Pyrometry: A Practical Treatise on the Measurement of High TemperaturesDarling, Charles R. (Charles Robert)
Science
Pyrometry: A Practical Treatise on the Measurement of High Temperatures
Darling, Charles R. (Charles Robert)
Pyrometry
Resistance pyrometers made by other firms differ in detail from the
foregoing. In the Siemens pyrometer the coil is wound on special
fireclay, and protected by an iron sheath, the space between the coil
and the sheath being filled with magnesia, which effectively prevents
the corrosion of the platinum; and compensation is effected by means
of a single wire passing down the centre and connected to one end of
the coil, a special form of Wheatstone bridge being used to take the
measurement. In the instruments made by R. W. Paul the coil is made
of flat strip rolled out from wire, wound on mica, and protected by
a silica tube and outer iron sheath. The Leeds-Northrup Company of
Philadelphia employ a rod of obsidian on which to wind the coil, and
also make a form in which the coil is wound so as to be
self-sustaining, thus dispensing with the support. In all cases the
coil is wound non-inductively, _i.e._ the wire is doubled before making
into a spiral.
The zero resistance of a given instrument depends upon the accuracy
of the measuring appliances used, and upon the degree of precision
it is desired to attain. If, for example, it is intended to read to
1°C., with appliances capable of measuring to 1/100 of an ohm, a
convenient zero resistance is 2·6 ohms; it being found that with pure
platinum the resistance rises from 2·6 ohms at 0° to 3·6 ohms at 100°
C., an increase of 1/100 of an ohm for 1° C. With coarser measuring
arrangements, for the same degree of precision, a correspondingly
higher zero resistance will be required; thus if 1/25 ohm be the least
amount detectable by the measuring device, a zero resistance of 10·4
ohms would enable 1° C. to be observed. It is evident that a suitable
zero resistance may be calculated similarly in all cases when the
limit of the measuring appliance is known, and the minimum temperature
interval specified.
For work above a red heat, the leads from the coil should always
be made of platinum. Copper leads, when heated, give off vapour in
sufficient quantity to attack the platinum; and the same applies to
a greater degree to all kinds of solder. For low temperature work,
however, copper leads may be used, thus reducing the cost of the
instrument. Mica, above 1000° C., tends to crumble; and most forms melt
at 1300° C. or lower; hence a mica-wound instrument should not be
used continuously above 1000° C. The fireclay winding used by Siemens
permits of occasional readings being taken up to 1400° C., and the same
applies to wires wound on obsidian (melting point = 1550° C.), or those
in which the coil is self-sustaining. As previously mentioned, however,
alterations in the platinum itself render continuous readings above
1000° C. inaccurate after a short time.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account