Modified thermocouple assembly

A thermocouple assembly comprising:

• more than two thermocouples of the same type or different types for indicating desired temperatures, wherein said thermocouples are referred to as desired TCs;
• thermocouple wires extending from the desired TCs to a first block;
• a useful thermocouple (useful TC) in the first block or elsewhere for each pair of desired TCs, wherein a leg from each of the pair of desired TCs is connected to the useful TC, and wherein at least a leg each from two desired TCs are connected to first and last separate and independent terminals, respectively, in the first block;
• a second block;
• compensated extension wires or cables joined together at one end to form each of the useful TCs, wherein the compensated extension wires or cables extend to separate and independent terminals in the second block, wherein the compensated extension wire or cable does not have the same thermo-electric properties as the thermocouple wires;
• first and last extension wires or cables connecting the first and last terminals, respectively, in the first block to separate and independent terminals in the second block;
• and
• equipment operatively connected to the second block and/or to the terminals in the second block that is designed and configured to measure, determine and/or estimate the desired temperatures and temperatures at the useful TCs.

A thermocouple assembly comprising:

• thermocouples TC1 and TC2 for indicating temperatures T1 and T2, respectively, wherein TC1 is formed at a junction of thermoelements TE1 and TE2, wherein TC1 is a Type12 thermocouple, wherein TC2 is formed at a junction of thermoelements TE3 and TE4, wherein TC2 is a Type34 thermocouple;
• proximal and distal isothermal blocks with respect to TC1 and TC2;
• a thermocouple TC3 formed at a junction of thermoelements TE5 and TE6 and located in the proximal block, wherein thermocouple TC3 is a Type56 thermocouple, wherein thermoelements TE5 and TE6 terminate at terminals TRM1 and TRM2 in the distal block, respectively,
• wherein thermoelement TE2 from TC1 and thermoelement TE3 from TC2 are connected to thermocouple TC3,
• wherein thermoelement TE1 from TC1 and thermoelement TE4 from TC2 are connected to terminals TRM3 and TRM4 in the proximal block, respectively;
• a strand of thermoelement TE5 extends between terminal TRM3 and a terminal TRM5 in the distal block;
• a strand of thermoelement TE6 extends between terminal TRM4 and a terminal TRM6 in the distal block;
• and
• equipment operatively connected to the distal block and/or to the terminals in the distal block that is designed and configured to measure, determine and/or estimate the temperatures T1 and T2.

A thermocouple assembly comprising:

• thermocouples TC1 and TC2 to TCn for measuring temperatures T1 and T2 through Tn, respectively, wherein TC1 is formed at a junction of thermoelements TE1 and TE2, wherein TC1 is a Type12 thermocouple, wherein TC2 is formed at a junction of thermoelements TE3 and TE4, wherein TC2 is a Type34 thermocouple, wherein each of the thermocouples from TC2 to TCn is made in a manner similar to TC1 and TC2, and wherein the thermocouples TC1 and TC2 to TCn can be the same or different or a variety of types of thermocouples;
• proximal and distal isothermal blocks with respect to TC1 and TC2;
• a thermocouple TCp formed at a junction of thermoelements TE5 and TE6 and located in the proximal block, wherein thermocouple TCp is a Type56 thermocouple, wherein thermoelements TE5 and TE6 terminate at terminals TRM1 and TRM2 in the distal block, respectively,
• wherein thermoelement TE2 from TC1 and thermoelement TE3 from TC2 are connected to thermocouple TCp;
• a total of n−1 thermocouple junctions including the junction for thermocouple TCp between one or more temperature measurement zones and the distal block, wherein a thermoelement from one of the thermocouples and a thermoelement from another one of the thermocouples between the thermocouples TC2 and TCn is connected to each of the thermocouple junctions between the one or more temperature measurement zones and the distal block,
• wherein each of the n−1 thermocouple junctions is formed by a pair of compensated thermoelements, wherein each strand in a pair of compensated thermoelements extends from its respective thermocouple junction in or associated with the proximal block to a separate and independent terminal in the distal block,
• wherein a thermoelement from TC1 is connected to a terminal TRM3 in the proximal block, and wherein a thermoelement used to make the thermocouple junction TCn is connected to a terminal TRM4 in the proximal block;
• a strand of a first thermoelement extends between terminal TRM3 and a terminal TRM5 in the distal block;
• and
• a strand of a second thermoelement extends between terminal TRM4 in the proximal block and a terminal TRMn in the distal block,
• wherein a circuit can be formed from each of the thermocouples TC1 and TC2 to TCn to terminals in the distal block, wherein the circuit comprises a pair of compensated thermoelements that form their respective thermocouple and extend from the respective thermocouple to separate terminals or thermocouples in or associated with the proximal block, and wherein the circuit further comprises a pair of uncompensated thermoelements that extend from said separate terminals or thermocouples in the proximal block to separate and independent terminals in the distal block.