Lab 2: Temperature Measurement

Group 6

Roberto Valdes – 6263328

Carlos Sibaja – 6216225

Ulises Rial – 6279978

Kedrick Chirino – 5919415

EML 3301L

Instrumentations Laboratory

Session: U01A 1245, Tuesday, 05/21/2024, 10:00 A.M.

Instructor: Meer Safa

Date of Experiment: 05/23/2024

Date of Submission: 05/30/2024

Summer, 2024
Table of Contents:

List of Tables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

List of Figures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Nomenclature . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Abstract . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Objective . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

Procedures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Data, Results, and Discussion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Conclusion and Recommendations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Appendices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16

Appendix A: Apparatus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Appendix B: Experimental Raw Data . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27

Appendix C: Sample Calculations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

2
List of Tables:

Table 1: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Table 2: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

Table 3: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

Table 4: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

List of Figures:

Figure 1:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Figure 2: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Figure 3: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Nomenclature:

Symbol Unit Description

𝐹 N Force

𝐿 m Length

𝐸 Pa , 𝑁/𝑚
2 Young’s Modulus

I 𝑘𝑔/𝑚
2 Moment of Inertia

R Ω Resistance
ε Unitless Gain
V V Voltage
N Unitless Number of Active Arms

3
Abstract:

This lab required us to investigate the temperature measurement capabilities

of various thermocouples, specifically the J, K, T, and E types. We had to perform
static calibration to determine the linear relationship between temperature and
voltage for each thermocouple and measure their dynamic response to sudden
temperature changes, which approximates a first-order system. The procedures
involved using a digital multimeter to record temperature and voltage at different
increments while heating water and transferring thermocouples between hot and
cold water to observe their response. We had to log into the virtual lab to repeat
these procedures for each thermocouple type. For the analysis, we plotted voltage
vs. temperature for both experimental and calibration data, calculated time
constants for the dynamic response, and compared the experimental results with
theoretical models. This comprehensive approach helped us understand the
thermoelectric effect and the practical application of thermocouples in measuring
temperature changes accurately.

Objective:

The objective of this laboratory exercise is to investigate four different types

of thermal sensors to measure temperature in a medium using thermocouples.
Specifically, we aim to understand the thermoelectric effect and demonstrate the
use of thermocouples for temperature measurement. Additionally, we will perform
static calibration of the thermocouples to determine the linear relationship between
temperature and voltage. Finally, we will measure the dynamic response of a
shielded thermocouple junction to evaluate how closely the dynamic characteristics
of the thermocouple approximate a first-order system.

Introduction:

4
 Understanding the measurement of temperature using thermocouples is
crucial in both industrial and household applications. Thermocouples are
thermoelectric devices consisting of two dissimilar metals joined at one end,
forming a junction that generates a voltage corresponding to the temperature
difference between the hot and cold junctions. This phenomenon, known as the
Seebeck effect, allows for precise temperature measurement. Different types of
thermocouples, such as J, K, T, and E, each have unique temperature ranges and
sensitivities, making them suitable for various applications, from industrial
processes to everyday household appliances like ovens and toasters.

In this lab, we aim to investigate the performance of these thermocouples

through both static calibration and dynamic response experiments. Static
calibration involves establishing a linear relationship between temperature and
voltage, which is essential for accurate temperature measurement. We will use a
digital multimeter to record voltage at various temperature increments, comparing
the experimental data with standard calibration charts to validate the accuracy of
each thermocouple type.

Dynamic response experiments will assess how quickly thermocouples

respond to sudden temperature changes, characterizing their behavior as first-order
systems. This involves transferring thermocouples from hot to cold environments
rapidly and recording the temperature changes over time. By calculating the time
constant, we can determine the speed and efficiency of each thermocouple in
reacting to temperature variations.

Through these experiments, we aim to gain a comprehensive understanding

of the thermoelectric effect, the calibration process, and the dynamic response
characteristics of different thermocouples. This study will enhance our knowledge
of their practical applications, reliability, and suitability for various temperature
measurement tasks, both in industrial settings and daily life.

Procedures:

5
1. Make sure you know what type of thermocouple you're using, its material, and
the temperature range it operates in. Look up the calibration table that corresponds
to it.

2. Set your multimeter to measure DC voltage.

3. Connect the thermocouple to the multimeter, making sure to match positive to

positive and negative to negative.

4. Attach another thermocouple to a temperature recorder to monitor the

temperature.

