Temperature gauges play a critical role in various applications, from home heating systems to industrial processes. When it comes to picking the perfect temperature gauge, there are a few important things to keep in mind. Accuracy, reliability, and compatibility with your specific requirements are all key factors.
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Car dashboards are equipped with a special temperature gauge that keeps an eye on the engine coolant temperature. Medical facilities have a wide range of tools to measure body temperature. You can find a handy water temperature gauge in a professional plumbing toolkit. It’s designed specifically for measuring the temperature of water in pipes and ducting. This gauge even includes flow and return thermometers, making it a versatile tool for any plumbing job.
Here’s a comprehensive buyer’s guide to a temperature gauge to help you make an informed decision:
Select a temperature gauge that matches the level of precision required for your specific application. Some important tasks may need very precise tools, but regular tasks can work well with normal accuracy tools.
Consider the speed at which your temperature gauge responds to changes. Opt for gauges with rapid response times for real-time monitoring in dynamic processes. This will help you get temperature readings that are both accurate and on time.
Determine the mounting type suitable for your specific application. The ease of installation is important, regardless of whether it’s surface-mounted, threaded, or flanged. Make sure that the mounting you choose fits perfectly with your equipment or system setup.
Please evaluate how well the temperature gauge can withstand environmental challenges. Certain gauges are designed to endure tough conditions, like environments prone to corrosion or being exposed to water. Selecting a gauge that is specifically designed for your environmental conditions can help improve its durability and lifespan.
Tailor your choice based on the visibility and readability requirements. Analog gauges should have scales that are clear and easy to read, while digital gauges should have a digital display that is crisp and easy to understand.
Make sure the display style you choose matches your preferences and meets your operational requirements.
Gauge maintenance is a critical consideration. There are temperature gauges that require very little maintenance, while others might need occasional calibration or adjustments. Make sure you understand the maintenance requirements and choose the appropriate option based on your ability to handle it.
Certification ensures that the temperature gauge meets recognized standards, instilling confidence in the reliability of your temperature readings.
Establish a budget aligned with your application’s requirements. Although there are cost-effective options available, it’s important to find a temperature gauge that is both affordable and has all the necessary features. This way, you can meet your needs without spending extra money.
In industrial settings, prioritize safety features. Look for temperature gauges that have over-range protection or alarms for extreme temperatures. These features improve process safety by alerting operators about possible issues before they worsen.
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Design engineers use thermal management materials to improve the thermal performance of products. These materials are not a substitute for strong designs or the use of other cooling strategies. Yet thermal management materials are an essential part of safe, reliable, and effective products.
Gluespec is the place to find thermal adhesives, thermal interface materials, and thermally conductive encapsulants. The materials and manufacturers in our database are not limited to specific suppliers, and data is quality-checked and updated as needed whenever new data sheets or product specifications are released.
In this Thermal Management Buyers Guide, we explain what you need to know when searching for and selecting these products. First, we’ll cover some key concepts and their relationship with product selection.
What is Thermal Management?
What is Heat Transfer?
Methods of Heat Transfer
Heat Transfer in Electronics
What is Thermal Conductivity (TC)
TC Values and Material Replacements
TC Values and Temperature Ranges
TC Testing and Test Methods
Thermally Conductive Fillers
What are Heat Spreaders and Heat Sinks
What is Heat Dissipation?
What is Thermal Resistance?
What is Temperature Rating?
What is Shelf Life?
What are Thermal Adhesives?
Bond Line Thickness
What are Thermal Interface Materials?
What are Thermal Encapsulants?
Finding Thermal Management Materials
Thermal management is about controlling the temperature of components, systems, and devices to ensure that they operate safely, reliably, and efficiently. It’s especially important in the electronics, manufacturing, automotive, and aerospace industries because excessive heat can reduce performance, cause malfunctions, or result in premature failure.
Thermal management starts with recognizing where and how much heat is produced, such as from processors, power supplies, motors, or batteries. Heat naturally flows from hotter to colder regions, but passive cooling usually is not enough. That’s why design engineers use thermal management materials to promote heat transfers and help dissipate heat into the environment.
