Temperature Sensor

1. What is a temperature sensor?

A temperature sensor is a device that measures the temperature of an object.

The temperature sensor itself does not have the ability to indicate the temperature value. If you want to indicate this value, you can use our temperature indicators or temperature controllers, which can convert the electrical signal of the temperature sensor into a visible and measurable numerical value and display it on the screen of the indicator.

2. Temperature sensor types

There are many types of temperature sensors, the most common types include the following three, they are:

1. Thermocouples, which measure temperature through the thermoelectric effect. You can see our J-type and K-type thermocouples at the bottom of this page. Further, our thermocouples can be divided into probe type, ring type and screw type;
2. Thermistor, which is a component that measures temperature based on the property that resistance changes with temperature. There are two main types of thermistors: negative temperature coefficient (NTC) and positive temperature coefficient (PTC). Among them, the resistance value of NTC thermistors decreases as the temperature increases, while the resistance value of PTC thermistors increases as the temperature increases;
3. Resistance temperature detector (RTD) detects temperature through changes in metal resistance. The temperature measurement accuracy of RTD is higher than the previous two, but at the same time, the price is also higher.

3. How does a temperature sensor work?

Different types of temperature sensors work differently, but at their core they all share the same principle: measuring heat and converting it into an electrical signal.

For more information on how thermocouples work, see our article: Thermocouple Types: Everything You Need To Know.

Thermistors and thermal resistors (RTDs) work on the same principle, and as mentioned above, when the temperature changes, the resistance changes. By measuring the resistance and looking at its resistance vs. temperature curve, we can easily get the temperature value.

4. How to choose and use a temperature sensor?

Different temperature sensors have their own advantages and disadvantages. If you have any questions about the selection and use of temperature sensors, please contact us for consultation.

Lorentzzi Industrial Supply not only provides high-quality products, but also provides complete heating equipment solutions. Contact us to discuss your project now!