Design and Validation of the MBW Standard Humidity Generators

MBW Calibration AG (MBW) is the Designated Institute (DI) for humidity appointed by the Federal Institute of Metrology, METAS. MBW currently offers calibration and measurement capabilities (CMC) for frost/dew-point hygrometers by comparison with precision chilled-mirror transfer standards that have been calibrated using the primary standards of leading European National Metrology Institutes or DI. The design, construction and validation of two standard humidity generators to be used as the Swiss national standards for the primary realization of frost/dew-point temperature in the range from ? 90 °C to + 95 °C are presented and discussed. The generators are operated as continuous flow “single-pressure” generators in the range from ? 80 °C to ? 10 °C with saturation over ice and from 0.5 °C to + 95 °C with saturation over water. Additionally, they are used in “two-pressure” mode for saturation over ice down to frost-point temperatures of ? 90 °C and down to ? 20 °C for saturation over water. The main saturators of both generators have been designed to fit in commercially available calibration baths with either ethanol or distilled water as the heat transfer fluid for saturator temperatures below and above 0 °C, respectively. Saturator temperature is measured using standard platinum resistance thermometers and a purpose-built precision thermometer. Pressure measurements are taken with gauge pressure transducers and a separate barometric sensor, to reduce the influence of the atmospheric pressure on the measurement of the pressure ratio and make full use of the correlation of pressure measurements and enhancement factors when operating in two-pressure mode. A totally automated pre-saturation and flow control system facilitates the calibration of state-of-the-art chilled-mirror transfer for standards without manual readjustment of the generated flowrate to ensure a constant volumetric flow at the conditions of the mirror. The uncertainty budget leading to the CMC for frost/dew-point temperature realization is presented in the context of the experimental validation performed. The results in the overlapping range of both generators are presented and used as further evidence of the saturation efficiency of both standards.     

Response of reinforced concrete beams to hydrostatic pressure acting within primary cracks

This paper investigates the response of reinforced concrete beams to hydrostatic pressure acting within primary cracks. Notched beams were initially pre-cracked before pressurised water was introduced into the primary crack. The deflection and strain increase at tensile reinforcement level (due to the pressurised water load) was measured. Tests were carried out using applied hydrostatic pressures of 0.2 and 0.325 MPa. Results show that both deflection and strain at tensile reinforcement level increases immediately after the introduction of hydrostatic pressure into open primary cracks. If the crack is held open and hydrostatic pressure is allowed to build up within the depth of the crack, additional deformation occurs. A finite element (FE) model was constructed to investigate the effects of greater hydrostatic pressures acting within the primary crack. The FE model was first validated against the test data, before being used to assess the structural response of the reinforced concrete section to applied hydrostatic pressures of up to 1 MPa. It was found that section deformations increased as hydrostatic pressure was increased. At applied hydrostatic pressures of 0.8 MPa and above, the increases in strain at tensile reinforcement level were shown to be significant. DNV-0S-C205, which is the Det Norske Veritas (DNV) standard for offshore concrete structures states that the ‘effects of water pressure within cracks may be neglected for structural elements exposed to less than 100 m (0.981 MPa) of water head.’ The current research suggests that the effects of water pressure within cracks for structural elements exposed to slightly less than 100 m water head may also be significant (based on a 10 % threshold criteria). However, it is accepted that a more comprehensive parametric study would be required to determine whether or not the DNV should be redressed.     

低频标准角振动台

低频标准角振动台产生标准角位移、角速度和角加速度,用正弦信号对角位移传感器、角速度传感器(陀螺、转速表等)和角加速度计进行幅频和相频特性校准。简要介绍了低频标准角振动台的工作原理,并应用其对角运动传感器进行校准。校准范围为0.1~100H z;幅值灵敏度不确定度优于1%;相移不确定度小于1°。     

Attenuation Scale Calibration of an Optical Time Domain Reflectometer Using an External Laser Source

Optical time domain reflectometers (OTDRs) are widely used to measure the attenuation of optical fibers. Accurate measurement of the attenuation requires periodic calibration of OTDRs. In this paper, a system is proposed based on the external source method (ESM) to calibrate of the attenuation scale of an OTDR over a dynamic range of around 15 dB. The ESM method has several advantages over the widely-used standard reference fiber (SRF) since it is fast, can be automated and offers direct traceability to the SI units. In order to estimate the accuracy of the proposed setup, an OTDR has been calibrated using the SRF and the ESM methods. The calibration uncertainty of the ESM method is found to be 0.040 dB, which is similar to that of the SRF method which is found to be 0.038 dB.     

