Ecklund thermocouples are specially designed for conducting heat penetration tests of foods in cans, jars, and plastic packages. The non-projecting connector type thermocouples combine convenience and accuracy.Also, they permit test containers to be filled and closed in the same manner as the commercial pack. Correction factors have been published (Food Technology, 1956, Vol. X No. 1, pages 43-44) to correct for errors resulting from heat conducted into conduction heating food products by the thermocouples and fittings. (We will send a reprint of this article upon request.)
No correction is normally needed for convection heating products or for thermocouples 2” or longer for any product.
Equipment for Thermal Death Time Studies is available for both thermal death time cans and thermal death time tubes. Please e-mail or call us for details.
• The four styles of thermocouples are described below. Though the thermocouples are quite different in appearance, they provide identical results.
CNS and CNL Needle Thermocouples
Needle type thermocouples are available in any specified length from 3/4” (19 mm) to 14” (356 mm). The CNS designation indicates a length of 3/4″ to 4″, over 4″ is designated as a CNL. They feature a 1/16” (1.6 mm) diameter tubular stainless steel body. The smaller diameter probe has obvious advantages in measuring temperatures inside discrete particles such as chunks of meat.
C-2 and C-3 Tube and Rod Thermocouples
Tube and Rod (plastic) thermocouples are available in any size from 3/4” (19 mm) to 14” (356 mm). The C-2 designation indicates a length of 3/4″ to 4″, over 4″ is designated as a C-3. They are approximately 1/4” (6.4 mm) in diameter.
C-4 Flexible Thermocouple
The C-4 flexible thermocouple is a 24 gauge wire thermocouple attached to a 7/16” (11 mm) long molded thermocouple body. The standard length is 4″, longer wires can be supplied on request.
The C-4 style flexible thermocouple is useful in checking heat penetration in chunks of meat, corn on the cob, etc. or as an adjustable length thermocouple.
