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Abstract
This paper reports the calibration of special type of relative humidity and temperature sensor, which
gives the output in terms of millivolts, measured by precision digital multimeter (DMM) to further
estimation of relative humidity in the range of 25 %RH to 95 %RH. The sensor has been calibrated
against the standard aspirated psychrometer having a pair of matched dry and wet bulb quartz
thermometers. The temperature of wet bulb thermometer is effectively depressed when a ventilated
airflow is maintained at a speed more than 3 metre/second. The relative humidity of reference standard
psychrometer is computed using psychrometric equation to relate with the output of the RH indicator
under comparison. The paper also describes the details of estimation and expression of expanded
uncertainty in the calibration of the sensor at measured relative humidity. A sufficient number of data
were undertaken to evaluate the uncertainty at a confidence-level of approximately 95% for a normal
probability distribution.
115
Bhikham Singh, Hari Kishan and Y. P. Singh
[15-20] as per the GUM/ISO/IEC: 17025 documents. control equipment comprises dry and wet bulb contact
thermometers together with an air heater, a boiler, a
2. Experimental Setup fan, window heater, and a spray cooler. This
environmental chamber is being used to generate RH
The following instruments are required to be used
of different levels while the quartz thermometers carry
for calibration of RHT Sensor:
out the measurements. The Quartz thermometers and
1. Digital indicator (Testo 781) with Quartz pressure indicator DPI 145 are hooked on to a suitable
thermometers (dry and wet bulb) and PC adapter compatible computer, which collects the data every
second/minute of the two thermometers and pressure
2. Environmental chamber Gallenkamp Make sensor in a file.
(model OVR-403-010L).
The RHT sensor is kept very near to the aspirated
3. Anemometer with probe model AM-4201, make psychrometer and the readings of the RHT sensor in
LT Lutron Sr.No.480014. millivolt/volt are recorded manually at a regular
interval of time at the calibration temperature 24 ºC ±
4. Mini/small high-speed fan 4.5" size operated at 1 ºC. The reference humidity standard (an aspirated
220-230 volts ac supply. psychrometer as described above) has an expanded
uncertainty of ±1% RH at a confidence level
5. Digital pressure indicator, Model Druck DPI-145 approximately 95 % coverage factor k=2 with normal
probability distribution [14]. Fig. 1 shows the
6. Temperature & Humidity Indicator, Make
schematic block diagram of the entire experimental
Indosaw.
set-up used for the calibration of RHT sensors/
7. Special Relative Humidity Sensor under hygrometers (dial and digital type). A program (in
calibration with digital multi-meter. C++ language) reads the data and computes mean
value of relative humidity (RH) and the standard
3. Calibration Procedure uncertainty with the help of the software. The
evaluation of uncertainty is also checked by manual
The calibration setup for RH measurements for calculation in order to validate the software used. The
computing the RH is based on measuring the dry & relative humidity of reference standard is evaluated
wet bulb temperatures with the help of two matched, by using the following psychrometric equations
precision quartz thermometers (Model TESTO 781). [11-14].
These thermometers, having a resolution of 0.001 C,
have been periodically calibrated against the standard (%) RH = 100 x [Pd/Psd] (1)
PRT of the National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi
and are found to be reproducible within ± 0.005 ºC. where
The expanded uncertainties of both the thermometers
Psd = Saturation vapour pressure of water vapour at
have been calculated and estimated to be within
the dry bulb temperature (td)
± 0.03 ºC for the coverage factor, k = 2, at a level of
confidence 95 % approximately. These two quartz Pd = Vapour pressure of water vapour at dry bulb
thermometers are supported on stands very near to temperature (td)
each other. One of these is provided with a clean wick,
immersed in distilled water in a Pyrex bottle. A small Pd = Psw - AP (td -tw) (2)
fan is placed near to the thermometers blowing air at
a speed of >3 metre/second. The use of new wick where
over the wet bulb thermometer ensures the effect on
radiation interchange between the bulbs due to td = dry-bulb temperature (ºC)
airflow. An anemometer measures the speed of air.
tw = wet-bulb temperature ( ºC)
The entire setup (i.e. the quartz thermometers along
with fan) is then placed inside the Gallenkamp (td - tw) = depression (ºC)
environmental chamber (Model OVR-403-010L). The
environmental chamber is a stainless steel cabinet Psw = Saturation vapour pressure of water vapour
with glazed door. The basic temperature and humidity at the wet bulb temperature (tw)
116
Calibration of Special Relative Humidity and Temperature (RHT) ......................Measurement
Fig. 1. Schematic diagram of the experimental setup for calibration of RHT sensor
117
Bhikham Singh, Hari Kishan and Y. P. Singh
Table 1
Observation
S.No. RH % of DUC reading Deviation from (Vi-Vavg )2
Ref. Std Vi, in Volts average in V, (Vi-Vavg) in volts
118
Calibration of Special Relative Humidity and Temperature (RHT) ......................Measurement
4.3.3 Uncertainty contribution due to the resolution distribution = ± 0.07/√3 = 0.04041 % RH,
of the Device Under Calibration Sensitivity coefficient, c5= 1, Degree of freedom, ν5
= ∞, u5=0.04041% RH.
