A Resistance Temperature Detector or RTD is a temperature sensor that uses the predictable alteration in electrical resistance of some materials with changing temperatures. RTD’s are mainly made of platinum so they are also commonly called as platinum resistance thermometers (PRTs). The function of RTDs is to slowly replace the use of thermocouples in many industrial applications that are below 600 ° C due to higher precision and repeatability.
A temperature sensor is a device made to act in response to temperature stimulation. They come in different shapes and sizes for a variety of purposes. Generally, temperature sensors measure the temperature of various substances like food or chemicals; ambient air or water; and within electronics and other machineries. The most common example of a temperature sensor is a thermometer, which is mostly used to determine fever. However, in industrial and electrical engineering, different kinds of temperature sensors are designed for quick thermal equilibrium.
Converting pressure into an analog electrical signal is called a pressure transducer. The term however, is also used to imply the use of it as a sensor or detector. The conversion of pressure into an electrical signal is made possible through the physical deformation of twisted gages, which are connected into the diaphragm of the pressure transducer and wired into the bridge configuration of a Wheatstone. When a pressure is applied to the pressure transducer, it produces an aversion to the diaphragm, which introduces strain to the gages. The strain will then create a change on electrical resistance that is proportional to the pressure.