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GB2110871A - Protecting tube for a thermocouple - Google Patents

Protecting tube for a thermocouple Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2110871A
GB2110871A GB08136293A GB8136293A GB2110871A GB 2110871 A GB2110871 A GB 2110871A GB 08136293 A GB08136293 A GB 08136293A GB 8136293 A GB8136293 A GB 8136293A GB 2110871 A GB2110871 A GB 2110871A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
boron nitride
protecting tube
thermocouple
shell
platinum
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
GB08136293A
Other versions
GB2110871B (en
Inventor
Takashi Nakajima
Fujio Matsui
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Denka Co Ltd
Original Assignee
Denki Kagaku Kogyo KK
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Denki Kagaku Kogyo KK filed Critical Denki Kagaku Kogyo KK
Priority to GB08136293A priority Critical patent/GB2110871B/en
Publication of GB2110871A publication Critical patent/GB2110871A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of GB2110871B publication Critical patent/GB2110871B/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • GPHYSICS
    • G01MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01KMEASURING TEMPERATURE; MEASURING QUANTITY OF HEAT; THERMALLY-SENSITIVE ELEMENTS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • G01K1/00Details of thermometers not specially adapted for particular types of thermometer
    • G01K1/08Protective devices, e.g. casings
    • G01K1/12Protective devices, e.g. casings for preventing damage due to heat overloading
    • G01K1/125Protective devices, e.g. casings for preventing damage due to heat overloading for siderurgical use

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  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Measuring Temperature Or Quantity Of Heat (AREA)