The resolution of RHT sensor in digital multi
meter (DMM) is 0.00001V. This gives a voltage 4.4 Combined Standard Uncertainty, uc
resolution limit of ± 5x10 -6 V. Assuming
rectangular probability distribution, the standard The combined uncertainty uc(y) in output estimate
uncertainty u3 is u3 = 5x10-6V /√3 = 2.8867513x is equal to root sum square (RSS) of all contributions
10-6 V, Sensitivity coefficient, c3 = 1x 102 %RH/V, discussed above
u3 = 2.8867513x10-4 % RH, Degree of freedom,
ν3 = ∞. uc 2 = Σci2ui2 = 0.6602498 %RH (8)
4.3.4 Uncertainty due to drift of the standard RH 4.5 Effective Degree of Freedom
Drift caused in the Reference Standard in the years The effective degree of freedom (νeff) of combined
2004-06 = 0.06686 % RH, standard. Uncertainty standard uncertainty is calculated using the well
limit = ± 0.06686/√3=0.0386%RH.Assuming known Welch-Satterthwaite equation given as
rectangular probability distribution. Sensitivity following:
coefficient, c4 = 1, Degree of freedom, ν4 = ∞, u4
= 0.0386 % RH. νeff = [uc(RH)]4/[ui(RH)4/νi] = 113738 ∞ (9)
4.3.5 Uncertainty due to rounding off significant digits/ 4.6 Expanded Uncertainty, U
decimal places
For effective degree of freedom, νeff ≅ ∞ at 95.45%,
Limiting value of RH for significant digits = level of confidence, the 't' factor from student's 't' table
± 0.07. Assuming rectangular probability is 2, so the coverage factor 'k' =2.
Uncertainty Budget
Source of Estimated Std. Probability Sensitivity Uncertainty Degree
Uncertainty Value Uncertainty Distribution Coefficient Contribution of
Divisor ci (% RH) Freedom
(a) (b) (c) (d) f = (b/c).d
119
Bhikham Singh, Hari Kishan and Y. P. Singh
Calibration Results
120
Calibration of Special Relative Humidity and Temperature (RHT) ......................Measurement
Humidity Generator: an Analysis of [15] Bhikham Singh and Hari Kishan, Calibration
Uncertainty by Validation of Individual Proc.No.DP#1.03(Part-C)/Doc.3/CP#01,
Component Performances, Meas. Sci. Technol., Document Manual of Humidity Standards of
3 (1992) 943-952. National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi.
[11] H. Kishan and B. Singh, Mixed Flow Relative [16] Hari Kishan, Calibration of Relative Humidity
Humidity Generator, MAPAN- Journal of Indicators and Evaluation of Uncertainty,
Metrology Society of India, 23 (2008) 21-24. NABL News, 41 (2006) 27-32.
[12] Hari Kishan, Bhikham Singh, V.P. Wasan, R.S. [17] Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in
Khandekar, S.S. Verma and R.G. Sharma, Measurements, International Organization for
Development of an Aspirated Psychrometer Standardization (ISO), First Edition (1995).
using Two Quartz Thermometers, MAPAN-
[18] Expression of the Uncertainty of Measurement
Journal of Metrology Society of India, 12 (1997)
119-122. in Calibration, Published by European
cooperation for Accreditation of Laboratories
[13] Hari Kishan, NPL (India) Humidity Standard, (EAL), Reference EAL-4/02, 1999.
Proceedings 3rd International Conference on
Metrology in New Millennium and Global [19] NABL-141, Guidelines for Estimation and
Trade (MMGT-2001), NPL, New Delhi, 8-10 Expression of Uncertainty in Measurements,
February 2001, 62-65. (2000).
[14] Hari Kishan and Bhikham Singh, [20] Y.P. Singh, Evaluation and Expression of
Establishment of the Indian National Uncertainty in the Calibration of Screw Type
Humidity Standard Facility, 4th International Industrial Lamps Using Photoelectric
Symposium on Humidity and Moisture, Taipei, Pyrometer, MAPAN- Journal of Metrology
Taiwan, 16-19 September 2002, 566-570. Society of India, 22 (2007) 235-245.
121