Temperature Monitoring
Temperature monitoring is omnipresent in practically any industrial field. Temperatures are measured to ensure the optimal operating conditions of equipment, provide the best growing environment for plants, ensure the safe storage of food items, and much more. It is not surprise, then, that Tibbo Project System (TPS) devices offer multiple and varied ways of measuring temperatures. Read on to learn more.
Temperature Monitoring Methods in TPS Devices
- Use a Sensor Tibbit
- Use a Cable Probe (CP)
- Use a Bus Probe (BP)
- Use a 1-Wire Sensor
- Use an RTD Sensor
- Use a Third-Party Modbus Sensor
Use a Sensor Tibbit
Measures: Air (ambient) temperature.
Tibbits #29 and #30 allow you to measure air temperatures in the immediate vicinity of your TPS device. A Tibit #00-3 is requires for each sensor Tibbit #29 or #30.
Pros:
- Your TPS system remains fully integrated.
- No external cabling or devices will be needed.
- Attractive price point
Con:
- Measurements may be affected by the internal heat generated by your TPS device.
Use a Cable Probe (CP)
Measures: Air (ambient) temperature.
Cable Probes #01 and #02, also manufactured by Tibbo, allow you to measure air temperatures at some distance from a TPS device. Tibbits #00-3 and #20 (or #21) are required for connecting the cable probes to a TPS.
Pros:
- Using an external temperature probe eliminates the TPS' influence on the measurements.
- The probe can be positioned at the required location.
Con:
- The distance between the probe and the TPS is limited to the cable's length, which is 100cm (40").
Use a Bus Probe (CP)
Measures: Air (ambient) temperature.
Bus Probes #01 and #02, also made by Tibbo, allow you to measure air temperatures at significant distances from a TPS device. Bus Probes are Modbus RS485 devices, which allows you to locate them at distances of up to 50 meters (160') from the TPS. In addition, multupe probes can operate on a single RS485 bus. Tibbits #05 and #20 (or #21) are required for connecting the Bus Probes to a TPS.
Pros:
- May be placed at a significant (up to 50m/160') distance from the TPS device.
- Multiple Probes can operate on a single RS485 bus.
Con:
- Higher cost.
Use a 1-Wire Sensor
Measures: Air (ambient) temperature or an object temperature.
1-wire sensors are very popular in temperature monitoring applications. Compared to Modbus RS485 probes, they enable even longer distances from the TPS. Like RS485 products, 1-wire devices are "multi-drop," which means that multiple sensors can operate on a single bus. Tibbits #62 and #20 (or #21) are required for connecting 1-wire sensors to a TPS.
Pros:
- Allows for even longer distances between the sensors and the TPS device.
- Multiple sensors can operate on a single bus.
Use an RTD Semsor
Measures: Air (ambient) temperature or an object temperature.
RTD sensors are great for measuring temperatures in a wide range of applications. The combined range of RTD sensors supported by TPS spands the range from -200C to +1000C! This enables the temperature measurement in applications exhibiting temperatures that cannot be handled by IC-based sensors. Tibbits #22 and #20 (or #21) are required for connecting RTD sensors to a TPS.
Pros:
- Measures a wide range of temperatures
Con:
- May be less accurate that IC-based measurement techniques.
Use a Third-Party Modbus Sensor
AppBlocks and TPS devices offer a very strong support for third-party Modbus equipment. Practically any slave RS485 Modbus device can be connected to a TPS unit. Tibbits #05 and #20 (or #21) are required for connecting RS485 Modbus devices to a TPS.
Pro:
- Complete flexibility in choosing the Modbus temperature sensor.
Con:
- You will need to manually set up this Modbus device's registers and data conversion in your AppBlocks application.