Maxim announced that it is now sampling the MAX31850/MAX31851, cold-junction-compensated, 1-Wire thermocouple-to-digital converters. The devices achieve ±2.0°C accuracy (not including sensor nonlinearity) while integrating all of the functions required for a complete thermocouple-to-digital solution. Additionally, the device’s 1-Wire interface allows multiple sensor locations to communicate and draw power over a single data line, greatly simplifying wiring requirements.

 

Because thermocouple output voltages are small and cold-junction compensation is needed to achieve accurate results, the digitization of thermocouple signals can be a challenge. The MAX31850/MAX31851 are the industry’s first solution to integrate a discrete analog-to-digital converter, a highly accurate reference, a temperature sensor for cold-junction compensation, and a 1-Wire bus interface into a single chip. The versatile converters that operate with several types of thermocouples also identify open or shorted thermocouples that could result in erroneous temperature readings or system faults. A microcontroller can read the fault status at any time to help ensure uptime and prevent costly repairs.