Scribd
Upload
66 views

Lecture 6-Temperature - Expansion Meters

This document summarizes different types of temperature measurement instruments. It discusses liquid-in-glass thermometers, filled system thermometers including liquid, vapor pressure, gas and mercury filled varieties, and bimetallic thermometers. Liquid-in-glass thermometers use liquid expansion for measurement and are commonly filled with mercury. Filled system thermometers employ various expansion elements like bourdon tubes connected to pointers. Bimetallic thermometers use the differential expansion of two metals in a strip to indicate temperature changes.

Uploaded by

Ahmed Hassam Khan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
66 views

Lecture 6-Temperature - Expansion Meters

This document summarizes different types of temperature measurement instruments. It discusses liquid-in-glass thermometers, filled system thermometers including liquid, vapor pressure, gas and mercury filled varieties, and bimetallic thermometers. Liquid-in-glass thermometers use liquid expansion for measurement and are commonly filled with mercury. Filled system thermometers employ various expansion elements like bourdon tubes connected to pointers. Bimetallic thermometers use the differential expansion of two metals in a strip to indicate temperature changes.

Uploaded by

Ahmed Hassam Khan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 25

TEMPERATURE

INSTRUMENTS

Lecture no. 6
Contents

 Expansion thermometers
1. Liquid in glass thermometers

2. Filled system thermometers


i. Liquid Filled

ii. Vapor pressure

iii. Gas Filled

iv. Mercury Filled

3. Bimetallic thermometers
Liquid-in-Glass Thermometers
Introduction

 The most common and widely used method for


temperature measurement is by liquid in glass
thermometer.

 These thermometers are usually filled with liquid


and operate on the principle of liquid expansion
with increasing temperature.

 The filling liquid mostly used is mercury because of


its good temperature range, freezing and non-
wetting properties.
Construction

 A simple liquid in glass thermometer


comprises of:
 Bulb (reservoir for thermometric liquid)
 Stem (capillary glass tube through which
liquid fluctuates with temperature)
 Temperature scale

 Contraction chamber (prevents contraction of


entire liquid into the bulb)
 Expansion chamber (prevents excessive
build-up of pressures)
Filled System Thermometers
Introduction

 Many physical properties change with temperature, such


as the volume of a liquid, the length of a metal rod, the
electrical resistance of a wire, the pressure of a gas kept
at constant volume and the volume of a gas kept at
constant pressure.

 Filled-system thermometers use the phenomenon of


thermal expansion of matter to measure temperature
change.
Construction & Working
 The basic components comprising all filled systems are:
 Metal bulb
 Capillary tube
 Expansion element (e.g. Bourdon tube)
 Actuator or pointer
 The temperature responsive fluid is filled inside the bulb. The
change in temperature causes the filling liquid to expand and
this expansion forces the bourdon tube to uncoil. The movement
of bourdon tube used to drive pointer for indicating
temperature on the scale.
 The response of the thermometer is dependent mainly on the
material, size and thickness of the bulb. Stainless steel is
commonly used material for bulb and capillary tube.
Types

 Filled thermometers can be classified on the basis of the


fluid employed as follows:

 Liquid filled thermometers (volume change)


 Mercury filled thermometers (volume change)

 Vapor Pressure thermometers (pressure change)

 Gas filled thermometers (pressure change)


Liquid Filled Thermometers
Introduction

 Alcohol and some other hydrocarbons like benzene, ether


and xylene are preferred choices of liquids for this kind
of thermometer.

 The upper limit of this thermometer is defined by the


boiling point of the liquid which can be increased by
filling the liquid at higher pressure.

 The temperature range for this kind of system can vary


from -300 to 1200oF, depending on the liquid used.
Mercury Filled Thermometers
Introduction

 These are similar to liquid filled thermometers except for


the fact that liquid employed is only mercury.

 Mercury filled thermometer provides rapid and accurate


response.

 Their use should be avoided when mercury leakage can


contaminate the system.
Vapor Pressure Thermometers
Introduction

 The bulb is partially filled with volatile liquid while


capillary tube contains the vapor and pressure is
transmitted to the bourdon tubes by the vapors.

 Various liquids are used in vapor pressure system like


ethyl alcohol, methyl chloride, ether, toluene, etc. and the
choice of the liquid is dependent on the critical pressure
and boiling point of liquid so that enough pressure is
developed to move the pointer.
Working

 The liquid in a vapor pressure system boils and


vaporizes during the operation which creates a gas or
vapor inside capillary and bourdon tube.

 The principle of this kind of thermometer is that vapor


pressure is a function of temperature but the relationship
is not a linear one and thus the scale is not evenly
divided resulting in spaces that gradually increase with
temperature.
Gas Filled Thermometers
Introduction

 The operation of the gas thermometer depends on the


Ideal gas law.

 The volume of the gas increases with temperature, if the


pressure is kept constant; and the pressure increases
with temperature, if the volume is kept constant.
Cont. . .

 Nitrogen is commonly used in gas thermometers


because it is almost inert and inexpensive.

 It does react with the steel bulb material at


temperatures exceeding 427oC and it does act less
like an ideal gas at extremely low temperatures.
Under these conditions, Helium should be used.
Advantages

The main advantage of gas filled thermometer is that the


gas in the bulb has a lower thermal capacity than similar
quantity of the liquid so that the response of thermometer
to the temperature change will be more than that for a
liquid filled system with the bulb of same size and shape.
Bimetallic Thermometers
Introduction

 A bimetallic strip is used to convert a temperature change into


mechanical displacement.

 The strip consists of two different metals which expand at different


rates as they are heated, usually steel and copper, or in some cases
brass instead of copper. The strips are joined together throughout
their length by riveting or welding.

 Different expansion rate forces the flat strip to bend one way if
heated, and in the opposite direction if cooled below its initial
temperature.
Working

 If two materials with different linear expansion coefficients are


bonded together, their rate of expansion will be different as the
temperature changes. This will cause the entire assembly to bend in
an arc.
 When the temperature is raised, an arc is formed around the material
with the smaller expansion coefficient.
 The strip is utilized in thermometer in
spiral or helix form with one fixed end
and one free end which is attached
with the pointer.
 When the heat is supplied, the strip
bends and the pointer moves over the
temperature scale.
Characteristics

 Low cost
 Tough, cannot easily be broken
 Easy to install and maintain
 Wide temperature range (-180 to 430oC)
 Not used where high accuracy is required

You might also like