Bookmark and Share May/June 2013 Automation Basics  Basics of
thermowell design and selection  Do not underestimate the
importance of thermowells in temperature measurements  Fast
Forward    • Understanding process conditions that affect
performance is essential to selecting the best thermowell.   •
Industry standards provide simple calculations that can be
performed to ensure optimal thermowell operation.   • Consider
relevant factors and standards during the thermowell selection
process. By Ehren Kiker  When planning for a temperature
measurement application, a fair amount of consideration is
typically given to sensor selection (e.g., thermocouple vs. RTD)
and wiring of the output (e.g., transmitter vs. direct wiring),
and how these factors will affect the measurement. Often, by
comparison, relatively little consideration is given to the
mechanical components of the sensor assembly, particularly the
thermowell.  Of all the components in a typical temperature
assembly, a thermowell would seem to be the simpl