- Author(s):
- de Podesta, M, Sutton, G, Underwood, R J, Legg, S*, Steinitz, A*
- Source:
- Int. J. Thermophysics, 2010, 31, (8-9), 1554-1566
- ISSN:
- ISBN:
- NPL Doc. Ref:
- PDB: 5694 | DDB: 3776
- Document Type:
- Periodical article
- DOI:
- http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10765-010-0793-x
Note: An asterisk after an author's name indicates a non-NPL author.
Abstract:
Acoustic Thermometry is capable of phenomenal accuracy, but it is a difficult technique to apply in many practical situations. Here we describe a modification of the technique, which permits robust temperature measurements to be made, potentially with milli-kelvin resolution, over a temperature range extending from cryogenic temperatures to over 1000 °C.The technique uses measurements of the time-of-flight of acoustic pulses in tubes usually filled with an inert gas such as argon. The tubes - typically made of stainless steel with an outer diameter of 6 mm - act as acoustic waveguides and can be several metres long and bent into complex shapes. The time-of-flight reflects the average temperature along the entire length of the tube. Local temperature information can be inferred in several ways. Typically a second shorter tube is used and the difference in time-of-flight reflects the temperature in the region at the end of the first tube. If the measurement length is sufficiently long - typically 1 metre of tube - then a measurement resolution of less than 1 mK is achievable.The technique is well suited to measurements in harsh environments in which conventional sensors degrade. We show results from early tests, which highlight the strengths and weaknesses of the technique.
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