Temperature measuring method and apparatus
AssigneeTeledyne Isotopes
InventorsVictor R. Lougheed, John W. McGrew
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A thermoelectric temperature sensing apparatus in which the thermoelectric reference junction is not maintained at a constant temperature but instead heat is supplied to it or extracted from it at a predetermined, preferably constant, rate by a heater or cooler. The open circuit output voltage of the apparatus is referenced to this predetermined rate of heat supply or extraction to determine the temperature of the other thermoelectric junction. Where the heater or cooler is input responsive, the output voltage of the thermoelectric circuit is referenced to the heater or cooler input.
Claims21
A temperature measuring system comprising thermoelectric sensing means having opposed junctions, said sensing means being adapted to generate an open circuit output voltage dependent on the temperature difference, hence heat flow, between said junctions, means for supplying heat to or extracting heat from said sensing means at a predetermined rate through one of said junctions, means for measuring the open circuit output voltage of said sensing means and means for relating the measured open circuit output voltage of said sensing means to said predetermined rate of heat supply or heat extraction for determining the temperature of said other of said junctions.
A method of measuring temperature comprising the following steps:
- providing thermoelectric sensing means having opposed junctions, said sensing means being adapted to generate an open circuit output voltage dependent on heat flow through said sensing means between said junctions, exposing one of said junctions to a temperature to be measured while supplying heat to or extracting heat from said sensing means at a predetermined rate through the other of said junctions, measuring the open circuit output voltage of said sensing means and relating the measured voltage to said predetermined rate of heat supply or heat extraction to determine the temperature of said one of said junctions.
An apparatus for use in measuring temperature comprising an enclosed heat-conducting housing means, thermoelectric sensing means within said housing means, said sensing means having opposed junctions, one of said junctions being in heat conducting relationship with said housing means, the other of said junctions being effectively heat-insulated from said housing means, a heater means within said housing means adapted to supply heat at a predetermined rate to the other of said junctions, said heater means being in heat-conducting relationship with said other of said junctions and being effectively heat-insulated from said housing means, and output means leading through the housing means from the electrical circuitry of said thermoelectric sensing means for measuring the open circuit output voltage of said sensing means.
An apparatus for use in measuring temperature comprising an enclosed heat-conducting housing means, thermoelectric sensing means within said housing means, said sensing means having opposed junctions, one of said junctions being in heat-conducting relationship with said housing means, the other of said junctions being effectively heat-insulated from said housing means, a cooling means within said housing means adapted to extract heat at a predetermined rate from the other of said junctions, said cooling means being in heat-conducting relationship with said other of said junctions and being effectively heat-insulated from said housing means, and output means leading through the housing means from the electrical circuitry of said thermoelectric sensing means for measuring the open circuit output voltage of said sensing means.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.