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© National Instruments Corporation

1 Measuring Temperature with an Application Note 046

RTD or Thermistor Author:
Endang Wijaya
Phone: 081299039871
What Is Temperature? E-mail: saywijaya@gmail.com

Qualitatively, the temperature of an object determines the sensation of warmth or coldness felt
by touching it. More specifically, temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of
the particles in a sample of matter, expressed in units of degrees on a standard scale.

1.1. RTDs and Thermistors

a. RTDs

Resistance temperature detectors (RTDs) operate on the principle of changes in

electrical resistance of pure metals and are characterized by a linear positive
change in resistance with temperature. Typical elements used for RTDs include nickel
(Ni) and copper (Cu), but platinum (Pt) is by far the most common because of its
wide temperature range, accuracy, and stability.
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RTDs are constructed by one of two different manufacturing configurations. Wire-wound RTDs
are constructed by winding a thin wire into a coil. A more common configuration is the thin-
film element, which consists of a very thin layer of metal laid out on a plastic or ceramic
substrate. Thin-film elements are cheaper and more widely available because they can
achieve higher nominal resistances with less platinum. To protect the RTD, a metal sheath
encloses the RTD element and the lead wires connected to it.

RTDs are popular because of their excellent stability, and exhibit the most linear signal with
respect to temperature of any electronic temperature sensor. They are generally more
expensive than alternatives, however, because of the careful construction and use of
platinum. RTDs are also characterized by a slow response time and low sensitivity; and
because they require current excitation, they can be prone to self-heating.
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RTDs are commonly categorized by their nominal resistance at 0 °C. Typical nominal
resistance values for platinum thin-film RTDs include 100 Ω and 1000 Ω. The relationship
between resistance and temperature is very nearly linear and follows the equation

Where,
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The most common RTD is the platinum thin-film with an  of 0.385%/°C and is specified per DIN
EN 60751. The  value depends on the grade of platinum used, and also commonly include
0.3911%/°C and 0.3926%/°C. The  value defines the sensitivity of the metallic element, but is
normally used to distinguish between resistance/temperature curves of various RTDs.
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b. Thermistors

Thermistors (thermally sensitive resistors) are similar to RTDs in that they are electrical resistors
whose resistance changes with temperature. Thermistors are manufactured from metal oxide
semiconductor material which is encapsulated in a glass or epoxy bead.

Thermistors have a very high sensitivity, making them extremely responsive to changes in
temperature. For example,a 2252 Ω thermistor has a sensitivity of –100 Ω/°C at room
temperature. In comparison, a 100 Ω RTD has a sensitivity of 0.4 Ω/°C. Thermistors also have a
low thermal mass that results in fast response times, but are limited by a small temperature
range.

Thermistors have either a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) or a positive temperature

coefficient (PTC). The first has a resistance which decreases with increasing temperature and
the latter exhibits increased resistance with increasing temperature. Figure 2 shows a typical
thermistor temperature curve compared to a typical 100 Ω RTD
temperature curve.
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1.2. RTD and Thermistor Measurement and Signal

Conditioning

Because RTDs and Thermistors are resistive devices, you must supply them with an excitation
current and then read the voltage across their terminals. If extra heat cannot be dissipated,
I2R heating caused by the excitation current can raise the temperature of the sensing
element above that of the ambient temperature. Self-heating will actually change the
resistance of the RTD or thermistor, causing error in the measurement. The effects of self-
heating can be minimized by supplying lower excitation current
The easiest way to connect an RTD or thermistor to a measurement device is with a 2-wire
connection.
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With this method, the two wires that provide the RTD or Thermistor with its excitation current
are also used to measure the voltage across the sensor. Because of the low nominal
resistance of RTDs, measurement accuracy can be drastically affected by lead wire
resistance. For example, lead wires with a resistance of 1 Ω connected to a 100 Ω platinum
RTD cause a 1% measurement error.
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A 3-wire or 4-wire connection method can eliminate the effects of lead wire resistance. The
connection places leads on a high impedance path through the measurement device,
effectively eliminating error caused by lead wire resistance. It is not necessary to use a 3 or 4-
wire connection method for thermistors because they typically have much higher nominal
resistance values than RTDs. A diagram of a 4-wire connection is shown below.
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RTD and Thermistor output signals are typically in the millivolt range, making them susceptible
to noise. Lowpass filters are commonly used in RTD and thermistor data acquisition systems to
effectively eliminate high frequency noise in RTD and thermistor measurements. For instance,
lowpass filters are useful for removing the 60 Hz power line noise that is prevalent in most
laboratory and plant settings.
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1.3. Basic Practice

a. RTDs

Measurement Accuracy can be drastically affected by lead wire resistance. For PT100 RTDs
have nominal resistance 100Ω at 0 degree of celcius and =0.385Ω/degree of celcius.
RL