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The size of area that you’re trying to cool, the thickness of the thermal management material, and the temperature change are also key considerations. Of course, there could also be issues in your design, such as the location of a heat source. Qualifying a thermal management material for an application is the engineer’s responsibility, but this Thermal Management Buyer’s Guide can help.
Heat transfer is the exchange of thermal energy between physical objects. According to the second law of thermodynamics, heat naturally moves from a hotter object or area to a colder one. Consider an example from the internal combustion engine. If the temperature of a piston is 300°C and the temperature of a cylinder is 100°C, then heat from the piston flows to the cylinder. A related concept, the heat transfer path, describes the specific route through which heat energy moves.
There are three methods of heat transfer.
In general, most heat transfer occurs through conduction.
The following diagram shows heat transfer paths and methods of transfer from a cylindrical capacitor that’s mounted to a printed circuit board (PCB). Through conduction, heat travels from the capacitor to the PCB. Yet heat is also radiated from the capacitor into the surrounding air. Convection, typically with a fan or blower, moves airborne heat to the immediate surroundings.
Image Credit: RECOM
Thermal conductivity (TC) is a measure of the ability to transfer heat. It’s expressed in watts per meter Kelvin and abbreviated as W/mK. Because air has a relatively low TC of 0.01 W/mK, it’s not the most efficient way to move heat. Polymers like the ones used in some PCB substrates also have a low TC. However, metals and ceramics have a relatively high thermal conductivity. Diamond is the world’s most thermally conductive substance and has TC of W/mK.
Thermal conductivities of various materials
If you’re replacing a thermal management material, there’s more to consider than just matching the existing TC specification. Depending on when the product that you’re replacing was introduced, TC testing may have been performed with equipment that’s now out-of-date. Inaccurate test data isn’t the only risk. Off-the-shelf materials aren’t usually tested for customer-specific applications. Therefore, what’s on a data sheet doesn’t guarantee a product’s performance with your design.
It’s also important to consider that thermal conductivity decreases as temperature increases. In other words, the TC of a material falls as the temperature rises. If your application has temperatures that range from 25°C to 125°C, for example, a thermally conductive material will move more heat at 25°C and less heat at 125°C.
If you’re wondering whether a product is the right choice, consider using a testing service like ResinLab. The company uses a Hot Disk® TPS S analyzer to measure thermal properties, including thermal conductivity, with high accuracy and reproducibility. In a typical test configuration, two identical specimens are tested, prepared as disc-shaped pucks of material, and compressed. A thin-film sensor is used for measurements.
The TPS S has a thermal conductivity range of 0.005 to W/mK. Image Credit: Hot Disk
Many of the thermally conductive materials you’ll find on Gluespec consist of a polymer and specialized filler such as a metal-containing compound. For example, epoxies normally have low thermal conductivity. With the addition of 70% aluminum oxide, however, epoxy systems can have a TC of 1.4 W/mk. Products that are 80% diamond-filled can have a TC of 4 W/mk but are considerably more expensive.
Thermal conductivity in epoxy systems varies by filler material and the percent fill.
The differences between fillers like 70% aluminum oxide and 80% diamond might seem a lot, but they’re small when compared to the thermal conductivities of the materials used in heat spreaders and heat sinks. Both types of devices are used widely in electronics, and in conjunction with the type of thermal management materials you’ll find on Gluespec.
Heat spreaders distribute heat evenly across large surface areas. They’re typically made of graphite (800 W/mK and up), aluminum (237 W/Mk), or other materials with relatively high thermal conductivities. By avoiding localized hot spots, heat spreaders also make it easier for other thermal management products or devices to work more efficiently. In turn, heat spreaders help to prevent damage to sensitive components.
Graphene-Aluminum heat spreader. Image Credit: Reddit
Heat sinks absorb heat from a source and help move it to a cooler area where it can be dissipated. In electronics, a heat source such as a CPU typically sits atop a heat sink made of a metal with a high thermal conductivity. Heat moves into a heat sink via conduction, the diffusion of thermal energy between materials that are in contact with each other. To fill the air gaps between heat sources and heat sinks, thermal management materials are used.
