Sensors

Why re-invent the wheel?

Two excellent reference by Baker et al. are listed in the References page and worth reading to get an idea of the complexities that can arise in attempting to make a temperature measurement. They also get into how to test for errors and get around them.

They are older books and while the technology of the equipment has changed, especially the electronics, the measurement fundamentals have not. Heat flow is heat flow and thermal radiation physics was unified theoretically by Max Planck more than 100 years ago!

A great many temperature measurement problems are solved through a good understanding of the heat flow involved in a specific measurement situation.

Surface temperature problems with contact sensors are often best solved in many cases through the use of non-contact sensor. They are in use in many industrial plants worldwide in great numbers.

The above reference texts provide interesting analyses of the likely errors making contact temperature measurements of surfaces, both stationary and moving surfaces. We have not seen any recent analyses with as much detail!

Then, too, a professional organization called ThermoSense has been publishing annual proceeding of their technical meetings on commercial and scientific uses and properties of Thermal Imaging. Their collected works cover more than 30 years of carefully worked out examples of  “How They Did It”.

A few years ago they published a 25 year compendium of their articles to date on CD-ROMs. They are out of print now, but several libraries and other institutions have copies available at little or no cost for at least review.

Similarly, three USA Infrared Thermography training organization’s Conferences have been publishing regularly the articles for several years. Again success stories on applications from their meetings as well as educational aides are featured.

Go to the websites of IR/INFO, INFRAMATION and Thermal Solutions to find out how to obtain copies of their published successes. IR/Info is one of the few that provides free, downloadable copies of their conference presentations.

In addition all three organizations offer free email eNewsletters that feature advances in hardware, applications successes and most often a listing of their training & service programs.

Good luck and best wishes.

If you have some interesting success, let us know and we’ll help you share that with others who visit these pages.

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