Thermoelectric Characteristic of High-Temperature Thermocouples W5%RE/W20%RE

In the temperature range (900 to 2800) K, there has been confirmed compliance with the existing national standards for thermocouple wires W5% Re/W20%Re (type A) produced in Russia. The homogeneity within a lot of wires was evaluated by measuring the emf deviations from the corresponding reference function of thermocouples constructed from the front and the rear sections of paired coils of wires. The diameter of the wires amounted to 0.35 mm and 0.5 mm. Stability indicators were thermal emf changes after annealing for 2 hours at 1773 K. It was found that the inhomogeneity of thermoelements did not exceed (4 to 5) K for paired wire coils with a thermoelectric stability within a temperature equivalent of (1.0 to 1.5) K. EMF deviations from the reference table values for the thermocouples investigated did not exceed 1 % in the temperature range of (900 to 2773) K. Such deviations meet the requirements of the new draft of IEC standards 60584-1 and 2. Thermocouples were calibrated in four laboratories by comparison with various standard temperature gauges (type B thermocouple, radiation pyrometer, standard specimens of thermoelements). Measurements were carried out under vacuum, argon, and hydrogen. Depending on the calibration method, the expanded uncertainty of the measurements at 1773 K varied from (2.8 to 8) K.