We all measure temperature in some or another way, just about every day. The temperature gauge on our car, dryer’s temperature, or how hot the water is coming out of the tap. Most of these measurements are done with a product used heavily in the industry because of thier durability. Thermocouples are temperature detectors made from two metal alloys. To form a junction, conduct two metals together to generate a voltage when temperature differs between them. It is known as the Seebeck effect.
Thermocouple Applications
A discussion on applications of thermocouples has been going on for some time now. The applications of the thermocouple are indeed innumerable. The question is whether it is value spending time in one. The answer is definitely, yes.
Applications of thermocouples are many. First, it is necessary to realize that a thermocouple is a device based on a principle of thermodynamics that has a profound effect on all the devices that use it. Hence, the thermocouple will only function at high temperatures. Therefore, a device that uses a thermocouple is bound to show less or almost zero errors in the measurements at high temperatures. In other words, the thermocouple is not only useful for temperature monitoring, but it is also helpful for testing the stability of mechanical systems and for testing the performance of electrical motors.
Further, if we look into the definition of a thermocouple, it is evident that it has several advantages over other standard devices such as transducers. Transducers rely on an external reference to achieve the measurement, whereas a thermocouple has no such requirement. It can measure temperatures at high temperatures with high-frequency precision. Also, a thermocouple can use a non-contact technique for its operation, which is quite different from the methods used by resistive or conductive sensors for high-temperature range applications. All these features make thermocouples a preferred device in high-temperature range applications.
Thermocouples application in food processing
The food industry temperature sensor plays a crucial role in providing consistent readings for precise cooking, heading or frying, and ensuring food is properly cooked. Primarily in various commercial restaurant applications uses food industry thermocouples. The most common use of thermocouples in the food industry is cooking equipment. We can find thermocouples in large food cooking systems used for mass production to small, low-volume, and restaurant-grade appliances. Typical cooking equipment uses for temperature sensing probes include; ovens, toasters, heaters, fryers, and grills.
Thermocouples application in plastic processing Industry
The uses of thermocouples in plastic industries can be divided into two categories. The first category is that of measurement, where the thermocouple is used to determine the heat-transfer functions of plastics based on their cross-section. The thermocouple’s job is to determine the dissimilarity of the applied force for its orientation and velocity. The other uses of thermocouples in plastic industries are related to the designing of products. The second category of uses of thermocouples in plastic industries is that of engineering and product designing. A thermocouple is used in product engineering to calculate the changes in temperature of various materials during the product’s life. It allows engineers to choose the right kind of thermocouple that best suits the material they want to use in their products. They can also use these thermocouples to test the performance of their design and make any necessary changes before going on with production.
