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Anonymous Poster #1

Temperature Question

09/01/2013 8:36 AM

Dear All

I have two temperature element in two different location inside the tank,

I need to calculate the temp Delta of the two element. The temp inside the tank is 45 Deg C.

Any help please.

Regards

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Guru

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#1

Re: temperature

09/01/2013 9:52 AM

delta means "change or difference", so you tell us? what are both readings, I'll give you the difference

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#2

Re: temperature

09/01/2013 9:58 AM

Depends on what the sensors are and what you want to do with Delta T.

1) If the sensors are thermometers, buy a clipboard and a calculator, create and print a form in Excel, give clipboard, form and calculator to the guy newly tasked and let him fill in blanks with temp readings and calculate the difference and fill in the blanks on the form.

2) If both sensors are the same type thermocouple, wire in them series, back-to-back, that is both negatives connected together leaving both positive wires, take those into any T/C input. It is important to turn off the cold junction compensation, the only case in thermocouple thermometry that does not require cold junction compensation.

When the tank temperatures are the same, the output will be zero volts which is zero degrees for any Type T-C. age will be zero. Any temperature difference is a generated millivoltage. The polarity will tell you which point is warmer.

This works only for thermocouples, not for RTDs.

3) run both sensors into a device like Honeywell Trendview paperless recorder, which converts to temperature and can subtract Input 1 - Input 2 for a Delta T.

4) Use a high end temperature transmitter, Rosemount 3144P or Siemens TH300 which can take two T/C's or RTD's and calculate delta T. 4-20mA signal is the difference signal.

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#3

Re: Temperature Question

09/02/2013 4:04 AM

The need is bizarre, and possibly unique.

  • Please explain what is to happen with this information.
  • Please explain what is to happen were the temperatures at the two locations to be the same and the readings taken to be different.
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Guru

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#4

Re: Temperature Question

09/08/2013 1:31 PM
  1. You could use two platinum 100 ohm resistance temperature detectors [RTD] in a bridge arrangement with two fixed resistors. With suitable fixed resistors (117.5 ohm approx) the bridge output would be zero at 45 Celsius, but the signal amplitude double.
  2. Note that the error of a class 'B' RTD is about +/- 0.5 degrees (half that for class A), so your differential error would be +/- 1 degree without balancing the bridge at 45 degrees on both RTD. The error of thermocouples is about +/- 3 degrees, again without zeroing the indication with both TC at 45 degrees. It depends how accurate you need to be!
  3. You have not indicated the temperature difference between the two sensors.
  4. At 45 degrees you could use transistors as sensors (with base shorted to collector) in a bridge. The differential sensitivity is about 2 mV per degree with 1 milliamp emitter-collector current. I believe Δt of 0.01 degrees can be measured with that technique (compare sensitivity about 40 microvolts per degree for TC and 0.4 mV/degree for RTD).
  5. Transistors are cheap compared to the usual sensors, but you would have to calibrate a sensor pair individually around 45 degrees and design a mounting and lead-out.
  6. There are some integrated circuits which give a current or voltage output proportional to temperature, but again these would need a mounting and some calibration/balancing at about 45 degrees.
  7. Except possibly for technique 6., you will need a good high gain amplifier to get a useable readout.

If you want a diagram, I could do one for your preferred technique.

67model

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#5

Re: Temperature Question

12/12/2013 4:31 PM

What type of temperature element do You have?

As pointed out already by others, You can have analog circuit, giving voltage proportional to temperature difference. And You can see it directly on analog or digital indicator. Properly made analog part should allow reading to 0.2deg +-1% of temperature difference.

You want to see it or to log it?

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