Thermocouple Terminal Block
August 2021
Today, temperature variance has become a key element in industrial instrumentation. Among the many different types of temperature sensors such as RTD, Thermistor and Semiconductor based ICs, Thermocouples remain one of the least expensive temperature sensors used in a range of temperature measurement processes across industries. Despite the wide variety of Thermocouple specifications and types, the basic principle is based on the Seeback Effect where two dissimilar paired metals, welded together, can correlate hot or cold temperature to the voltage.
Material matching sensitivity in Thermocouple Terminals
In measuring temperature, the electromotive force (e.m.f.) output of the Thermocouple is usually in millivolts and non-linear. This low-level signal can sometimes make it difficult to calibrate in the temperature controller. In a scenario where a standard terminal is chosen over an application-specific thermocouple terminal, then there is a very good chance that the temperature measurement is misleading. In fact, a very nominal change in voltage can register as an incorrect reading, which could adversely affect critical processes. Hence, it is very important to select a terminal with the right sensitivity as well as a cable connection that is micro-registered to variations. This sensitivity matching should extend to the sensor wires, as it is important to maintain accuracy throughout the signal chain. If a selected terminal’s materials differ from the thermocouple cable material, then there is a chance of incorrect measurements at the controller side.
What are the different types of Thermocouple Terminals?
Depending on the base materials used and the measurement range expected, there are different types of thermocouples such as J, K, T, E and N. The type of thermocouple influences the terminal block requirement. Give here is a guide on matching thermocouple type against base materials calibrated to Connectwell products by part number.
(Refer the Table)
Applications of Thermocouple Terminal Blocks
Thermocouple Terminal Blocks find applications wherever thermocouples are used for temperature measurement. This includes industrial applications such as:
When temperature signals matter, choose right
Connectwell Thermocouple Terminal Blocks are manufactured with a material that are designed to deliver accurate readings without premature performance degradation. The terminal housings are built from high-grade materials and rated for above benchmark real-world operations for most climatic zones without the added need for specialised HVAC systems. All Connectwell Thermocouple Terminal Blocks provide excellent build quality, thermal compliance, ruggedness and longer life operations with industry accepted standards and approvelas
For more information on Connectwell Thermocouple Terminal Blocks and detailed Thermocouple ratings, click here.