Abstract

A protecting tube 10 for a thermocouple 3 comprises a shell 1 of boron nitride and a liner 2 of ceramics material. The ceramics material may be alumina, beryllia, silicon nitride, zirconia, silica, thoria, ythria or a mixture of two or more thereof. The liner may be formed by sintering or hot pressing ceramics powder, and the shell by moulding and machining, or deposition from gas. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Protecting tube for a thermocouple The invention relates to a protecting tube for a thermocouple used for measuring the temperature of very hot gases or molten metal.
Boron nitride withstands extremely high temperatures and has excellent resistance to thermal shock.
These properties make it a suitable material for protecting tubes for thermocouples, and it has found wide application in this sphere. Protecting tubes of boron nitride containing a thermocouple have been employed to measure high gas temperatures for example of helium or carbon monooxide, and temperatures of molten metals such as copper, silver, magnesium, zinc, aluminium or iron. Boron nitride is advantageous in that it does not react with such molten metal. However, the known boron nitride protecting tube has the disadvantage that boron nitride reacts with platinum, leading to breakdown of the platinum wire when boron nitride is used for the protecting tube for a platinum/platinumrhodium thermocouple. As a result, the lifetime of the platinum/platinum-rhodium thermocouple is shortened.
Although thermocouple protecting tubes made of alumina having a purity of not less than 99.5% or a composition mainly composed of molybdenum or zirconia are known, these materials are not so satisfactory for protecting tubes in that they are adversely affected by a change in temperature and often damaged or broken thereby.
The protecting tube for a thermocouple provided in accordance with this invention comprises a shell of boron nitride and a liner of ceramics material.
The boron nitride shell is preferably prepared by moulding boron nitride powders at a temperature above 1 500 C under a pressure of from 100 to 500 kg/cm2 to form a moulded block of hot-pressed boron nitride, cutting a rod having desired dimensions and shape from the moulded block, and boring the rod to form a tube. Atube having a bending strength of from about 600 to 1000 kg/cm2 can be prepared in this manner. However, the boron nitride shell may be prepared by other processes.For example, a moulded block may be prepared by mixing boron nitride powder with an inorganic binder, such aluminium phosphate or colloidal silica, or with an organic binder, such as polyvinyl alcohol or carboxymethyl cellulose, followed by moulding and then sintering under atmospheric pressure at a temperature above 1000 C, preferably above 150000.
The tube may be prepared through cutting and boring operations similar to the steps described above. Although the tube so prepared has a bending strength of about 100 kg/cm2, it may be satisfactorily used under conditions where the required strength is not so high. Otherwise, the shell may be prepared by applying a layer of boron nitride over the periphery of a core made of graphite by reacting boron trichloride and ammonia by gas phase reaction, and removing the core.
Irrespective of whether the shell is prepared by any of the aforementioned methods, it is desirable that the boron nitride constituting the shell has a density of 1.7 to 2.2 g/cm3, more preferably 1.75 to 1.85 g/cm3. The tube should desirably have good qualities of both spalling resistance and corrosion resistance, but these properties are generally contray to each other. That is, if the spalling resistance is improved, then the corrosion resistance becomes lower and vice versa. It has now been found that these two contrary properties are closely related to the density of the boron nitride used and that the two properties can be well balanced by controlling the density of boron nitride within the range above defined.
Suitable ceramics materials for the liner include alumina, beryllia, silicon nitride, zirconia, silica, thoria, yttria and mixtures of two or more thereof.
Alumina has the best properties, and is thus preferred. The liner may be prepared by sintering or hot-pressing ceramics powders with or without a binder, such as low melting point magnesia, yttria or alumina, under a pressure of from 50 to 500 kg/cm2 at a temperature above 1000"C, preferably above 1500"C. It is desirable that the shell and liner be closely contacted with each other in order to measure the temperature more precisely.
The protecting tube according to the invention may be used for the protection of a platinum/ piatinum-rhodium thermocouple, without breakdown ofthe platinum/platinum-rhodium wire as otherwise occurs when a conventional protecting tube made merely of boron nitride is used. A platinum/platinum-rhodium thermocouple protected by the protecting tube according to the invention can be repeatedly used for more than 200 times to measure the temperature of molten metals or the temperature in furnaces.
Although the protecting tube of the invention has been developed for platinum/platinum-rhodium thermocouples, it is also useful with other types of thermocouples, such as chromel-alumel, iron Constantan and copper-Constantan thermocouples.
The invention is illustrated by the drawing, which is a diagrammatical sectional view, partly broken away, of a preferred embodiment of a protecting tube for a thermocouple according to this invention.
Referring to the drawing, a protecting tube generally denoted by reference numeral 10 comprises a shell 1 of boron nitride, and a liner 2 of ceramics material mounted in contact with the shell 1. A platinum/platinum-rhodium thermocouple 3 fitted with alumina tubes 4 is loosely inserted into the liner 2, and at the end 5 of the shell 1 the thermocouple 3 is connected, by coupling means such as a bolt-andnut unit, with terminals fixedly mounted at the open end of the protecting tube 10.
1. A protecting tube for a thermocouple, the protecting tube comprising a shell of boron nitride and a liner of ceramics material.
2. A protecting tube according to claim 1 wherein the boron nitride has a density of 1.7 to 2.2 g/cm3.
3. A protecting tube according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the shell is formed by moulding boron
**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (9)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Protecting tube for a thermocouple The invention relates to a protecting tube for a thermocouple used for measuring the temperature of very hot gases or molten metal. Boron nitride withstands extremely high temperatures and has excellent resistance to thermal shock. These properties make it a suitable material for protecting tubes for thermocouples, and it has found wide application in this sphere. Protecting tubes of boron nitride containing a thermocouple have been employed to measure high gas temperatures for example of helium or carbon monooxide, and temperatures of molten metals such as copper, silver, magnesium, zinc, aluminium or iron. Boron nitride is advantageous in that it does not react with such molten metal. However, the known boron nitride protecting tube has the disadvantage that boron nitride reacts with platinum, leading to breakdown of the platinum wire when boron nitride is used for the protecting tube for a platinum/platinumrhodium thermocouple. As a result, the lifetime of the platinum/platinum-rhodium thermocouple is shortened. Although thermocouple protecting tubes made of alumina having a purity of not less