Measurements of Speed of Sound in Lean and Rich Natural Gas Mixtures at Pressures up to 37 MPa Using a Specialized Rupture Tube

Measurements of the speed of sound in 42 different compositions of lean, medium, and rich natural-gas mixtures using a specialized high-pressure rupture tube have been conducted. The rupture tube is made of stainless steel (internal diameter = 38.1 mm and length = 42 m), and is instrumented with 13 high-frequency-response dynamic pressure transducers (Endevco) mounted very close to the rupture end and along the length of the tube to capture the pressure-time traces of the decompression wave. Tests were conducted for initial pressures ranging from 10 MPa to 37 MPa and a temperature range from ?25°C to+68°C. Gas mixture compositions were controlled by mixing conventional natural-gas mixtures from an adjacent gas pipeline with richer components of alkanes. Temperature control is achieved by a heat tracer along the tube with a set point at the desired gas temperature of the particular test. Uncertainty analysis indicated that the uncertainty in the experimentally determined speed of sound in the undisturbed gas mixture at the initial pressure and temperature is on the order of 0.306 %. The measured speeds of sound were compared to predictions by five equations of state, namely; the Benedict–Webb–Rubin–Starling (BWRS), AGA-8, Peng–Robinson (PR), Redlich–Kwong–Soave (RK–Soave), and Groupe Européen de Recherches Gaziéres (GERG-2004) equations.     

Vacuum Radiance-Temperature Standard Facility for Infrared Remote Sensing at NIM

As infrared remote sensors are very important parts of Earth observation satellites, they must be calibrated based on the radiance temperature of a blackbody in a vacuum chamber prior to launch. The uncertainty of such temperature is thus an essential component of the sensors’ uncertainty. This paper describes the vacuum radiance-temperature standard facility (VRTSF) at the National Institute of Metrology of China, which will serve to calibrate infrared remote sensors on Chinese meteorological satellites. The VRTSF can be used to calibrate vacuum blackbody radiance temperature, including those used to calibrate infrared remote sensors. The components of the VRTSF are described in this paper, including the VMTBB, the LNBB, the FTIR spectrometer, the reduced-background optical system, the vacuum chamber used to calibrate customers’ blackbody, the vacuum-pumping system and the liquid-nitrogen-support system. The experimental methods and results are expounded. The uncertainty of the radiance temperature of VMTBB is 0.026 °C at 30 °C over 10 μm.     

Equation of State for the Thermodynamic Properties of <Emphasis Type="Italic">trans</Emphasis>-1,3,3,3-Tetrafluoropropene [R-1234ze(E)]

An equation of state for the calculation of the thermodynamic properties of the hydrofluoroolefin refrigerant R-1234ze(E) is presented. The equation of state (EOS) is expressed in terms of the Helmholtz energy as a function of temperature and density. The formulation can be used for the calculation of all thermodynamic properties through the use of derivatives of the Helmholtz energy. Comparisons to experimental data are given to establish the uncertainty of the EOS. The equation of state is valid from the triple point (169 K) to 420 K, with pressures to 100 MPa. The uncertainty in density in the liquid and vapor phases is 0.1 % from 200 K to 420 K at all pressures. The uncertainty increases outside of this temperature region and in the critical region. In the gaseous phase, speeds of sound can be calculated with an uncertainty of 0.05 %. In the liquid phase, the uncertainty in speed of sound increases to 0.1 %. The estimated uncertainty for liquid heat capacities is 5 %. The uncertainty in vapor pressure is 0.1 %.     

Development and Characterization of a Diaphragm-Shaped Force Transducer for Static Force Measurement

There are different types of force transducers, used over the years, comprising of different principles and have different grades of uncertainty. Force transducers may be analog or digital and may be strain gauged, tuning fork type, piezoresistive type, Hall Effect based etc. Though different types of force transducers have been developed in last few decades, still strain gauged force transducers are used over the larger scale due to practical viability and reliability for force measurement. The paper describes low-cost indigenous development of a force transducer, which has been developed for a nominal capacity of 5 kN with ease of design and manufacturing. It has strain gauges applied at suitable locations to form a Wheatstone bridge. The force transducer has been calibrated according to the standard calibration procedures based on ISO 376 and IS 4169 standards. Measurement results and an uncertainty analysis have been presented. The uncertainty of measurement of the force transducer is found up to 0.06%. The paper also discusses the implications of applying multiple strain gauges at a single location in series to enhance the sensitivity of the force transducer. Two strain gauges are arranged in series for the given location and the sensitivity of the force transducer is enhanced. It also indicates that the uncertainty of measurement of the force transducer in such case is enhanced up to 0.05% or better to make force transducer suitable for most of metrological and industrial applications.     

