In this article we will discuss an infrared temperature measurement. How does it work? What are the challenges? How are limitations in temperature measurements overcome? Read more here!
Industrial temperature measurements are used for all kinds of measurements where the temperature of the object is crucial in production. It can be a measurement that prevents a maximum or minimum temperature from being exceeded or, for example, to monitor whether a product or surface has been heated evenly.
Industrial pyrometers measure and monitor in a non-contact manner, so that the object does not have to be touched. This prevents the influence of soft surfaces such as melted chocolate or danger to the sensor from very hot surfaces such as liquid metals. As a result, the measured temperature is that of the surface instead of the core temperature.
Below we explain step by step how an infrared temperature measurement works. In addition, we explain step by step what the challenges in the industry are and how these are technically bridged:
If you are able to start with the mounting and installation, it means you have already chosen the right temperature sensor for your application. Depending on the specifications of the sensor, it must be mounted at a correct height in relation to the object or surface to be measured. This is also referred to as the spot: the defined area from which the surface temperature is measured.
The surface the sensor looks at gives off heat radiation and can be measured. Yet it is not always that easy in practice. The radiation can be from the object, but it can also be reflected or transmitted by another heat source.
To reliably measure objects or surfaces with different types of heat emissivity a noteworthy solution is the i-Tec Cube P which can be used with thin materials from 1-2 mm.
The lens on the sensor directs the arriving infrared radiation to the photoreceptor in the housing. This is the part that converts the radiation into digital signals that can be interpreted.
In order to be able to process the signals further, they are amplified by a built-in amplifier. This ensures a usable signal to noise ratio.
The amplified signal can now be internally processed and evaluated. An output signal is generated depending on the set parameters.
For example, if the sensor is set to monitor the temperature with an upper limit of 100°C, different output signals will be sent for >100°C and <100°C.
