What is Temperature Controller ???

Do you know? All temperature controllers, from the basic to the most complex, function pretty much the similar way. But, before that, are you aware of temperature controller and its functions? If not, then below is the entire overview that I will provide you throughout this blog post. Temperature controller and its necessities are as follows:

What is temperature controller?

A temperature controller is a device utilized to hold the desired temperature at a specified value. The simplest example of a temperature controller is a thermostat commonly found in homes. For instance,

Hot Water Heater – It utilises a thermostat to control the temperature of the water and maintain it at a certain commanded temperature.

Oven – When a temperature is set for an oven, a controller observes the actual temperature inside of the oven. If it drops below the set temperature, it sends a signal to initiate the heater to raise the temperature back to the setpoint.

Refrigerator – If the temperature gets too high, the controller in the refrigerator initiates an action to bring the temperature down.

Air conditioner – If we keep our air conditioner on AUTO mode, we can experience it automatically goes On and OFF as per temperature of room.

Why do we require temperature controllers?

Temperature controllers are essential in any circumstance which requires the stability of a given temperature. This can be in a situation where an object is needed to be heated, cooled or both and to remain at the target temperature (setpoint), despite of the changing environment around it.

Uses of temperature controllers in Industries

Similar to common household applications, temperature controllers in the industry work much the same way. Temperature controllers in industries are used in wide varieties to control operations or manufacturing processes.

Some common uses for temperature controllers in the industry include packaging machines, thermo-forming machines, plastic extrusion and injection molding machines, food processing and food storage.

Common temperature controller applications in industries:

1. Packaging - In the packaging world, machinery equipped with hot melt functions, seal bars, glue applicators, label applicators or shrink wrap tunnels should function at specified temperatures and process time lengths. Temperature controllers exactly manage these functions to assure a high quality product output.

2. Food and Beverage -General food processing applications comprising temperature controllers involve blending, brewing, sterilization, and cooking and baking ovens. Controllers manage temperature and process time to assure best performance.

3. Healthcare - In health care industry temperature controllers are utilized to increase temperature control accuracy. Common equipment utilizing temperature controllers involve refrigeration equipment, laboratory and test equipment, incubators, autoclaves, and test chambers and crystallization growing chambers where tests must be run or specimens must be kept within designated temperature parameters.

4. Oven/Heat Treatment - Temperature controllers are used in heat-treating applications and in ovens within boilers, furnaces, heat exchangers, and ceramic kilns.

5. Plastics - Temperature control is common in the plastics industry on hoppers and dryers, portable chillers, instant water chillers and molding and extruding equipment. Temperature controllers in extruding equipment are utilized to exactly control and monitor temperatures at various vital points in the production of various grades of plastic.

Types of Controllers:

Temperature Controllers are of various different types which comprise of vast range of capabilities and features. In general, they are either single loop or multi-loop.

Type 1: Analog Controller

Analog Controller is the most basic and simplest type of controller. It is low cost, simple controller that is used majorly in unsophisticated or non-critical thermal systems to offer direct or reverse acting applications, simple ON-OFF temperature control.

Type 2: Limit Controller

A limit controller offers safety limit control over process temperature. These types of controllers are not capable enough to control temperature on their own.

Type 3: General Purpose Temperature Controller

General purpose temperature controller is used to control the industry’s most typical processes. It typically comes in an array of DIN sizes, have programmable output functions,and multiple outputs. These types of controllers can also perform PID control.

Type 4: Valve motor drive (VMD) Controller

Valve motor drive (VMD) controller is designed specifically to control valve motors utilized in manufacturing applications like gas burner control on a production line. It is a special type of general purpose controller.

Type 5: Profile Controller

Profile controller also referred to as ramp-soak controllers allow operators to program a number of set points and the time to set at each setpoint.

Applications of profile controller include:

● Complex process furnaces

● Annealing

● Heat treating

Conclusion:

Temperature control is one of the vital processes which will surely play a crucial role for many industries now as well as in the days ahead.