Alabama A&M University

School of Engineering and Technology

Department of Mechanical Engineering
ME 301!Analysis "#nstr$mentation of %hysical
Systems
ab &'
Temperature Measurments Using Thermistor
(ameron Ale)ander
March 1*+ ,013
Abstract
A thermocouple consists of two dissimilar conductors in contact, which produces
a voltage when heated. The size of the voltage is dependent on the difference of
temperature of the junction to other parts of the circuit. Thermocouples are a widely used
type of temperature sensor for measurement and control

and can also be used to convert a
temperature gradient into electricity. Commercial thermocouples are inepensive,
interchangeable, are supplied with standard connectors, and can measure a wide range of
temperatures. !n contrast to most other methods of temperature measurement,
thermocouples are self"powered and re#uire no eternal form of ecitation. The main
limitation with thermocouples is accuracy$ system errors of less than one
degree Celsius %&C' can be difficult to achieve.
()*
Introduction
+uring this lab, we conducted an eperiment to demonstrate how thermocouples
can be converted into an electrical signal. ,e used a program called -ab .iew. ,e were
able to analyze the forces using a load cell with temperature generated by our hands.
/
Experimental Procedure
1. Use -ab .iew +A0 system to ac#uire temperature data from the thermocouple.
2. Turn on the 1!"Module and Connect U23 to computer.
3. 2tart4 5rograms4 1ational !nstruments4 -ab .iew 6.7
4. ,ith MA8 open, select Data Neighborhood and clic9 Create Ne.
!. 2elect NI"DA#mx $lobal %irtual Channel and clic9 Next.
&. 2elect Ac'uire (ignals) Analog Input) *emperature) *hermocouple.
:igure ;. Creating an 1!"+A0m .irtual Channel
+. Creating an 1!"+A0m .irtual Channel
,. 2elect ai- or whichever physical channel you intend to connect to your
thermocouple. A ph.sical channel is a terminal or pin at which you can measure
or generate an analog or digital signal. A single physical channel can include more
than one terminal or pin, as in the case of a differential thermocouple input
)
channel. !n this case, ai< corresponds to TC<= and TC<" on the 1! U23">/;)
pinout diagram.

:igure /. +evice 5hysical Channels
/. Clic9 Next and enter a name for the global virtual channel or leave the default.
1-. Clic9 0inish and you should see the following screen in MA84
:igure ). 2etting Up a Thermocouple Channel in MA8
?
11. @n the settings tab, type in the minimum and maimum temperature values you
epect to read from your thermocouple %< to ;<< &C by default'.
12. 2elect your thermocouple type and C1C (ource and C1C %alue.
13. ,ith 1!"+A0m global virtual channels, you can preview your measurements.
14. ,ith MA8 still open, clic9 bac9 on the 1!"+A0m Alobal .irtual Channel tab
and clic9 on the 2un button. Bou see the temperature value of your thermocouple
displayed at the top of the screen.