than 99.5% or a composition mainly composed of molybdenum or zirconia are known, these materials are not so satisfactory for protecting tubes in that they are adversely affected by a change in temperature and often damaged or broken thereby. The protecting tube for a thermocouple provided in accordance with this invention comprises a shell of boron nitride and a liner of ceramics material. The boron nitride shell is preferably prepared by moulding boron nitride powders at a temperature above 1 500 C under a pressure of from 100 to 500 kg/cm2 to form a moulded block of hot-pressed boron nitride, cutting a rod having desired dimensions and shape from the moulded block, and boring the rod to form a tube. Atube having a bending strength of from about 600 to 1000 kg/cm2 can be prepared in this manner. However, the boron nitride shell may be prepared by other processes.For example, a moulded block may be prepared by mixing boron nitride powder with an inorganic binder, such aluminium phosphate or colloidal silica, or with an organic binder, such as polyvinyl alcohol or carboxymethyl cellulose, followed by moulding and then sintering under atmospheric pressure at a temperature above 1000 C, preferably above 150000. The tube may be prepared through cutting and boring operations similar to the steps described above. Although the tube so prepared has a bending strength of about 100 kg/cm2, it may be satisfactorily used under conditions where the required strength is not so high. Otherwise, the shell may be prepared by applying a layer of boron nitride over the periphery of a core made of graphite by reacting boron trichloride and ammonia by gas phase reaction, and removing the core. Irrespective of whether the shell is prepared by any of the aforementioned methods, it is desirable that the boron nitride constituting the shell has a density of 1.7 to 2.2 g/cm3, more preferably 1.75 to 1.85 g/cm3. The tube should desirably have good qualities of both spalling resistance and corrosion resistance, but these properties are generally contray to each other. That is, if the spalling resistance is improved, then the corrosion resistance becomes lower and vice versa. It has now been found that these two contrary properties are closely related to the density of the boron nitride used and that the two properties can be well balanced by controlling the density of boron nitride within the range above defined. Suitable ceramics materials for the liner include alumina, beryllia, silicon nitride, zirconia, silica, thoria, yttria and mixtures of two or more thereof. Alumina has the best properties, and is thus preferred. The liner may be prepared by sintering or hot-pressing ceramics powders with or without a binder, such as low melting point magnesia, yttria or alumina, under a pressure of from 50 to 500 kg/cm2 at a temperature above 1000"C, preferably above 1500"C. It is desirable that the shell and liner be closely contacted with each other in order to measure the temperature more precisely. The protecting tube according to the invention may be used for the protection of a platinum/ piatinum-rhodium thermocouple, without breakdown ofthe platinum/platinum-rhodium wire as otherwise occurs when a conventional protecting tube made merely of boron nitride is used. A platinum/platinum-rhodium thermocouple protected by the protecting tube according to the invention can be repeatedly used for more than 200 times to measure the temperature of molten metals or the temperature in furnaces. Although the protecting tube of the invention has been developed for platinum/platinum-rhodium thermocouples, it is also useful with other types of thermocouples, such as chromel-alumel, iron Constantan and copper-Constantan thermocouples. The invention is illustrated by the drawing, which is a diagrammatical sectional view, partly broken away, of a preferred embodiment of a protecting tube for a thermocouple according to this invention. Referring to the drawing, a protecting tube generally denoted by reference numeral 10 comprises a shell 1 of boron nitride, and a liner 2 of ceramics material mounted in contact with the shell 1. A platinum/platinum-rhodium thermocouple 3 fitted with alumina tubes 4 is loosely inserted into the liner 2, and at the end 5 of the shell 1 the thermocouple 3 is connected, by coupling means such as a bolt-andnut unit, with terminals fixedly mounted at the open end of the protecting tube 10. CLAIMS
1. A protecting tube for a thermocouple, the protecting tube comprising a shell of boron nitride and a liner of ceramics material.
2. A protecting tube according to claim 1 wherein the boron nitride has a density of 1.7 to 2.2 g/cm3.
3. A protecting tube according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the shell is formed by moulding boron nitride powders at a temperature above 1 500"C under a pressure of from 100 to 500 kg/cm2 to form a moulded block of boron nitride, cutting a rod having desired dimensions and shape from the block, and boring the rod to form a cylinder.
4. A protecting tube according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the shell is formed by filling a mixture of boron nitride powders and binder powders in a mould, sintering the mixture at a temperature above 1500"C under atmospheric pressure to form a sintered body having a desired shape, and boring to form a cylinder.
5. A protecting tube according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein the shell is formed by applying a layer of boron nitride over the periphery of a core made of graphite by reacting boron trichloride and ammonia by gas phase reaction, and removing the core.
6. A protecting tube according to any preceding claim wherein the ceramics material is alumina, beryllia, silicon nitride, zirconia, silica, thoria, yttria or a mixture of two or more thereof.
7. A protecting tube according to any preceding claim wherein the liner is formed by sintering ceramics powders with or without a binder at a temperature above 1000"C under a pressure of from 50 to 500 kg/cm2.
8. A protecting tube according to any of claims 1 to 6 wherein the liner is formed by hot-pressing ceramics powders with or without a binder at a temperature above 1000"C under a pressure of from 50 to 500 kg/cm2.
9. A protecting tube for a thermocouple, the protecting tube being substantially as described herein with reference to the drawing.
GB08136293A 1981-12-02 1981-12-02 Protecting tube for a thermocouple Expired GB2110871B (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB08136293A GB2110871B (en) 1981-12-02 1981-12-02 Protecting tube for a thermocouple

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB08136293A GB2110871B (en) 1981-12-02 1981-12-02 Protecting tube for a thermocouple

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB2110871A true GB2110871A (en) 1983-06-22
GB2110871B GB2110871B (en) 1985-09-18

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB08136293A Expired GB2110871B (en) 1981-12-02 1981-12-02 Protecting tube for a thermocouple

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GB (1) GB2110871B (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20170140902A1 (en) * 2015-11-16 2017-05-18 Coorstek, Inc. Corrosion-resistant components and methods of making

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20170140902A1 (en) * 2015-11-16 2017-05-18 Coorstek, Inc. Corrosion-resistant components and methods of making

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB2110871B (en) 1985-09-18

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PCNP Patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee