The Various Thermocouple Types That You Should Know

By Gwen Lowe


Thermocouples are temperature measuring devices that are used in industries to make sure that the temperature ranges are desirable and to avert dangers of overheating in gas powered machines, in the work place. They are made of two types of conductors that are joined in one spot or more, and they are able to convert heat energy into voltage. There are very many thermocouple types and each has its own temperature range that it measures.

These devices change temperature gradients into electricity energy. They are self-powered and do not have to be fixed to any energy source. Thermocouples are not costly, but you can be assured that they measure a large range of heat levels by just fixing them with some ordinary connectors. Therefore, they are simple but very vital instruments when it comes to temperature managing and regulation.

There are several kinds of these devices, and they are widely used for their ability to control temperatures. At home and offices, these devices will be used to sense flames in gas powered appliances and also to control the amount of heat being emitted to make sure they do not explode. They are also used in gas turbines and diesel powered engines to sense temperature changes.

The common type in the city is the one made using conductors of nickel and various alloys like those of iron and some less reactive metals. These devices also use Alumel, Copper, Constantan and Chromel alloys. They usually make thermocouples such as type J, E, M, K, N and T. There are others that have Curie point, and others do not, making your selection easier.

For measuring high temperature, the rhodium and platinum alloy thermocouples types are most suitable. Since they are less sensitive, it is not advisable to use them when you want to measure low temperatures. This is why they are mostly used in big industries. They are known to be stable, but they are very costly. They come in three kinds which are S, R, and B.

There are specific devices designed for measuring very high hotness. These are the Tungsten and Rhenium alloy facilities. They are appropriate for hydrogen or inert gases productions where extremely high temperatures are experienced. They also measure the hotness in vacuum furnaces. They are not supposed to be used in environments where corrosion occurs. Their types are G, D and C.

Chrome, gold or iron thermocouples, are also another very common type of these devices. The negative wire of the device is made of gold with a small amount of iron combined. The impurity of the gold wire will give the device very high sensitivity to low temperatures, so they are more accurate for small settings.

There are other kinds of thermocouples include the molybdenum /platinum alloy and model P alloys which are made using noble metals alone. The Rhodium and Iridium thermocouples are among the highly reliable facilities. Despite the many types of equipment in the stores, you are required to choose one that will sufficiently meet your needs.




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