Description

A bench top unit designed to introduce students to temperature, temperature scales and commonly available devices to measure temperature.

The equipment comprises a hypsometer/hot water bath and ice flask to generate accurate fixed points (the condensation point and triple point of water) and variable temperatures.

Temperature sensors with different thermometric principles and characteristics are supplied. An accurate platinum resistance thermometer (PT100) with five point NAMAS calibration certificate and temperature indicated directly in °C, is included for reference.

The temperature of the condensing water vapour in the hypsometer can be determined accurately using the software or tables in the manual, providing knowledge of the barometric pressure is known. The water level is simply raised to change the hypsometer into a variable temperature water bath.

The unit is designed for safe operation with insulation surrounding the vessel and a protected steam vent. A radiation shield surrounds the sensors to be calibrated to minimise measurement errors. A common carrier enables all sensors to be transferred simultaneously from ice flask to the hypsometer/water bath.

All thermometric properties and temperatures measured are displayed on a digital meter with selector switch.

All important electronic sensors used on the unit provide outputs for data logging and analysis. The data logger, provided with the unit, interfaces between the unit and the user’s computer using a USB port.

The optional educational software package enables data recording, graph plotting and provides full instructions for setting up equipment and performing the experiments.

All related theory and help texts are provided. The software requires a computer (not supplied) running Windows 7 or later with a USB port.

The following sensors/signal conditioning circuits are included:

• Accurate reference PRT with linearised output in °C
• Industrial PRT with a bridge circuit to measure the resistance in Ohms. Higher current can be passed through the sensor to show the effect of self-heating
• Type-K thermocouple using a precision preamplifier to measure the thermoelectric voltage with cold junction compensation or a second thermocouple in ice as required
• Additional thermocouples enable errors due to response and conduction to be demonstrated. An additional conditioning circuit with user adjustable zero and span controls enables the output to be displayed as a direct reading thermometer calibrated in °C
• Thermistor with constant current through the sensor to measure the resistance in Ohms
• In addition to the thermoelectric sensors a liquid in glass and vapour pressure thermometer are also supplied