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Keeping Tabs on Temperature with NTC Thermistors | Electronic Design

Check out our Sensors Converge 2023 coverage.

The Internet of Things (IoT) ushered in the growth of sensors that track everything from the number of steps we take when walking to how much CO2 is in the air. Temperature sensors are right there in the mix, and negative temperature coefficient (NTC) thermistors offer one way to obtain that temperature information. NTC thermistors are used in many applications from medical to automotive systems. glass bead thermistor

Ametherm provides a range of NTC thermistors along with other temperature-sensing solutions. I talked with Conor Bujeaux, Senior Product Engineer at Ametherm, about the company’s PANR Series of NTC thermistor probes (see the video above).

The PANR Series consists of highly efficient NTC thermistor temperature sensors with a fast response time (see figure). The compact sensors come with ring lug terminals, making them easy to secure on surfaces. They’re available in many different housings and lead wire gauges.

The sensors support isolation voltage to 5 kV with a resistance at 25°C from 10 to 250 kΩ. They have a dissipation constant of 3 mW/°C and a thermal time constant of 40.0 sec. Beta runs from 3,000 K to 4,500 K, and the maximum power requirement is only 125 mW. Other series are available with different mounting styles.

The Steinhart-Hart equation is used to convert the output of the sensor to temperature. This can easily be implemented in even the smallest microcontroller, enabling developers to incorporate temperature sensors into their applications.

pt1000 Check out more of our Sensors Converge 2023 coverage.