Image Credit: Tacia
Heat dissipation is the process of moving heat away from its source and into the surrounding area. A related concept, the heat dissipation path, describes the specific route that heat takes to move from a source to its environment. Along with unpowered devices like heat sinks and heat spreaders, powered devices such as fans, pumps, or thermoelectric coolers help move heat. Because air is a good insulator and has a high thermal resistance, powered devices like fans help physically move airborne heat.
Thermal resistance is the inverse of thermal conductivity. In other words, it’s a measure of the ability to resist the flow of heat. Because the thermal resistance of air is relatively high, thermally conductive materials are used to fill air gaps between heat sources and heat sinks. On data sheets, thermal resistance is given in kelvins per watt (K/W) or degrees Celsius per watt (°C/W).
Temperature rating is the maximum temperature that a material can withstand under specific conditions, often for shorter durations. It can be higher than the continuous operating temperature, which is the maximum temperature that a material can withstand over an extended period without degrading significantly or losing its intended properties.
On data sheets, temperature rating is a specification to consider with care because some manufacturers do not list a test method. Underwriter’s Laboratories’ (UL) Relative Thermal Index (RTI) is useful because it measures a material’s ability to withstand high temperatures over a long period of time while also testing the material’s properties at different temperatures.
Remember that the thermal conductivity of a material decreases as temperature increases. This is especially important if your application has a range of operating temperatures rather than a single continuous operating temperature. When in doubt, testing a thermal management material can provide the results you need for product qualification.
Shelf life is the length of time that a material can meet its original specifications while stored in a certain container under certain conditions. In general, a thermal management material that is stored properly can have a long shelf life; however, exposure to high or low temperatures, moisture, humidity, sunlight, or ozone can all reduce shelf life. With liquid products, there’s a risk that thermally conductive fillers could settle and render a product unusable. Specialty packaging may also change shelf life.
Thermal adhesives bond heat-generating components to heat sinks. They eliminate the need for clips, screws, or rivets and support smaller, lighter products. Most thermal adhesives are liquids, but tapes and films are also available.
Gluespec’s Thermal Adhesives Guide provides additional information, including technical specs and videos. Here are some examples of the types of thermal adhesives you’ll find on Gluespec.
Explore All Thermal Adhesives
Here are some additional resources about thermal adhesives.
With thermal adhesives, design engineers must consider bond line thickness. As a rule, thinner bond lines dissipate heat more effectively than thicker ones. In general, the minimum recommended bond line thickness for an adhesive is 5 mil; however, testing may be performed over a range of 5 and 20 mils. In addition to achieving the proper bond line thickness, it’s important to maintain this thickness across the entire bond line for effective heat transfer.
To ensure a consistent stand-off distance, some thermal adhesives contain glass beads or microspheres. Loctite TCP M1 is an example. This thermally conductive adhesive contains a 1% 175 µm spacer for thin, consistent bond lines and has a TC of 1.2 M. Design engineers can buy thermal adhesives that already contain glass beads, or they can ask a custom packager like KitPackers to add them. Alternately, customers can buy and add glass beads themselves.
Thermal interface materials (TIMs) fill the gaps between mating surfaces such as a heat source and a heat sink. They include greases, gap fillers, gap pads, phase change materials, and compounds. Unlike thermal adhesives, TIMs generally do not bond substrates together. The exception is gap pads, which sometimes feature a pressure-sensitive adhesive.
Explore All Thermal Interface Materials
Here are some additional resources about thermal interface materials.
Thermal encapsulants are poured over printed circuit boards and their components and then cured. They provide environmental protection not only against heat, but also against moisture, dust, shock, vibration, electrical discharges, and other hazards that can cause electronics to fail.
Explore All Thermal Encapsulants
Here are some additional resources about thermal encapsulants.
Gluespec’s comprehensive and quality-tested database of 35,000 adhesives includes the thermal management materials that design engineers need. The materials and manufacturers in our database are not limited to specific suppliers, and data is quality-checked and updated as needed whenever new data sheets or product specifications are released.
If you need deep data thermal management materials, you’ll find what you’re looking for in our proprietary database. Along with technical data and key specifications, you’ll find best practices and comparable materials. Design engineers can also view test method information on dozens of material properties and data points.
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