Types of Temperature Sensors for Silicone Heaters

Temperature Sensors for Silicone Heaters

Custom Heaters and Research has multiple types of temperature sensors for silicone heaters. Each type of temperature sensor is typically installed onto the custom silicone heaters application:

1. Thermostats
2. RTDs
3. Thermistors
4. Thermocouples

Virtually any type of temperature sensor can be incorporated on to the heaters. These silicone heater temperature sensors can be designed to work with any of the custom heaters we provide or to work within a heating system of your choosing.

1. Thermostats
   • Mechanical devices which operate like a switch turning the heater on/off. Creep action, snap action and even manual re-set thermostats are commonly installed and integrated into the design of our Silicone Rubber Heaters.

2. RTDs & NTCs
   • An RTD (Resistance Temperature Detector) is a sensor whose resistance changes as its temperature changes. The resistance increases as the temperature of the sensor increases, NTCs decrease in resistance and the temperature decreases.  The resistance vs temperature relationship is well known and is repeatable over time. There are many types of RTDs, the most common for Custom Heaters and Research Inc. is the 100 Ohm RTD commonly referred to as a PT100. These sensors change resistance with temperature and allow a Temperature Controller to manage the process with great precision.

3. Thermistors
   • Working very much in the same way as RTDs, the main difference between thermistors and RTDs is the material they are made of. Thermistors are typically composed of mixed metal oxides, while RTDs are made of pure metal such as nickel or platinum. The material difference leads to different properties in temperature measurement.
   • Thermistors are temperature-dependent resistors, changing resistance with changes in temperature. They are very sensitive and react to very small changes in temperature. They are best used when a specific temperature needs to be maintained, and when monitoring temperatures within 50°C of ambient.

4. Thermocouples
   • A thermocouple is a sensor that measures temperature. It consists of two different types of metals, joined together at one end. When the junction of the two metals is heated or cooled, a voltage is created that can be correlated back to the temperature.