Introduction

• A thermocouple, also known as a

“thermoelectrical thermometer”, is an
electrical device consisting of two
dissimilar electrical conductors
forming an electrical junction. A
thermocouple produces a
temperature-dependent voltage as a
result of the Seebeck effect, and this
voltage can be interpreted to measure
temperature. Thermocouples are
widely used as temperature sensors.
Principle of operation
• In 1821, the German physicist
Thomas Johann Seebeck discovered that a magnetic
needle held near a circuit made up of two dissimilar
metals got deflected when one of the dissimilar metal
junctions was heated. At the time, Seebeck referred to
this consequence as thermo-magnetism. The magnetic
field he observed was later shown to be due to thermo-
electric current. In practical use, the voltage generated
at a single junction of two different types of wire is
what is of interest as this can be used to measure
temperature at very high and low temperatures. The
magnitude of the voltage depends on the types of wire
being used. Generally, the voltage is in the microvolt
range and care must be taken to obtain a usable
measurement. Although very little current flows,
power can be generated by a single thermocouple
junction. Power generation using multiple
Seebeck effect
• The Seebeck effect refers
to the development of an
electromotive force across
two points of an
electrically conducting
material when there is a
temperature difference
between those two points
K-Type Thermocouples
• Type K Thermocouple provides widest operating temperature range.
It consist of positive leg which is non-magnetic and negative leg
which is magnetic.In K Type Thermocouple traditional base metal is
used due to which it can work at high temperature and can provide
widest operating temperature range. One of the constituent metal in
K Type Thermocouple is Nickel, which is magnetic in nature.
•One of the major advantage of K type
thermocouple over other thermocouple's is it
can function in rugged environmental condition
•It has integrated composition of Chromel and
Alumel wires has a range of -270 °C to
1260°C and an output of -
6.4 to 9 mV over maximum temperature range
Type-J. Thermocouple
Type J thermocouple is a very common and general purpose
thermocouple. It has smaller temperature range and a shorter lifespan at
higher temperatures. It consist of positive leg made of an Iron wire and
negative leg made of an Constantan ( Copper-Nickel ) alloy wire. Due to
the Curie Point of the iron at 770 °C Type J has a limited temperature
range of -40°C to 750°C.It should not be used at high temperatures in an
oxidizing atmosphere as iron undergoes a molecular change and
permanently loses its standard voltage output versus temperature. It does
not recover when the iron is cooled.
In J Type thermocouple linearity varies by -70°C over its full range from -210°C
to 1200°C.It has a very straight section from 100°C to 500°C which deviates at
about -0.5 °C. The lower & higher ranges can be extended with a loss in
linearity.