Thermopile Sensor Circuit

If the open circuit test reads below 400 millivolts then the thermopile likely requires service or replacement.

Thermopile sensor circuit.

I account for this in the sketch with a constant called verr. The sensor is hermetically sealed into a to 5 metal. A reference sensor is designed into the package as a reference for compensation. The sensor reads the temperature over the entire area it sees.

A thermopile is an electronic device that converts thermal energy into electrical energy it is composed of several thermocouples connected usually in series or less commonly in parallel such a device works on the principle of the thermoelectric effect i e generating a voltage when its dissimilar metals thermocouples are exposed to a temperature difference. The temperature of the cold contacts window filter and or lens. The sensor must only see the object being measured and nothing else to get an accurate temperature reading. A healthy thermopile in an open circuit test will read between 650 to 850 millivolts or somewhere in between.

The circuit itself seems to add about 0 6mv to the thermopile raw reading. Thermopile infrared ir non contact temperature measurement sensors are available with various lens and filters allowing use in multiple applications from industrial pyrometers to climate controls and medical devices. R2 5v a1 a3 a2 adder vout c3 r9 r8 c2 thermopile thermopile r1 r7 c1 2 4 r13 r10 r11 r12 5v c4 reference resistor ambient.