Abstract
This paper presents a high-temperature probe suitable for operating in harsh industrial applications as a reliable alternative to low-lifespan conventional solutions, such as thermocouples. The temperature sensing element is a Schottky diode fabricated on 4H-SiC wafers, with Ni as the Schottky metal, which allows operation at temperatures up to 400 °C, with sensitivities over 2 mV/°C and excellent linearity (R2 > 99.99%). The temperature probe also includes dedicated circuitry for signal acquisition and conversion to the 4 mA–20 mA industrial standard output signal. This read-out circuit can be calibrated for linear response over a tunable temperature detection range. The entire system is designed for full electrical and mechanical compatibility with existing conventional probe casings, allowing for seamless implementation in a factory’s sensor network. Such sensors are tested alongside standard thermocouples, with matching temperature monitoring results, over several months, in real working conditions (a cement factory), up to 400 °C.
Highlights
Temperature sensors are required in virtually all monitoring applications, irrespective of investigated settings [1]
This paper demonstrates the viability of Silicon carbide (SiC)-Schottky diode-based high-temperature sensors in industrial applications, which are fully electrically and mechanically compatible with existing probes
The proposed sensing element of the temperature probe is a SiC-Schottky diode, due to its ability to operate at elevated temperatures
Summary
Temperature sensors are required in virtually all monitoring applications, irrespective of investigated settings [1]. As advancements in regulations targeting the minimization of industrial impact on the environment are carried out, precise temperature control and energy efficiency have become essential research topics, which exert ever-growing standards from temperature sensors [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19] This aspect works in tandem with the fact that most industrial processes demand careful monitoring of temperature levels in order to ensure optimal quality and yield [1,6]. Industrial working conditions often include elevated heat levels, strong vibrations, corrosion, erosion (etc.), which exact a heavy toll on the Sensors 2019, 19, 2384; doi:10.3390/s19102384 www.mdpi.com/journal/sensors
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