Advantages and Disadvantages of Thermocouple Materials

Advantages and Disadvantages of Thermocouple Materials

The following are some distinct advantages that merit the use of thermocouples:

1. Temperature can be measured over a wide range.

2. Thermocouples are self-powered and do not require any auxiliary power source.

3. A quick and good response can be obtained.

4. The readings obtained are consistent and hence are consistently repeatable.

5. Thermocouples are rugged, and can be employed in harsh and corrosive conditions

6. They are inexpensive.

7. They can be installed easily.

However, thermocouples also have certain disadvantages, which are listed as follows:

1. They have low sensitivity when compared to other temperature-measuring devices such asย thermistors and RTDs.

2. Calibration is required because of the presence of some non-linearity.

3. Temperature measurement may be inaccurate due to changes in the reference junction temperature;ย hence thermocouples cannot be employed for precise measurements.

4. For enhancing the life of thermocouples, they should be protected against contamination andย have to be chemically inert.



Leave a Comment