Establishment of High Pressure Pneumatic Standard up to 40?MPa at NPLI

The current paper describes the successful establishment of high pressure pneumatic secondary standard for the realization of national pneumatic pressure scale up to 40?MPa from the previously existing 12?MPa. The traceability as well as the uncertainty in measurement was established through a continuous chain of measurements from very low pressures starting with the ultrasonic interferometer manometer and successive extension in overlapping pressure ranges. For this purpose a piston cylinder assembly designated as NPLI-40, with a pressure range of 0.2?C40?MPa was coupled to a mechanical gas booster through a high gas pressure controller. We have experimentally estimated the zero pressure effective area of piston as well as the distortion coefficient which is traceable to the international system of unit SI. The CMC for the same is now on the BIPM website. The results obtained are discussed in detail.     

The measurement of humidity at high pressures

A humidity calibrator for measurements at pressures up to 15 MPa is designed. The effect of pressure on the characteristics of capacitive humidity sensors is demonstrated. A method of taking this effect into account is proposed. A procedure for calibrating humidity transducers with capacitive sensors at high pressure is described. __________ Translated from Izmeritel’naya Tekhnika, No. 2, pp. 61–64, February, 2008.     

Establishment and Development of Torque Metrology in CSIR-NPL for Providing the Traceability in Torque Measurements to User Industries

Torque primary standard machines are established at CSIR-NPL, India to realize the torque scale and to disseminate the same for user industries for providing the traceability in torque measurement. Two torque machines, a primary standard machine comprising of elastic hinge supported load lever with scale pan having an uncertainty of ±0.01 % and a secondary standard machine comprising of an unsupported lever arm with a scale pan suspended by a knife edge having an uncertainty of ±0.05 %, are established. The uncertainty of these machines are estimated theoretically by considering the uncertainty contributions of various input quantities which is also reaffirmed through the inter-comparison carried out on these machines.     

Low-Pressure and Low-Temperature Dew/Frost-Point Generator

Lately demands for traceability and improved accuracy in climatic humidity measurements at extreme conditions have been increasing. To address these needs a new dew/frost-point generator was developed and constructed at the Centre for Metrology MIKES of the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd. for the range from ??90 °C to +?15 °C. The generator operates in a single-pressure principle at the absolute air pressure range from 10 hPa to 3500 hPa. With an expansion valve it can be applied also in two-pressure mode. Within this paper the new low-pressure and low-temperature dew/frost-point generator and its characterization are presented in detail. The outcomes of the characterization show that when operating in a single-pressure mode within barometric pressure range a standard uncertainty of 0.043 °C is achieved in complete temperature range. When considering the complete pressure range the standard uncertainty is larger, but it does not exceed 0.06 °C.     

A Gas Pressure Scale Based on Primary Standard Piston Gauges

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has redefined its gas pressure scale, up to 17 MPa, based on two primary standard piston gauges. The primary standard piston gauges are 35.8 mm in diameter and operate from 20 kPa to 1 MPa. Ten secondary standard piston gauges, two each of five series of the Ruska 2465 type, with successively smaller diameters form the scale extending up to 17 MPa. Six of the piston gauges were directly compared to the primary standards to determine their effective area and expanded (k = 2) uncertainty. Two piston gauges operating to 7 MPa were compared to the 1.4 MPa gauges, and two piston gauges operating to 17 MPa were compared to the 7 MPa gauges. Distortion in the 7 MPa piston gauges was determined by comparing those gauges to a DH Instruments PG7601 type piston gauge, whose distortion was calculated using elasticity theory. The relative standard uncertainties achieved by the primary standards range from 3.0 × 10⁻⁶ to 3.2 × 10⁻⁶. The relative standard uncertainty of the secondary standards is as low as 4.2 × 10⁻⁶ at 300 kPa. The effective areas and uncertainties were validated by comparison to standards of other National Metrology Institutes (NMIs). Results show agreement in all cases to better than the expanded (k = 2) uncertainty of the difference between NIST and the other NMIs, and in most cases to better than the standard (k = 1) uncertainty of the difference.     

Characterization of KIM LIPI’s Relative Humidity Standard

At present, KIM LIPI is able to provide self-traceability in the scope of hygrometer calibrations in the range of 10–95 %RH using commercial two-pressure humidity generator as the standard which, previously, was traceable to SI unit through another NMI. In order to examine the calibration system, uncertainty of the calibration results was evaluated by performing characterization including measurement of saturator efficiency and chamber temperature distribution. A mini chamber was used to improve the chamber temperature uniformity. The validity of the RH calculation was evaluated by comparing our RH calculation with commercially available softwares. As a result, saturator efficiency gives the uncertainty 0.064 and 0.07 %RH at 20 and 27 °C. The contribution of uncertainty due to temperature non-uniformity is 0.014–0.14 %RH. The difference calculation with the commercial software is less than 0.01 %RH.     