:igure ?. 5reviewing a Thermocouple Measurement in MA8
1!. Bou can choose to view the signal in tabular form or as a graph by selecting
Araph from the Displa. *.pe pull"down menu. Bou also have the option of
saving your 1!"+A0m Alobal .irtual Channel should you wish to refer to this
configuration screen again in the future.
1&. under 3ardare Input and 4utput) DA#mx) Analog Input) *hermocouple "
(5"*imed Input.6i, and is attached to the end of this article. The front panel of
this eample allows the user to4
7
a' 2elect the physical channel%s' of the device from which the thermocouple data
will be ta9en
b' 2et the maimum and minimum temperature range
c' 2elect the thermocouple type from a list of supported types
d' Choose the physical units to scale the data
e' 2elect a source, channel, and value for cold"junction compensation %CCC'
f' Configure the auto zero mode
:igure 6. Thermocouple Dample :ront 5anel
E
2esults
7ab %IE5 8easurement
,riter .ersion /
Feader .ersion /
2eparator Tab
+ecimal 2eparator .
Multi Geadings 1o
8HColumns @ne
Time 5ref Absolute
@perator Cameron Aleander
+ate )I7I/<;)
Time ;74/<.;
Channels ;
2amples ;<
+ate )I7I/<;)
Time ;74/<.>
BHUnitH-abel +eg C
8H+imension Time
8< <.<<D=<<
+eltaH8 <./
9 %alue *emperature
< ;E.?;7<>
<./ ;E.?;7<>
<.? ;E.?;7<>
<.E ;E.>76>/?
<.6 ;E.>76>/?
; ;E.>76>/?
;./ ;J.)7<)??
;.? ;J.)7<)??
;.E ;J.)7<)??
;.6 ;J.EJJ>>>
/ ;J.EJJ>>>
/./ ;J.EJJ>>>
/.? ;6.<<E6;;
/.E ;6.<<E6;;
/.6 ;6.<<E6;;
) ;6.)6;?>?
)./ ;6.)6;?>?
).? ;6.)6;?>?
).E ;6.J?E;?
J
).6 ;6.J?E;?
? ;6.J?E;?
?./ ;>.<E>67
?.? ;>.<E>67
?.E ;>.<E>67
?.6 ;>.)77?J6
7 ;>.)77?J6
7./ ;>.)77?J6
7.? ;>.EJ/?JE
7.E ;>.EJ/?JE
7.6 ;>.EJ/?JE
E /<.<;>?J>
E./ /<.<;>?J>
E.? /<.<;>?J>
E.E /<.)E776)
E.6 /<.)E776)
J /<.)E776)
J./ /<.E7/E)7
J.? /<.E7/E)7
J.E /<.E7/E)7
J.6 /<.JJE6E?
6 /<.JJE6E?
6./ /<.JJE6E?
6.? /<.>/E;7/
6.E /<.>/E;7/
6.6 /<.>/E;7/
> /;.;>?;7/
>./ /;.;>?;7/
>.? /;.;>?;7/
>.E /;.?7?6>>
>.6 /;.?7?6>>
;< /;.?7?6>>
;<./ /;.J)6?)E
;<.? /;.J)6?)E
;<.E /;.J)6?)E
;<.6 //.<?6)<6
;; //.<?6)<6
;;./ //.<?6)<6
;;.? //.)??)E?
;;.E //.)??)E?
;;.6 //.)??)E?
;/ //.7676/;
;/./ //.7676/;
;/.? //.7676/;
6
;/.E //.6;E6E?
;/.6 //.6;E6E?
;) //.6;E6E?
;)./ /).<)7/<6
;).? /).<)7/<6
;).E /).<)7/<6
;).6 /).//>);7
;? /).//>);7
;?./ /).//>);7
;?.? /).?<?E/?
;?.E /).?<?E/?
;?.6 /).?<?E/?
;7 /).E;;<7?
;7./ /).E;;<7?
;7.? /).E;;<7?
;7.E /).J>7/>/
;7.6 /).J>7/>/
;E /).J>7/>/
;E./ /).>>)/;>
;E.? /).>>)/;>
;E.E /).>>)/;>
;E.6 /?.;J?J??
;J /?.;J?J??
;J./ /?.;J?J??
;J.? /?.)7E/>J
;J.E /?.)7E/>J
;J.6 /?.)7E/>J
;6 /?.77/?/6
;6./ /?.77/?/6
;6.? /?.77/?/6
;6.E /?.JE7<?E
;6.6 /?.JE7<?E
;> /?.JE7<?E
;>./ /?.>7J/7;
;>.? /?.>7J/7;
;>.E /?.>7J/7;
;>.6 /7.;)EJJE
/< /7.;)EJJE
/<./ /7.;)EJJE
/<.? /7.))/67/
/<.E /7.))/67/
>
;<
Conclusion
This lab was very effective. !t thoroughly eplains the concepts needed to be
eplained. ! was able to see a real world application of the given concept so that ! can use
it later in my engineering life. Gowever, a more simplistic brea9down during the class
lecture would be greatly appreciate. ,ith that, we will be able to better understand certain
concepts once the lab starts instead on going in blind. 2till, this lab was very effective and
should continue to be used.
2e:erences
-aboratory 1otes
;;