Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Experiences in Calibrating Industrial Platinum Resistance Sensors Between − 196 °C and 80 °C

  • TEMPMEKO 2016
  • Published:
International Journal of Thermophysics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Recently, a requirement arose to provide sensors for measuring the temperature of a substantial reference blackbody cavity to operate in vacuum over a temperature range from − 100 °C to 80 °C (~ 170 K to ~ 350 K), with an additional capability to operate at ~− 170 °C (~ 100 K) as a point of near-zero radiance. Several 100 Ω industrial platinum resistance sensors (Pt100) are required for control purposes in order to establish the temperature uniformity of the blackbody structure and its surrounding aluminum-alloy isothermal shield. These sensors should remain stable within the uncertainties of 0.03 °C (k = 3) ideally for 20 years. This paper discusses the testing and calibration of two types of industrial Pt100 resistors, including checking the interchangeability of sensors from a given batch, and the methods of interpolation over the temperature range. It is concluded that the sensors can meet the requirements provided that they have been individually tested, and that there is a degree of duplication of sensors so that long-term changes can be detected. The calibration data could be fitted by cubic or quartic equations expressing temperature as a function of resistance (or resistance ratio), this being simpler than the ITS-90 formulation and more convenient than using the (technically obsolete) Callendar–Van Dusen equation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. N. Melzack et al., Int. J. Thermophys. 38, 30 (2017)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  2. B.W.A. Ricketson, R.E.J. Watkins, Cryogenics 49, 320 (2009)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  3. IEC 60751 Industrial Platinum Resistance Thermometers and Platinum Temperature Sensors (International Electrotechnical Commission, Geneva, 2008)

  4. O. Tamura, H. Sakurai, T. Nakajima, in Temperature: Its Measurement and Control in Science and Industry, vol. 6, ed. by J.F. Schooley (AIP, New York, 1992), pp. 443–448

    Google Scholar 

  5. V.C. Fernicola, L. Iacomini, Int. J. Thermophys. 29, 1817 (2008)

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. JF Dubbeldam, MJ de Groot, in EUROMET Workshop in Temperature (BNM/CNAM, Paris, 1998), pp. 39–44

  7. K.D. Hill, Acta Metrol. Sin. 12, 56 (2008)

    Google Scholar 

  8. H Preston-Thomas, Metrologia 27, 3 and 107 (1990)

Download references

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Andrew Clack of the Clarendon Laboratory, University of Oxford, for preparing and wiring the sensors ready for testing. This work was partially supported under a subcontract to Science and Technology Facilities Council.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Physical Laboratory, Teddington, UK

    R. I. Veltcheva & R. L. Rusby

  2. Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, UK

    D. M. Peters

  3. University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

    R. E. J. Watkins

Authors
  1. R. I. Veltcheva
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. R. L. Rusby
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. D. M. Peters
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. R. E. J. Watkins
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to R. I. Veltcheva.

Additional information

Selected Papers of the 13th International Symposium on Temperature, Humidity, Moisture and Thermal Measurements in Industry and Science.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Veltcheva, R.I., Rusby, R.L., Peters, D.M. et al. Experiences in Calibrating Industrial Platinum Resistance Sensors Between − 196 °C and 80 °C. Int J Thermophys 39, 65 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10765-018-2386-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10765-018-2386-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation