Abstract
Small triple-point-of-water cells (mini-TPW) are used in laboratories to monitor the stability of PRTs. Compared with a standard TPW cell, heat flow in the thermometer well usually disturbs the apparent equilibrium temperature to a larger extent in a mini-TPW cell due to its smaller dimensions. In this paper, the heat flow effect is studied on the basis of experimental data. Special attention is paid to the thermal conduction along a thin thermometer probe and to the self-heating of the probe. A new method for compensating the error due to the heat flow is presented. It is shown that the compensated results are in good agreement with results obtained with standard TPW cells. The determined differences were well within the estimated expanded uncertainty of 2 mK (k = 2). The heat flow effect was studied experimentally by controlling the temperature of the upper part of a PRT inserted in a mini-TPW cell. Also, the effect of different fillings of the measurement well of the cell was studied. Without the compensation, thin metal-sheathed PRTs (1.6 and 2.2 mm) indicated 3 to 9 mK differences between mini-TPW and standard TPW cells.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
X. Li, M. Hirst, in Proceedings of TEMPMEKO ’99, 7th International Symposium on Temperature and Thermal Measurements in Industry and Science, ed. by J.F. Dubbeldam, M.J. de Groot (Edauw Johannissen bv, Delft, 1999), pp. 75–79
M. Zhao, R. Walker, Cal Lab, Jan/Feb/March 2006, pp. 25–29
Supplementary Information for the International Temperature Scale of 1990, BIPM (1990)
M. Stock, S. Solve, D. del Campo, V. Chimenti, E. Méndez-Lango, H. Liedberg, P.P.M. Steur, P. Marcarino, R. Dematteis, E. Filipe, I. Lobo, K.H. Kang, K.S. Gam, Y.-G. Kim, E. Renaot, G. Bonnier, M. Valin, R. White, T.D. Dransfield, Y. Duan, Y. Xiaoke, G. Strouse, M. Ballico, D. Sukkar, M. Arai, A. Mans, M. de Groot, O. Kerkhof, R. Rusby, J. Gray, D. Head, K. Hill, E. Tegeler, U. Noatsch, S. Duris, H.Y. Kho, S. Ugur, A. Pokhodun, S.F. Gerasimov, Metrologia. 43, Tech. Suppl. 03001 (2006)
J.V. Nicholas, D.R.White, Traceable Temperatures: An Introduction to Temperature Measurement and Calibration, 2nd edn. (Wiley, New York, 2002)
Cambridge University Press, www.fluidmech.net
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Heinonen, M., Isosaari, E. Method for Compensating Heat Flux Errors in Mini-TPW Cell Measurements. Int J Thermophys 29, 836–843 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10765-008-0417-x
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10765-008-0417-x