Thomas Global

10/26/2009

New two-wire loop powered infrared temperature sensor from Micro-Epsilon

Micro-Epsilon has expanded its range of non-contact infrared temperature sensors to include a new programmable, two-wire loop powered version.

The new thermoMETER CSmicro 2W sensor is a 4-20mA loop-powered device that measures temperatures from –30 deg C up to 1,600 deg C. The processing electronics are integrated in the cable itself, making the sensor one of the most compact, high accuracy, programmable pyrometers available on the market today.

Other sensors of a similar size currently available on the market do not have in-built processing/conditioning electronics to linearise the sensor output. This means the user has to linearise the output himself, which can be complex and time consuming.

With rugged silicon coated optics (15:1 or 75:1), the thermoMETER CSmicro 2W offers a system accuracy of ±1.0% and ± 0.3% of the reading respectively. The sensor can be used in ambient temperatures of up to 130 deg C without having to cool the sensor head.

A two-wire loop powered sensor extracts the power it needs to operate its electrical circuits from the loop itself. There is no separate power feed from the analogue input card or from anywhere else. The current that the device draws becomes part of the 4-20mA that flows in the loop, therefore the device does not require more than 4mA to operate. This means the number of wires and connections are reduced. Two-wire loop powered sensors are predominantly used by the process manufacturing industry, including oil and gas, petrochemicals, chemicals and power generation companies.

With the thermoMETER CS micro 2W, an optional USB connection and Micro-Epsilon’s CompactConnect software enable the user to set up and configure the sensor or to change the emissivity to suit the target material. The USB interface enables the user to connect to a PC or laptop in order to configure the temperature range and output span of the sensor or to download new parameters. The free software includes analysis functions such as a graphical display that shows temperature trends and enables automatic data logging for analysis and documentation.