+
0.1 V 100Ω
1mA -
PT100
IEXT DC 10MOhm

RL

Circuit simulation using Multisim

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T© R (Ω) RL (Ω) Iext (mA) Vout0 (mV) RL (Ω) Vout1 (mV) dV(mV) T1 © IdT ©I
0 100.0 0 1 100.0 0.1 100.2 0.2 -0.001 0.001
20 107.7 0 1 107.7 0.1 107.9 0.2 19.999 0.001
40 115.4 0 1 115.4 0.1 115.6 0.2 39.999 0.001
T0 = 2.5974*V0-259.74 C; V0=100 - 331 mV
60 123.1 0 1 123.1 0.1 123.3 0.2 59.999 0.001
80 130.8 0 1 130.8 0.1 131.0 0.2 79.999 0.001
100 138.5 0 1 138.5 0.1 138.7 0.2 99.999 0.001
120
140
146.2
153.9
0
0
1
1
146.2
153.9
0.1
0.1
146.4
154.1
0.2
0.2
119.999
139.999
0.001
0.001
T1 = 2.5974*V0-260.26 C; V1=100.2 - 331.2 mV
160 161.6 0 1 161.6 0.1 161.8 0.2 159.999 0.001
180 169.3 0 1 169.3 0.1 169.5 0.2 179.999 0.001
200 177.0 0 1 177.0 0.1 177.2 0.2 199.999 0.001 IdT ©I is absolute value
220 184.7 0 1 184.7 0.1 184.9 0.2 219.999 0.001
240 192.4 0 1 192.4 0.1 192.6 0.2 239.999 0.001
260 200.1 0 1 200.1 0.1 200.3 0.2 259.999 0.001
280 207.8 0 1 207.8 0.1 208.0 0.2 279.999 0.001
300 215.5 0 1 215.5 0.1 215.7 0.2 299.999 0.001 For Lead resistance 0.1Ω :
320 223.2 0 1 223.2 0.1 223.4 0.2 319.999 0.001
340 230.9 0 1 230.9 0.1 231.1 0.2 339.999 0.001
360
380
238.6
246.3
0
0
1
1
238.6
246.3
0.1
0.1
238.8
246.5
0.2
0.2
359.999
379.999
0.001
0.001
Measurement Error = 0.001 degree of celcius
400 254.0 0 1 254.0 0.1 254.2 0.2 399.999 0.001 = 0.1%
420 261.7 0 1 261.7 0.1 261.9 0.2 419.999 0.001
440 269.4 0 1 269.4 0.1 269.6 0.2 439.999 0.001
460 277.1 0 1 277.1 0.1 277.3 0.2 459.999 0.001
480 284.8 0 1 284.8 0.1 285.0 0.2 479.999 0.001
500 292.5 0 1 292.5 0.1 292.7 0.2 499.999 0.001
520 300.2 0 1 300.2 0.1 300.4 0.2 519.999 0.001
540 307.9 0 1 307.9 0.1 308.1 0.2 539.999 0.001
560 315.6 0 1 315.6 0.1 315.8 0.2 559.999 0.001
580 323.3 0 1 323.3 0.1 323.5 0.2 579.999 0.001
600 331.0 0 1 331.0 0.1 331.2 0.2 599.999 0.001
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RL= 0.1Ω

Vout1= 0.385*T+100.2 mV; T= 100 - 300 degree of celcius

T= 100 – 300 oC
V2= 0 – 5 V
V1=0.1387 – 0.2157 V Signal
Conditioner

V1 (mV) V2 (mV) V2 = 64.9351*V1 - 9.0065 V; V1=0.1387 - 0.2157 V

138.7 0
215.7 5000
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Math.Model
Platform Technology: Op-Amp
V1

Inverting Amplifier

Multiply by Amplifier Circuit

(64.9351)
Non-Inverting Amplifier

Add by Summing Circuit

(-9.0065)

V2
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V2 = 64.9351*V1 - 9.0065 mV; V1=0.1387 - 0.2157 V

100kΩ 50 %
Key=A

Math.Model
R2
V1
VEE
-15.0V

11
V1 R1
2 Vo1
Multiply by 1kΩ U1A 1

(64.9351) 3 LM324AN

4
R3 15.0V
1kΩ VCC
Vo1
R2 diset pada nilai 64.9Ω
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9.0065V
R6 R5

Math.Model 10kΩ 10kΩ

11
Vo1 Vx R4
6 V2
10kΩ U1B 7

Add by 5 LM324AN
(-9.0065)

4
R7
3.3kΩ

V2
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100kΩ 65 %
Key=A
Math.Model 9.0065V
R6 R5
R2
10kΩ 10kΩ

11
VEE R4
-15.0V 6 V2
10kΩ U1B 7

11
V1 R1 5 LM324AN

4
2
1kΩ U1A 1
3 LM324AN R7
3.3kΩ
4

R3 15.0V
1kΩ VCC

All fixed resistors are Metal Fim 0.125W/±1%

Trimpot is Multiturn with N=10, 5% Linearity, and
0.125W Power rating
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Simulation Result:
9.06V
R2
R6 R5
64.9351kΩ
10kΩ 10kΩ

11
VEE R4
-15.0V 6
11 10kΩ U1B 7

R1 5 LM324AN

4
2
1kΩ U1A 1 +
4.998 V
3 LM324AN R7 -
V1 3.3kΩ DC 10MOhm
4

0.2157V
R3 15.0V
1kΩ VCC
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Simulation Result:
SPAN ZERO
9.06V
R2
R6 R5
64.9351kΩ
10kΩ 10kΩ

11
VEE R4
-15.0V 6
10kΩ U1B 7
11

R1 5 LM324AN

4
2
1kΩ U1A 1 +
1.837m V
3 LM324AN R7 -
V1 3.3kΩ DC 10MOhm
4

0.1387V
R3 15.0V
1kΩ VCC
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Final Circuit:
SPAN ZERO
R2
100kΩ 9.06V
Key=A Vref
R6 R5
50 %
10kΩ 10kΩ

11
VEE R4
-15.0V 6 J2
10kΩ U1B 7

11
R1 5 LM324AN

4
2 HDR1X2
1kΩ U1A 1 Vout
HDR1X2 3 LM324AN R7
Vin 3.3kΩ
4

R3 15.0V
1kΩ VCC R20
Author:
Endang Wijaya 64.9351kΩ
Phone: 081299039871
E-mail: saywijaya@gmail.com