NTC Thermistors
Application Notes
RS
LIQUID LEVEL OR FLOW DETECTION
The dissipation of a thermistor is significantly different in a
liquid or in a gas, in a static fluid or in a stirred one. A liquid
level detector or a gas–flow measurement can be designed
using this property.
RNTC
V
Vin
In Figure 11, the output voltage measured on the thermistor
depends upon the dissipation factor of its environment, and
can be illustrated by V-l curves (Figure 12).
Figure 11
This voltage can be used to detect the presence (V2) or
absence (V1) of liquid around the thermistor or measure the
flow speed.
Voltage
V
in
A good design should define a precise operating temperature
range, where dissipation in the high dissipating medium at
highest ambient temperature remains higher than the dissipa-
tion in low dissipating medium at lowest ambient temperature.
V
2
1
V
k
k
2
1
SURGE PROTECTION
A soft start of sensitive apparatus can be achieved by using
NTC thermistors as described in Figures 13 and 14.
V
Current
in/R
S
Figure 12
At turn-on, the NTC absorbs the surge current, limits the
current across the equipment and protects it. Then, the
thermistor heats, its resistance decreases and most of the
power becomes applied to the apparatus.
RNTC
In its design, the thermistor will be selected with a thermal
capacity higher than the surge energy to absorb.
Equipment
Figure 13
TIME DELAY
The current-time characteristic of a thermistor is used in time
delay applications such as delaying energization of a relay
after application of power to an electrical circuit.
Power
Unprotected equipment
Protected equipment
The time delay, time necessary for the thermistor to heat up
to the temperature where its resistance allows the current to
reach the switching value of the relay, is mainly defined with
the nominal resistance of the thermistor.
NTC absorbed power
The time delay is also strongly dependent upon the ambient
temperature, as shown in Figure 15.
Time
Figure 14
T = 50°C
Current
T = 40°C
T = 25°C
Time
Figure 15
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