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Understanding Uncertainties
Associated with Dry-block
Calibrators
© 2018 Fluke Corporation
Today’s Seminar

Understanding Uncertainties Associated

with Dry-block Calibrators
March 28, 2018

Dry-block calibrators are a valuable thermometer calibration tool used in many industries
including electronics, energy, pharmaceuticals, and petroleum processing. To achieve
desired calibration performance, it’s important to correctly assess the thermal
uncertainties of these industrial dry-wells.

Join this free Fluke Calibration Web Seminar to learn about the thermal uncertainties of
dry-block calibrators and how to measure & characterize them.
 Your Presenter
• Fluke Calibration
– Electrical (Everett, WA)
– RF (Norwich UK)
– Temperature (American Fork, UT)
– Pressure/Flow (Phoenix, AZ)

Fluke Calibration, Temperature, American Fork, UT

• Mike Hirst
Senior Design Engineer
Fluke Calibration, Temperature
• 30+ years with Fluke / Hart Scientific
Agenda

• Dry-well Thermal Uncertainties

– Temperature Stability
– Temperature Uniformity
• Axial
• Radial
– Block Loading
– Hysteresis of the Control Sensor
– Immersion Effects (Stem Conduction)
• Uncertainty Budget
– Direct and indirect modes
Euramet cg-13 v.2

European Association of National Metrology Institutes

Calibration Guide: “Calibration of Temperature Block
Calibrators”
Euramet cg-13 v.2

Formerly: EA-10/13
http://www.euramet.org/fileadmin/docs/Publications/calguides/EURAMET_cg-13__v_2.0__Temperature_Block_Calibrators_01.pdf
Temperature Reference Standard

Direct Mode
Temperature Reference Standard
Indirect Mode
Temperature Stability

Temperature Stability Measurement

100.145
Temperature Deviation, °C 100.140
2 Sigma = ±0.009°C
100.135

100.130

100.125

100.120

100.115

100.110
Peak to Peak = 0.026°C
100.105 Peak = 0.026°C / 2 = ±0.013°C
100.100
0:00
0:01
0:02
0:03
0:04
0:06
0:07
0:08
0:09
0:11
0:12
0:13
0:14
0:15
0:17
0:18
0:19
0:20
0:22
0:23
0:24
0:25
0:26
0:28
0:29
0:30
0:31
0:33
0:34
0:35
Time
Temperature Uniformity

• Axial Uniformity – Variation in the temperature

along the axial length of the insert (block) within
the measurement zone.

• Radial Uniformity – Variation in the

temperature between different wells of the
insert (block) within the measurement zone.

• Measurement Zone – Space occupied by the

sensitive elements of the UUTs measured, both
axially and radially. Allow for the range of
sensor length.
Axial Temperature Uniformity
Axial Uniformity: Gradient Measurement

Measuring Axial Gradient Deviations

Immersion Depth, mm
100.32 0.06
0 20 40 60 0
Ref. & Grad. Temps., °C

Axial Dif. from Ref., °C

100.30 0.04
100.28 0.02
100.26 0.00 Reference
Gradient
100.24 check -0.02
Averages Differential
100.22 -0.04
100.20 -0.06
100.18 -0.08
0:00
0:03
0:07
0:11
0:15
0:19
0:22
0:26
0:30
0:34
0:38
0:42
0:46
0:50
0:54
0:58
1:02
1:05
1:09
Time, hr:min
Axial Uniformity: Gradient Profile

Example Dry-well
Example Axial
Dry-well Homogeneity
Axial Error at
Gradient Error at aa
Specified
SpecifiedTemperature
Temperature
0.04
Temperature Deviation, °C
0.03 40 mm Element
0.02 Error = 0.032°C max/2
20 mm Element Error = 0.009C or ±0.016°C
0.01
0.00
-0.01 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65
-0.02
40 mm vs. 40 mm probes, error = 0.000°C
-0.03
20 mm vs. 40 mm probes, error = 0.009°C
-0.04
min. small probe vs. 40 mm, error = ±0.016°C
-0.05
gradient profile
-0.06
Immersion from Bottom
Axial Gradient: Calibration Optimization

Optimizing for Large Axial Gradient, (600°C)

Difference in Error between Centered and Bottom UUT Position

2.80
Reference Thermometer
2.60 Center Line
2.40
2.20 20mm UUT
2.00
Profile Error, °C

1.80 Ref. Temp.

0.15°C
1.60
1.40 gradient profile
1.20 -0.88°C
1.00
0.80
0.60
0.40
0.20 20mm UUT
0.00
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70 75 80 85
Immersion, mm
Radial Temperature Uniformity

Reference probe Gradient probe

Radial Uniformity: Measurement

Radial Homogeneity Measurement

Gradient Measurement
Well Number
1 2 3
400.5 0.04
Reference & Well Temps, °C

0.03
400.0 0.02

Normalized Temp.
maximum
0.01

Difference, °C
error
399.5 0.00
-0.01
399.0 -0.02
-0.03
398.5 -0.04
-0.05
398.0 -0.06 Reference
17:30
17:31
17:32
17:32
17:33
17:34
17:34
17:35
17:36
17:36
17:37
17:38
17:38
17:39
17:40
17:41
17:41
17:42
Mover
Differential
Time
Radial Uniformity: Cyclic Exchange

TD = |((P1W1 – P1W2) + (P2W1 – P2W2)) / 2|

TD = Temperature Difference Between Wells

P1, P2 = Probes 1 and 2
W1, W2 = Wells 1 and 2
P1W1 is probe 1 in well 1, etc.
Block Thermal Loading

• Added Heat Loss due to increased numbers

or size of thermometers, creates a shift in
the temperature gradient in the insert
(block) of the dry-well.