Thermal Conductivity of Humid Air

In this article, measurements of the thermal conductivity of humid air as a function of pressure, temperature, and mole fraction of water, for pressures up to 5 MPa and temperatures up to 430 K, for different water contents (up to 10 % vapor mole fraction) are reported. Measurements were performed using a transient hot-wire apparatus capable of obtaining data with an uncertainty of 0.8 % for gases. However, as moist air becomes corrosive above 373 K and at pressures >5 MPa, the apparatus, namely, the pressure vessel and the cells had to be modified, by coating all stainless-steel parts with a titanium nitride thin film coating, about 4 μm thick, obtained by physical vapor deposition. The expanded uncertainty (coverage factor k = 2) of the present experimental thermal conductivity data is 1.7 %, while the uncertainty in the mole fraction is estimated to be better than 0.0006. Experimental details regarding the preparation of the samples, the precautions taken to avoid condensation in the tubes connected to the measuring cell, and the method developed for obtaining reliable values of the water content for the gas mixtures are discussed. A preliminary analysis of the application of the kinetic theory of transport properties in reacting mixtures to interpret the complex dependence of the thermal conductivity of humid air on water composition is addressed.     

The Effect of Pressure on Moisture Diffusion in Polymer Matrix Composites

Temperature and humidity play a significant role in the mechanical behavior and long-term durability of polymer matrix composites (PMCs). Several standard test methods including some accelerated test methods involving higher temperatures and pressures are available for environmental qualification of these PMCs. While the effect of temperature on humidity diffusion has been studied extensively, the effect of pressure has received less attention. This study seeks to interrogate the effect of pressure on diffusion. This effect was observed by building test chambers designed to maintain a constant relative humidity of 80 % at 60 °C at three different pressures (0.1014 MPa, 0.5171 MPa, and 1.0342 MPa). A liquid water immersion test chamber at 60 °C was also considered. It was observed that the time to saturation and the saturation moisture content increased with increasing chamber pressure. Immersion in liquid water provided the upper bound for the maximum moisture saturation and a lower bound for the time to saturation.     

Measurement Accuracy of Secondary Standards of Sound Pressure in Comparison to Primary Standards

The paper presents the measurement uncertainty achieved in realizing the primary standard of sound pressure at NPL, India and comparison of the uncertainties of secondary calibrations with that of primary standard. The uncertainty associated with calibration of acoustic calibrators, working standard microphones and sound pressure level measurements is discussed. A comparison of the actuator response with that taken from reciprocity setup for working standard microphones is also presented. The major focus of the present work is to highlight the traceability chain established in measurement of sound pressure level and propagation of measurement uncertainties directly from the national primary standard to field measurements, which are very rigorously conducted in transportation noise monitoring, machinery noise diagnostics, noise labeling of electrical appliances and environmental impact assessment studies w.r.t noise abatement and control.     

新国际单位制——建立基本单位的里程碑

国际单位制是在米制基础上发展起来的,其基本单位是以国际单位原器为基准定义的.由于国际单位原器相对不稳定性,国际基本单位及其导出单位也存在一定的不确定度.因此,对国际基本单位进行了重新定义并给出了新定义的实现方法,建议在此基础上建立新国际单位制.新定义更多地采用了相对精确的基本常数,提高其相对标准精度.     

Assigning RF/DC Transfer Difference to High Frequency Voltage Primary Standard up to 1 GHz at NPLI

National Physical Laboratory (NPLI) India is the premier research and development center and the National Metrology Institute, which provides traceability in measurements by calibration throughout the country. High frequency (HF) voltage is one of the important parameter in electrical metrology. At NPLI the primary standard of HF voltage at frequencies from 1 to 1,000 MHz is a twin resistance coaxial power mount. The calibration technique and establishing the traceability by assigning the RF/DC transfer difference to HF voltage primary standard are described in this paper. The HF voltage primary standard has been characterized by assigning RF/DC transfer differences to it in terms of effective efficiency, RF impedance and DC resistance. The calibration results of the primary standard have been discussed in this paper. The assigned RF/DC transfer difference (δ) and the expanded uncertainty of HF voltage primary standard at 1.0 GHz is (?5.2 ± 5.4) mV/V.     

Results of hydraulic pressure comparison in the range from 25 MPa to 200 MPa between NIS-Egypt and NIST-USA

The results of an informal pressure comparison between the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), USA, and the National Institute of Standards (NIS), Egypt, are presented. The comparison was aimed to determine degree of equivalence between NIST and NIS in the pressure range from 25 MPa to 200 MPa at a reference temperature of 20 °C. The comparison used a transfer standard (TS) which was a piston-cylinder assembly (PCA) having nominal effective area of 4.9 mm². The results of the comparison show good agreement between the laboratory results within their claimed standard (k=1) uncertainties.