Thermopile

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Thermopile \Ther"mo*pile\, n. [Thermo- + pile a heap.] (Physics)
     An instrument of extreme sensibility, used to determine
     slight differences and degrees of heat. It is composed of
     alternate bars of antimony and bismuth, or any two metals
     having different capacities for the conduction of heat,
     connected with an astatic galvanometer, which is very


     sensibly affected by the electric current induced in the
     system of bars when exposed even to the feeblest degrees of
     heat.
     [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  thermopile
       n : a kind of thermometer for measuring heat radiation; consists
           of several thermocouple junctions in series