Calibrating Industrial Temperature Sensors

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Calibrating Industrial Temperature Sensors (56.22 KB)

Industrial temperature measurement and control are two of the most dynamic subsets of the process control industry. Sensors are manufactured in every size, shape, length, and accuracy imaginable to fulfill a specific temperature application. In many cases, probes and probe assemblies are chosen not based on the application’s success, but on other factors such as price, expediency, or availability.

The calibration of an industrial temperature sensor should be well thought out in the early design stage of the process. Doing this early on ensures a better match of the sensor to the application, which means better overall accuracy and reduced intrinsic uncertainty.

To correctly calibrate a temperature sensor in use or before its use, four critical factors must be considered: 1) Understanding the dynamics of the entire process, 2) Choosing the sensor that best fits the application, 3) Calibrating the system to best emulate the process, and 4) Managing the re-calibration of the sensor to assure quality assurance.

This paper will discuss these four steps to reduce uncertainty in industrial temperature sensing. We will take a step back from several typical applications to understand the dynamics relative to the sensor, make a checklist of considerations in selecting the appropriate sensor and sensor assembly, discuss the calibration equipment and techniques used in industrial sensor calibration, and highlight the management of the re-calibration process through to total quality assurance.