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Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 3

Temperature Measurement Circuits in Power Systems

01/28/2009 1:25 AM

Hello all,

I have a problem. I want prepare a simple temperature measurement circuit with NTC, but this circuit must be noise robust. The application is in power systems - in power cabinets, working with KAmps in pulse mode - so the systems are really noisy. I'm not sure the idea with NTC is the best yet. I prepare one solution with reference integrated circuit like current sourse, similar circuit with op amp and finaliy- voltage to frequency converter with astable multivibrator but without success! Every of these circuits was unstable against noise.

If somebody have expirience - please help me!

Many thanks in advanced!

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#1

Re: Temperature Measurement Circuits in Power Systems

01/28/2009 8:29 AM

Try googling IR, non-contact, current loop output. NTC's are good devices, but by nature have a source resistance that does not tolerate noisy environments well. On the other hand, a little signal conditioning to filter noise frequencies and a semi-smart (e.g. signal averaging) instrument can be made to work.

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#2

Re: Temperature Measurement Circuits in Power Systems

01/28/2009 10:54 PM

a simple way but not very precise is using a transistor as a simple temperature sensor.

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#3

Re: Temperature Measurement Circuits in Power Systems

01/29/2009 9:05 AM

Adding to bills advice, make sure that the wires from the NTC are twisted tight and even better with a screen as well. Choose the lowest ohmic value of NTC that you can find.

Regards

Chas

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#4

Re: Temperature Measurement Circuits in Power Systems

01/29/2009 10:03 AM

May I suggest the use of a bridge circuit, with the NTC as one leg, the other three legs of fixed resistance values equal to the nominal NTC value at the nominal temperature you want to measure at. A bridge allows a differential output, fed into an appropriate instrumentation type op-amp will give you the best noise rejection at the amplifier. Use the lowest value of NTC that gives you the needed resolution of signal. As suggested, use twisted, shielded (use an active guard drive to the shield, don't ground it) cable to connect it to the input circuitry as it sounds like the cabling must run some distance. Pay attention to power supply decoupling of your instrumentation amp and install it inside a well grounded case. You may also have to keep any power supplies powering this amplifier at a distance to prevent additional power line/supply coupling into the amplifier, decouple the power supply bus at the amplifier as well and shield the power cable and ground it.

Make sure the voltage or current source feeding the bridge is also well decoupled at the bridge. I would recommend a voltage source as it should have a lower output impedance than with a current source. It is always easier to prevent noise getting into the system rather than removing it from the system later. The instrumentation output can be further filtered if necessary to average out the signal even more if necessary. This can be tailored to the system's response time to temperature changes.

Noisy environments are always a challenge to work in, you may find that additional steps may be needed to prevent noise in your signal. It is difficult to say just what you will run into given the minimal information, it is difficult for you to even tell us precisely what you have to begin with.

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#5
In reply to #4

Re: Temperature Measurement Circuits in Power Systems

01/30/2009 1:29 AM

Thanks a lot of everybody, I respect every Your answer! It seems the circuit with LM331, which I used, have some additional noise in the power supply because of EMI, so I must work there for eventual good filtering and shielding. I use only good twisted cables to prevent any parasitic noise, but still have some excitation. The circuit with astable multivibrator is more successful. I will try the idea with bridge circuit too!

Best regards to everybody!

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