5. Position the thermocouple inside a water bath so that it's right in the middle.

6. Record the temperature and voltage readings at room temperature using the
multimeter and compare them with values from the calibration chart.

7. Start heating the water and record the temperature every 5 degrees Celsius until
it reaches boiling point.

8. If you're using a virtual lab, log in and repeat the process for J, T, and E-type
thermocouples.

For the dynamic response of thermocouples:

1. Connect a K-type thermocouple to a data recorder and immerse it in boiling
water.

2. Begin recording a plot of time versus temperature using the data recorder.

3. Once the temperature readings stabilize, quickly move the thermocouple from
the hot water to cold water and wait for the data to stabilize again.

4. Repeat this process several times.

5. Repeat steps 1 to 4 with J-type thermocouples.

6. If you're using a virtual lab, log in and repeat the process for T and E-type
thermocouples.
Data, Results, and Discussion:

6
Table 1: T-type

Legend:

4-P = Untitled 4 Process

Interval: 1 Seconds

DataPoint LogDate LogTime 4-P °C

0 5/23/2024 11:10:39 AM 99

1 5/23/2024 11:10:40 AM 99

2 5/23/2024 11:10:41 AM 99

3 5/23/2024 11:10:42 AM 99

4 5/23/2024 11:10:43 AM 99

5 5/23/2024 11:10:44 AM 99

6 5/23/2024 11:10:45 AM 99

7 5/23/2024 11:10:46 AM 99

8 5/23/2024 11:10:47 AM 99

9 5/23/2024 11:10:48 AM 99

10 5/23/2024 11:10:49 AM 99

11 5/23/2024 11:10:50 AM 99

12 5/23/2024 11:10:51 AM 99

13 5/23/2024 11:10:52 AM 99

14 5/23/2024 11:10:53 AM 99

15 5/23/2024 11:10:54 AM 99

16 5/23/2024 11:10:55 AM 63

7
17 5/23/2024 11:10:56 AM 17

18 5/23/2024 11:10:57 AM 17

19 5/23/2024 11:10:58 AM 11

20 5/23/2024 11:10:59 AM 11

21 5/23/2024 11:11:00 AM 11

22 5/23/2024 11:11:01 AM 9

23 5/23/2024 11:11:02 AM 9

24 5/23/2024 11:11:03 AM 9

25 5/23/2024 11:11:04 AM 9

26 5/23/2024 11:11:05 AM 9

27 5/23/2024 11:11:06 AM 8

28 5/23/2024 11:11:07 AM 8

29 5/23/2024 11:11:08 AM 8

Table 2: K-type

Legend:

