Environmental Conditions of Infrared Thermometers and Humidity Sensors
The environmental conditions in which the thermometer operates have a significant impact on measurement results and must be considered and properly addressed; otherwise, they will affect the temperature measurement accuracy and even cause damage to the instrument. When the ambient temperature is high and there are dust, smoke, or steam present, accessories provided by the manufacturer such as protective sleeves, water cooling systems, air cooling systems, and air purging systems can be used. These accessories effectively mitigate environmental interference, protect the thermometer, and enable accurate temperature measurement. When selecting accessories, standardized service should be requested as much as possible to reduce installation costs.
Under harsh conditions such as noise, electromagnetic fields, vibration, or hard-to-reach locations, or when smoke, dust, or other particulates degrade the measured energy signal, fiber-optic two-color thermometers are the optimal choice. Similarly, two-color thermometers are the preferred option. In environments with noise, electromagnetic fields, vibration, hard-to-reach locations, or other harsh conditions, optical two-color thermometers are recommended.
For applications involving sealed or hazardous materials (such as vessels or vacuum chambers), the thermometer observes the target through a window. The window material must have sufficient strength and be transparent to the working wavelength range of the thermometer. It is also necessary to determine whether operators need to observe the target through the window; thus, the appropriate installation position and window material should be selected to avoid mutual interference. For low-temperature measurement applications, Ge or Si are commonly used as window materials, which are opaque to visible light, making the target invisible to the naked eye through the window. If operators need to view the target through the window, optical materials that transmit both infrared radiation and visible light, such as ZnSe or BaF₂, should be used as window materials.(Note: The following product names are translated as per industry conventions: Ultrasonic Thickness Gauges, Portable Hardness Testers, Wear-Resistant Thermocouples, Infrared Thermometers, Liquid Level Sensors, PT100 RTDs, Humidity Sensors)
When flammable gases are present in the operating environment, intrinsically safe infrared thermometers can be selected for safe measurement and monitoring in flammable gas environments of specified concentrations.
In complex and harsh environmental conditions, systems with separate temperature-sensing heads and displays can be chosen for easier installation and configuration. Signal output formats compatible with existing control equipment can also be selected.
