Development of a driftless Johnson noise thermometer for nuclear applications
Existing temperature sensors such as thermocouples and platinum resistance thermometers suffer from calibration drift, especially in harsh environments, due to mechanical and chemical changes (and transmutation in the case of nuclear applications). A solution to the drift problem is to use temperatu...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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EDP Sciences
2020-01-01
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| Series: | EPJ Web of Conferences |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.epj-conferences.org/articles/epjconf/pdf/2020/01/epjconf_animma2019_03001.pdf |
| _version_ | 1818621487727247360 |
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| author | Pearce Jonathan V. Bramley Paul Cruickshank David |
| author_facet | Pearce Jonathan V. Bramley Paul Cruickshank David |
| author_sort | Pearce Jonathan V. |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Existing temperature sensors such as thermocouples and platinum resistance thermometers suffer from calibration drift, especially in harsh environments, due to mechanical and chemical changes (and transmutation in the case of nuclear applications). A solution to the drift problem is to use temperature sensors based on fundamental thermometry (primary thermometers) where the measured property is related to absolute temperature by a fundamental physical law. A Johnson noise thermometer is such a sensor and uses the measurement of the extremely small thermal voltage noise signals generated by any resistive element to determine temperature using the Johnson-Nyquist equation. A Johnson noise thermometer never needs calibration and is insensitive to the condition of the sensor material, which makes it ideally suited to long-term temperature measurement in harsh environments. These can include reactor coolant circuits, in-pile measurements, nuclear waste management and storage, and severe accident monitoring. There have been a number of previous attempts to develop a Johnson noise thermometer for the nuclear industry, but none have achieved commercialization because of technical difficulties. We describe the results of a collaboration between the National Physical Laboratory and Metrosol Limited, which has led to a new technique for measuring Johnson noise that overcomes the previous problems that have prevented commercialization. The results from a proof-of-principle prototype that demonstrates performance commensurate with the needs of nuclear applications is presented, together with details of progress towards the commercialization of the technology. The development partners have effected a step change in the application of primary thermometry to industrial applications and seek partners for field trials and further exploitation. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-16T18:10:04Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-597f5e56694d40f18d3c05cecdb1f59c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2100-014X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-16T18:10:04Z |
| publishDate | 2020-01-01 |
| publisher | EDP Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | EPJ Web of Conferences |
| spelling | doaj.art-597f5e56694d40f18d3c05cecdb1f59c2022-12-21T22:21:48ZengEDP SciencesEPJ Web of Conferences2100-014X2020-01-012250300110.1051/epjconf/202022503001epjconf_animma2019_03001Development of a driftless Johnson noise thermometer for nuclear applicationsPearce Jonathan V.Bramley PaulCruickshank DavidExisting temperature sensors such as thermocouples and platinum resistance thermometers suffer from calibration drift, especially in harsh environments, due to mechanical and chemical changes (and transmutation in the case of nuclear applications). A solution to the drift problem is to use temperature sensors based on fundamental thermometry (primary thermometers) where the measured property is related to absolute temperature by a fundamental physical law. A Johnson noise thermometer is such a sensor and uses the measurement of the extremely small thermal voltage noise signals generated by any resistive element to determine temperature using the Johnson-Nyquist equation. A Johnson noise thermometer never needs calibration and is insensitive to the condition of the sensor material, which makes it ideally suited to long-term temperature measurement in harsh environments. These can include reactor coolant circuits, in-pile measurements, nuclear waste management and storage, and severe accident monitoring. There have been a number of previous attempts to develop a Johnson noise thermometer for the nuclear industry, but none have achieved commercialization because of technical difficulties. We describe the results of a collaboration between the National Physical Laboratory and Metrosol Limited, which has led to a new technique for measuring Johnson noise that overcomes the previous problems that have prevented commercialization. The results from a proof-of-principle prototype that demonstrates performance commensurate with the needs of nuclear applications is presented, together with details of progress towards the commercialization of the technology. The development partners have effected a step change in the application of primary thermometry to industrial applications and seek partners for field trials and further exploitation.https://www.epj-conferences.org/articles/epjconf/pdf/2020/01/epjconf_animma2019_03001.pdfthermometryjohnson noisejohnson noisethermometrytraceabilityits-90temperature measurement |
| spellingShingle | Pearce Jonathan V. Bramley Paul Cruickshank David Development of a driftless Johnson noise thermometer for nuclear applications EPJ Web of Conferences thermometry johnson noise johnson noisethermometry traceability its-90 temperature measurement |
| title | Development of a driftless Johnson noise thermometer for nuclear applications |
| title_full | Development of a driftless Johnson noise thermometer for nuclear applications |
| title_fullStr | Development of a driftless Johnson noise thermometer for nuclear applications |
| title_full_unstemmed | Development of a driftless Johnson noise thermometer for nuclear applications |
| title_short | Development of a driftless Johnson noise thermometer for nuclear applications |
| title_sort | development of a driftless johnson noise thermometer for nuclear applications |
| topic | thermometry johnson noise johnson noisethermometry traceability its-90 temperature measurement |
| url | https://www.epj-conferences.org/articles/epjconf/pdf/2020/01/epjconf_animma2019_03001.pdf |
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