4-P = Untitled 4 Process

Interval: 1 Seconds

DataPoint LogDate LogTime 4-P °C

0 5/23/2024 11:03:09 AM 66

1 5/23/2024 11:03:10 AM 66

2 5/23/2024 11:03:11 AM 66

3 5/23/2024 11:03:12 AM 64

8
4 5/23/2024 11:03:13 AM 64

5 5/23/2024 11:03:14 AM 64

6 5/23/2024 11:03:15 AM 64

7 5/23/2024 11:03:16 AM 64

8 5/23/2024 11:03:17 AM 63

9 5/23/2024 11:03:18 AM 62

10 5/23/2024 11:03:19 AM 62

11 5/23/2024 11:03:20 AM 62

12 5/23/2024 11:03:21 AM 62

13 5/23/2024 11:03:22 AM 61

14 5/23/2024 11:03:23 AM 56

15 5/23/2024 11:03:24 AM 31

16 5/23/2024 11:03:25 AM 12

17 5/23/2024 11:03:26 AM 10

18 5/23/2024 11:03:27 AM 10

19 5/23/2024 11:03:28 AM 10

20 5/23/2024 11:03:29 AM 10

21 5/23/2024 11:03:30 AM 9

22 5/23/2024 11:03:31 AM 9

23 5/23/2024 11:03:32 AM 9

24 5/23/2024 11:03:33 AM 9

25 5/23/2024 11:03:34 AM 9

26 5/23/2024 11:03:35 AM 9

9
27 5/23/2024 11:03:36 AM 9

28 5/23/2024 11:03:37 AM 9

29 5/23/2024 11:03:38 AM 9

30 5/23/2024 11:03:39 AM 9

31 5/23/2024 11:03:40 AM 9

32 5/23/2024 11:03:41 AM 9

33 5/23/2024 11:03:42 AM 9

34 5/23/2024 11:03:43 AM 9

35 5/23/2024 11:03:44 AM 9

36 5/23/2024 11:03:45 AM 8

37 5/23/2024 11:03:46 AM 8

38 5/23/2024 11:03:47 AM 83

39 5/23/2024 11:03:48 AM 94

40 5/23/2024 11:03:49 AM 99

41 5/23/2024 11:03:50 AM 99

42 5/23/2024 11:03:51 AM 99

43 5/23/2024 11:03:52 AM 99

44 5/23/2024 11:03:53 AM 99

45 5/23/2024 11:03:54 AM 99

46 5/23/2024 11:03:55 AM 99

47 5/23/2024 11:03:56 AM 99

48 5/23/2024 11:03:57 AM 100

49 5/23/2024 11:03:58 AM 100

10
50 5/23/2024 11:03:59 AM 100

51 5/23/2024 11:04:00 AM 100

52 5/23/2024 11:04:01 AM 100

53 5/23/2024 11:04:02 AM 100

54 5/23/2024 11:04:03 AM 100

55 5/23/2024 11:04:04 AM 100

56 5/23/2024 11:04:05 AM 100

57 5/23/2024 11:04:06 AM 100

58 5/23/2024 11:04:07 AM 100

59 5/23/2024 11:04:08 AM 67

60 5/23/2024 11:04:09 AM 26

61 5/23/2024 11:04:10 AM 18

62 5/23/2024 11:04:11 AM 16

63 5/23/2024 11:04:12 AM 12

64 5/23/2024 11:04:13 AM 12

65 5/23/2024 11:04:14 AM 11

66 5/23/2024 11:04:15 AM 9

67 5/23/2024 11:04:16 AM 9

68 5/23/2024 11:04:17 AM 9

69 5/23/2024 11:04:18 AM 9

70 5/23/2024 11:04:19 AM 9

71 5/23/2024 11:04:20 AM 9

72 5/23/2024 11:04:21 AM 9

11
73 5/23/2024 11:04:22 AM 9

74 5/23/2024 11:04:23 AM 9

75 5/23/2024 11:04:24 AM 9

76 5/23/2024 11:04:25 AM 9

77 5/23/2024 11:04:26 AM 9

78 5/23/2024 11:04:27 AM 9

79 5/23/2024 11:04:28 AM 9

80 5/23/2024 11:04:29 AM 9

81 5/23/2024 11:04:30 AM 9

82 5/23/2024 11:04:31 AM 9

83 5/23/2024 11:04:32 AM 9

84 5/23/2024 11:04:33 AM 9

85 5/23/2024 11:04:34 AM 9

86 5/23/2024 11:04:35 AM 9

87 5/23/2024 11:04:36 AM 9

88 5/23/2024 11:04:37 AM 9

89 5/23/2024 11:04:38 AM 9

90 5/23/2024 11:04:39 AM 9

91 5/23/2024 11:04:40 AM 9

92 5/23/2024 11:04:41 AM 9

93 5/23/2024 11:04:42 AM 9

94 5/23/2024 11:04:43 AM 9

95 5/23/2024 11:04:44 AM 9

12
96 5/23/2024 11:04:45 AM 9

97 5/23/2024 11:04:46 AM 9

98 5/23/2024 11:04:47 AM 9

99 5/23/2024 11:04:48 AM 9

100 5/23/2024 11:04:49 AM 9

101 5/23/2024 11:04:50 AM 9

102 5/23/2024 11:04:51 AM 9

103 5/23/2024 11:04:52 AM 9

104 5/23/2024 11:04:53 AM 9

105 5/23/2024 11:04:54 AM 9

106 5/23/2024 11:04:55 AM 9

107 5/23/2024 11:04:56 AM 9

108 5/23/2024 11:04:57 AM 9

109 5/23/2024 11:04:58 AM 9

110 5/23/2024 11:04:59 AM 9

111 5/23/2024 11:05:00 AM 9

112 5/23/2024 11:05:01 AM 9

113 5/23/2024 11:05:02 AM 9

Table 3: J-type

Legend:

