Temperature sensors are specialised tools designed for measuring temperatures within liquids, solids, and the air. They have broad applications across industries, assisting with everything from healthcare checks to food quality monitoring.
This article will discuss the most common applications of temperature sensors. With this information under your belt, you should have no trouble deciding if temperature probes are a smart investment for your business. And luckily you can choose from a large range at any reputable supplier like RS Components.
- Automotive manufacturing
The automotive manufacturing industry typically uses temperature sensors to monitor the temperature of engine parts. The devices can also detect potential leaks in heating or cooling systems and other connections within a vehicle.
Temperature monitoring within this industry is essential because overheating can cause irreparable damage to engine parts. Thankfully, a high-quality sensor can quickly detect and report temperature changes before the heat reaches a catastrophic level.
Contact temperature sensors like thermocouples are a popular and inexpensive for automotive applications.
- Food service and manufacturing
Temperature sensors are critical tools for food service and manufacturing industries, ensuring foods and beverages remain at safe temperatures for storage and consumption.
Many food manufacturing plants and restaurants will use temperature sensors to automatically monitor food temperatures. These temperatures are periodically recorded and sent by the device to an internal database. When food temperatures rise above or fall below a set threshold, the sensor automatically alerts workers, preventing health issues or product loss.
The best choice of sensor for food industry application is a stainless steel sensor with a high sanitary rating. These sensors are specifically designed to withstand pressure and temperature related to food production and have in-built barriers to prevent contamination.
- Healthcare and medical
Temperature sensors can monitor patient health and detect viruses, fevers, hypothermia, and other medical issues within the healthcare and medical industries. For example, you may have seen health professionals using handheld temperature sensors to detect if a person is suffering from COVID-19 or a similar influenza-like virus.
Thermal imaging tools can also detect other problems such as severe inflammation in patients during surgery. These temperature sensors are ‘non-contact’, meaning they use thermal radiation to measure temperature from a safe distance.
- Heating and cooling (HVAC)
Heating and cooling systems must detect temperatures within a room to achieve optimal temperature levels. This factor is especially true for modern systems that can maintain consistent internal temperatures year-round.
Temperature sensors can also detect leaks by identifying unexpected temperature changes, saving businesses thousands in potential repair or replacement costs.
- Chemical industries
The chemical industry relies on precise, high-quality sensors to measure extremely high temperatures and monitor chemical reactions. They also play a central role in gas chromatography, a technique used to separate chemical components within a mixture.
For chemical applications, businesses must choose temperature sensors with broad measuring ranges and resistance to environmental hazards like extreme temperatures, dust, and debris.
Conclusion
To summarise, temperature sensors have many applications across commercial, industrial, and scientific spaces. Their ease of use and accuracy make them a popular choice for everything from automotive manufacturing to medical care and food service.