Unfortunately, standard test methods rarely match the heat transfer conditions of actual use and the published results do not always honestly convey the real-life performance of a sensor. Practically, inputs that are linear or close to linear with temperature can be used. The most important consideration from the time constant theory is that the farther the part geometry deviates from a simple lump of uniform material (and the more thermally resistive it becomes), the less constant the “time constant” is going to be.įor a rigorous approach, all sensor outputs should be converted to temperature before calculating the time constant. Even though most temperature sensors do not experience an instantaneous step change in temperature during actual use, the time constant is useful for comparing the relative performance of different sensor types or analyzing variation within a production batch.
Often engineers test this step change by rapidly inserting a sensor at room temperature into heated water or oil.
Sensor response time is an important performance parameter that is usually obtained by test measurements. Response time is described in terms of a time constant - which is the time necessary for a temperature sensor to respond to a 63.2% step change in temperature. That is, how quickly a temperature sensor measures change in temperature. An important performance characteristic of temperature sensors is response time.
