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19 views

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charan7013817
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E-T diagram and thermoelectric plots

The plot of thermoemf as a function of temperature of the hot junction with cold junction held at
a constant temperature (say 0 °C) is an experimental curve. It has parabolic nature. Initially, the
thermo emf increases parabolically with an increase in the hot junction temperature. It attains the
maximum value at certain temperature called neutral temperature (Tn) and then decreases
parabolically until inversion temperature (Ti) at which the emf becomes zero. Beyond inversion
temperature, the emf sign gets reversed. The parabolic nature of the curve was explained
considering Prof. Tait’s thermoelectric power plot which shows the variation of thermoelectric
power for individual metal with variation of temperature.
Thermoelectric power is same as the Seebeck coefficient which can be calculated from the
Thomson coefficients. Tait proposed linear temperature dependence of the Seebeck coefficients.
𝛼 =𝑚 𝑇+𝑘 𝛼 =𝑚 𝑇+𝑘
Hence the emf is given by;

𝐸= 𝛼 𝑑𝑇 = (𝛼 − 𝛼 ) 𝑑𝑇 = {(𝑚 − 𝑚 )𝑇 + (𝑘 − 𝑘 )} 𝑑𝑇

1
⇒ 𝐸 = (𝑚 − 𝑚 )(𝑇 − 𝑇 ) + (𝑘 − 𝑘 )(𝑇 − 𝑇 )
2
1
= (𝑇 − 𝑇 ){(𝑚 − 𝑚 )(𝑇 + 𝑇 ) + (𝑘 − 𝑘 )}
2
Thermoemf vanishes nontrivially if the average temperature of the thermocouple is;
1 (𝑘 − 𝑘 )
(𝑇 + 𝑇 ) =
2 (𝑚 − 𝑚 )
When the thermo emf will be maximum? We know, T1 is constant and T2 is varied. Hence,
maximum thermo emf is given by;
𝜕𝐸
=0
𝜕𝑇
(𝑘 − 𝑘 )
⇒ (𝑚 − 𝑚 )𝑇 = (𝑘 − 𝑘 ), ⇒ 𝑇 = 𝑇 =
(𝑚 − 𝑚 )
The temperature of the hot junction at which the thermoemf becomes maximum is known as the
neutral temperature, provided the cold junction is held at 273 𝐾. If the cold junction temperature
is 273 K, then the emf vanishes under the following condition.
1 (𝑘 − 𝑘 )
(273 + 𝑇 ) =
2 (𝑚 − 𝑚 )
(𝑘 − 𝑘 )
⇒𝑇 =2 − 273 = 2𝑇 − 273
(𝑚 − 𝑚 )

1
Hence, inversion temperature is given by;
𝑇 = 2𝑇 − 𝑇
In the thermoelectric plot, the thermoemf for junction temperatures T1 and T2 is given by;
𝐸 (𝑇 , 𝑇 ) = 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎 (𝐶 𝐶 𝐶 𝐶 )
If the hot junction temperature is Tn, thermoemf is given by;
𝐸 (𝑇 , 𝑇 ) = 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎(𝐶 𝐶 𝐶 )
Suppose the hot junction is raised to a temperature T3 that is greater than Tn. Then, the thermoemf
is given by;
𝐸(𝑇 , 𝑇 ) = 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎(𝐶 𝐶 𝐶 ) − 𝐴𝑟𝑒𝑎(𝐶 𝐶 𝐶 )
The second term in the rhs increases when we increase the hot junction temperature further. When
the hot junction temperature is equal to the inversion temperature, the thermoemf becomes zero
and beyond this thermoemef is reversed. The thermocouple is normally operated in the temperature
range: [T1:Tn] to get optimum energy.
Most metals have E-T curve as approximate parabolas. Thermoelectric plots are usually straight.
Thermoelectric curves of Ni and Fe are exceptions where there are several points of inflexions.
The P~T plots for Pt are very near the temperature axis and therefore Pt is used as a reference
material for thermopower measurement.

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