Temperature Measurement · Glossary

What is a Temperature Transmitter?

RTD or thermocouple to 4 to 20 mATemperature Measurement

A temperature transmitter converts an RTD or thermocouple signal into a robust 4 to 20 mA or digital signal for the control system.

Temperature Transmitter Explained

Transmitters linearise the sensor curve, compensate cold junction or lead resistance, isolate the signal and detect sensor failure. Head mount, rail mount and field mount types exist.

Configuration sets the sensor type, wiring, range and failure direction. NAMUR NE43 defines the fault currents.

Temperature Transmitter Formula

I = 4 + 16 × (T − LRV) ÷ (URV − LRV)

I	output current (mA)
LRV, URV	temperatures at 4 and 20 mA

Example: Range 0 to 200 °C, 75 °C: I = 4 + 16 × 0.375 = 10 mA.

Calculators for Temperature Transmitter

CalculatorTemperature Transmitter CalculatorFree online calculator with formula and worked example.CalculatorAnalog Scaling CalculatorFree online calculator with formula and worked example.CalculatorNAMUR NE43 CheckerFree online calculator with formula and worked example.

Free Downloads

Free downloadTemperature Transmitter Datasheet TemplateFree download in Excel and PDF.Free downloadTemperature Transmitter Calibration Report FormatFree download in Excel and PDF.Free downloadTemperature Transmitter Calibration SOPFree step by step procedure, Word and PDF.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Temperature Transmitter?

A temperature transmitter converts an RTD or thermocouple signal into a robust 4 to 20 mA or digital signal for the control system.

What is sensor break detection?

The transmitter checks for an open sensor and drives the output upscale or downscale, as configured.

Why calibrate transmitter and sensor together?

A loop calibration with the sensor in a dry block checks the whole chain, not just the electronics.

Learn more on the blog

Temperature transmitter configuration: 4 to 20 mA ranging and HART setup

A practical guide on instrumentationblog.in with more detail on temperature transmitter and how it is applied on real plants.

Read Full Article

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