• The Temperature Controller cannot

completely compensate for this shift.

• The result can be a temperature error that is

particularly apparent in the Direct Mode.
Block Thermal Loading: Measurement - Direct Mode

Dry-Well Block Loading Effect

421.23
1 Probe 2 Probes 3 Probes 4 Probes 3 Probes 2 Probes 1 Probe
421.21
Constant
421.19 0.026ºC error Display
421.17 Temperature
Temp, C

421.15 Ref 1
421.13 Ref 2

421.11

421.09

421.07

421.05
10:15
10:23
10:31
10:40
10:48
10:56
11:04
11:12
11:20
11:28
11:36
11:44
11:52
12:00
12:08
12:17
12:25
12:33
12:41
12:49
12:57
13:05
13:13
13:21
13:29
13:37
13:45
13:53
Time/event
Block Thermal Loading: Measurement - Indirect Mode

Thermal Loading Difference Between Reference Probes

0.010

0.008 0.002ºC
Error
Temp. Difference, °C

0.006

0.004

0.002

0.000
10:15
10:22
10:29
10:37
10:44
10:51
10:58
11:05
11:12
11:19
11:26
11:33
11:40
11:47
11:54
12:01
12:08
12:15
12:22
12:29
12:36
12:43
12:50
12:57
13:04
13:12
13:19
13:26
13:33
13:40
13:47
13:54
-0.002

-0.004
2 Probes 3 Probes 4 Probes 3 Probes 2 Probes
-0.006

-0.008

-0.010

Time/Event
Control Sensor Hysteresis

Control Sensor Hysteresis

700
Actual Temperature, C
600
500

400 Heating
Error
Error Cooling
300 Average Value

200
Temperature Range
Midpoint
100

0
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
Set Point Temperature, C
Control Sensor Hysteresis: Temperature Range Effect

Dry-Well Temperature Hysteresis Over

Different Ranges
0.060

0.040
Hysteresis Error, °C

0.020

0.000
-100 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700
-0.020

-0.040
Hysteresis
-0.060
Set-Point Temperature, °C
Immersion Effects and
Thermometer Stem Conduction
Uncertainty Budget: Direct Mode

Uncertainty Source Probability Distribution Uncertainty, ±°C Divisor Contribution, ±°C

Electronic Measurement Normal 0.012 2 NA

Ref. Thermometer (SPRT) Normal 0.010 2 NA

SPRT, long term drift Normal 0.010 2 NA

Dry-well Accuracy Rectangular 0.300 √3 0.173

Dry-well, long term drift Normal 0.100 2 0.050

Gradient, Axial Rectangular 0.150 √3 0.087

Gradient, Radial Rectangular 0.070 √3 0.040

Resolution of indicator Rectangular 0.005 √3 0.003

Temperature Stability Normal 0.030 2 0.015

Thermal Loading (direct) Rectangular 0.100 √3 0.058

Hysteresis Rectangular 0.025 √3 0.014

Stem Conduction Bias 0.050 1 0.050

Combined Standard Uncertainty, ±°C (k=1) 0.219

Combined Expanded Uncertainty, ±°C (k=2) 0.438

Uncertainty Budget: Indirect Mode

Probability
Uncertainty Source Distribution Uncertainty, ±°C Divisor Contribution, ±°C
Electronic Measurement Normal 0.012 2 0.006

Ref. Thermometer (SPRT) Normal 0.010 2 0.005

SPRT, long term drift Normal 0.010 2 0.005

Dry-well Accuracy Rectangular 0.300 √3 NA

Dry-well, long term drift Normal 0.100 2 NA

Gradient, Axial Rectangular 0.150 √3 0.087

Gradient, Axial (SPRT) Rectangular 0.070 √3 0.040

Gradient, Radial Rectangular 0.070 √3 0.040

Gradient, Radial (SPRT) Rectangular 0.070 √3 0.040

Resolution of indicator Rectangular 0.005 √3 NA

Temperature Stability Normal 0.030 2 0.015

Thermal Loading (indirect) Rectangular 0.002 √3 0.001

Hysteresis Rectangular 0.025 √3 NA

Stem Conduction Bias 0.050 1 0.050

Combined Standard Uncertainty, ±°C (k=1) 0.123

Combined Expanded Uncertainty, ±°C (k=2) 0.247

Summary

• Thermal properties inherent in dry-wells

contribute to uncertainty of calibration
• An estimate of the uncertainty can be made
through measurement and analysis
• Different modes of use of the dry-well influence
the overall uncertainty
• Careful testing and analysis can be used to
improve accuracy of the calibration for specific
cases
2018 Temperature
Calibration Classes
Instructor-led Training
• Advanced Topics in Temperature Metrology, Sep 17-19
• Infrared Calibration, Sep 20-21
• Practical Temperature Calibration, Nov 12-14
• Installation and Training Supplemental Services
(courses scheduled on-demand)
Future web seminars

Temperature Calibration seminars coming soon:

• How to do a System Calibration for an RTD & Readout, April 11
(presented in Spanish)
• Automating Temperature Calibration, April 25 (presented in English)
• How to Calibrate Sanitary Temperature Sensors and
Transmitters, May 9 (presented in English)

For the latest schedule visit

http://us.flukecal.com/training/web-seminars/current-schedule

Our seminar topics cover principles and practical tips about electrical, flow, pressure, RF and
temperature calibration
Thank you

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