For many industrial heating processes, particularly those involving high-temperature applications, a thermocouple is the most accurate, convenient, and often the only feasible method for temperature measurement. Kanthal® has been a trusted leader in manufacturing a wide range of thermocouple materials for decades.
Kanthal provides thermocouple wire, strip, and protection tubes for use at temperatures up to 1,260°C (2,300°F). Every coil or spool is labeled with calibrated EMF values to ensure traceability and quality in industrial temperature monitoring.
The modern thermocouple is based on Seebeck’s discovery: when a circuit is formed using two dissimilar metal conductors, and one junction is kept at a higher temperature than the other, an electrical current is generated. The resulting electromotive force (EMF) is directly proportional to the temperature difference between the two junctions.
For specific requirements or technical advice on thermocouple selection, Kanthal offers expert guidance backed by deep expertise in high-temperature sensor materials.
Our product program for thermocouples includes:
Our program also includes a bi-filar side-by-side configuration in some size ranges.
| Code | +Positive leg | -Negative leg |
|---|---|---|
| N | Nicrosil (NP) | Nisil (NN) |
| K | Thermothal® KP | Thermothal® N (KN) |
| K | Thermothal® KM | Thermothal® N (KN) |
| E | Thermothal® P (EP) | Cuprothal® (EN) |
| J | Iron (JP) | Cuprothal® (JN) |
| T | Copper* | Cuprothal®(TN) |
*Not produced by Alleima AB
Wire: Kanthal® thermocouple wire ranges from 0.05 to 8.0 mm (0.0019 to 0.315 inch). Thermocouple wire in the size range 0.0254 mm to 0.51 mm (0.001 to 0.0201 inch) can be supplied with or without an insulating coating.
Strip: Standard sizes for thermocouple strip range from thickness 0.10 to 3.0 mm (0.0039 to 0.181 inch) and width from 4 to 195 mm (0.157 to 7.68 inch).
Kanthal® thermocouple alloys are supplied according to the following standards shown below. Where older standards are still in use (which are not equivalent to those listed below), we can supply different EMF values upon request.
| ASTM | (American Society for Testing and Materials) E 230 |
|---|---|
| ANSI | (American National Standard Institute) MC 96.1 |
| IEC | (European Standard by the International Electrotechnical Commission 584)-1/2/3 |
| DIN | (Deutsche Industrie Normen) EN 60584 -1/2 |
| BS | (British Standards) 4937.1041, EN 60584 - 1/2 |
| NF | (Norme Française) EN 60584 -1/2 - NFC 42323 - NFC 42324 |
| JIS | (Japanese Industrial Standards) C 1602 - C 1610 |
| GOST | (Unification of the Russian Specifications) 3044 |
Alloys for extension leads and compensating cables
| Thermocouple | Compensating cable | Alloy | Temperature range °C (°F) |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type K | WPX WNX (KCA) |
Iron Cuprothal® WX - |
0 to +150 (+32 to 300) - - |
|
| Type K | VPX VNX (KCB) |
Copper Cuprothal® VX - |
0 to +100 (+32 to 200) - - |
|
| Type S, R* (Pt/PtRh) | Cu SNX (RCA-SCA) (RCB-SCB) |
Copper Cuprothal® SX - - |
- - 0 to +100 (+32 to 200) 0 to +200 (+32 to 400) |
|
*Not within the Kanthal program
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