high temperature calibrations R, S, C and GB.
Each calibration has a different temperature range and environment, although the maximum temperature varies with
the diameter of the wire used in the thermocouple.
Although the thermocouple calibration dictates the temperature range, the maximum range is also limited by the
diameter of the thermocouple wire. That is, a very thin thermocouple may not reach the full temperature range.

What are the thermocouples wiring codes ?

Thermocouple wiring is color coded by thermocouple types. Different countries utilize different color coding. Jacket
coloring is sometimes a colored stripe instead of a solid color as shown. For the complete color table (including
American and Canada),click here.

How do I choose a thermocouple?

Because a thermocouple measures in wide temperature ranges and can be relatively rugged, thermocouples are
very often used in industry. The following criteria are used in selecting a thermocouple:
Temperature range
Chemical resistance of the thermocouple or sheath material

Abrasion and vibration resistance

Installation requirements (may need to be compatible with existing equipment; existing holes may determine probe
diameter)
We are making thermocouples from 30 years : contact us for further information.
What is the response time?