4-P = Untitled 4 Process

13
Interval: 1 Seconds

DataPoint LogDate LogTime 4-P °C

0 5/23/2024 11:12:42 AM 99

1 5/23/2024 11:12:43 AM 99

2 5/23/2024 11:12:44 AM 99

3 5/23/2024 11:12:45 AM 99

4 5/23/2024 11:12:46 AM 99

5 5/23/2024 11:12:47 AM 99

6 5/23/2024 11:12:48 AM 99

7 5/23/2024 11:12:49 AM 99

8 5/23/2024 11:12:50 AM 99

9 5/23/2024 11:12:51 AM 91

10 5/23/2024 11:12:52 AM 36

11 5/23/2024 11:12:53 AM 19

12 5/23/2024 11:12:54 AM 16

13 5/23/2024 11:12:55 AM 13

14 5/23/2024 11:12:56 AM 13

15 5/23/2024 11:12:57 AM 11

16 5/23/2024 11:12:58 AM 11

17 5/23/2024 11:12:59 AM 10

18 5/23/2024 11:13:00 AM 8

19 5/23/2024 11:13:01 AM 8

20 5/23/2024 11:13:02 AM 8

14
21 5/23/2024 11:13:03 AM 8

22 5/23/2024 11:13:04 AM 8

23 5/23/2024 11:13:05 AM 8

24 5/23/2024 11:13:06 AM 8

25 5/23/2024 11:13:07 AM 8

26 5/23/2024 11:13:08 AM 8

Table 4: E-type

Legend:

4-P = Untitled 4 Process

Interval: 1 Seconds

DataPoint LogDate LogTime 4-P °C

0 5/23/2024 11:08:04 AM 100

1 5/23/2024 11:08:05 AM 100

2 5/23/2024 11:08:06 AM 100

3 5/23/2024 11:08:07 AM 100

4 5/23/2024 11:08:08 AM 100

5 5/23/2024 11:08:09 AM 100

6 5/23/2024 11:08:10 AM 100

7 5/23/2024 11:08:11 AM 100

8 5/23/2024 11:08:12 AM 100

9 5/23/2024 11:08:13 AM 93

15
10 5/23/2024 11:08:14 AM 44

11 5/23/2024 11:08:15 AM 23

12 5/23/2024 11:08:16 AM 16

13 5/23/2024 11:08:17 AM 12

14 5/23/2024 11:08:18 AM 11

15 5/23/2024 11:08:19 AM 10

16 5/23/2024 11:08:20 AM 8

17 5/23/2024 11:08:21 AM 8

18 5/23/2024 11:08:22 AM 8

19 5/23/2024 11:08:23 AM 8

20 5/23/2024 11:08:24 AM 8

21 5/23/2024 11:08:25 AM 8

22 5/23/2024 11:08:26 AM 8

23 5/23/2024 11:08:27 AM 8

24 5/23/2024 11:08:28 AM 8

25 5/23/2024 11:08:29 AM 7

26 5/23/2024 11:08:30 AM 7

27 5/23/2024 11:08:31 AM 7

16
Conclusions and Recommendations:

In conclusion, this lab successfully demonstrated the principles and

applications of thermocouple-based temperature measurement. We explored
various types of thermocouples (J, K, T, and E) and confirmed that, when properly
calibrated, thermocouples provide precise and reliable temperature data essential
for various applications. Through static calibration, we established the linear
relationship between temperature and voltage, and the dynamic response
experiments allowed us to assess the reaction speed of thermocouples to sudden
temperature changes, validating the theoretical models of first-order systems.

Several factors could potentially affect the accuracy and reliability of our
results. Ensuring stable environmental conditions, particularly consistent ambient
temperature, was crucial to avoid introducing errors. Proper placement of
thermocouples in the water bath and ensuring secure connections to the measuring
instruments were essential to obtain accurate data. Electrical noise and interference
could impact the readings, so we used shielded cables and proper grounding
techniques. Accurate calibration against known temperature standards was vital to
prevent significant measurement deviations. By addressing these factors, we
enhanced the accuracy and reliability of our temperature measurements using
thermocouples. This hands-on experience reinforced the significance of
thermocouples in real-world applications, such as industrial process control and
household appliance monitoring.

References:

There were no references or outside resources utilized. The only information used
was from the lab manual and the in-person lab itself

Appendices:

Appendix A: Apparatus

Virtual lab images

17
Lab setup images

18
Appendix B: Experimental Raw Data

19
T-type

K-type

J-type

20
Appendix C: Sample Calculations
● Finding Time Constant
−𝑡
𝑇−𝑇𝑓
τ
𝑒 = 𝑇𝑜−𝑇𝑓
Where T is the temperature at time t, 𝑇𝑓 is the ambient temperature and 𝑇𝑜 is the initial
temperature.

21