Thermal modelling comparing high temperature fixed point measurements by contact and non-contact thermometry

Abstract

This paper reports thermal modelling that aims to establish if the measurement method - either by a radiation thermometer or by a thermocouple - significantly influences the measured temperature of the high temperature fixed points Co-C, Pd-C and Ru-C. It is clear that both measurement techniques have specific physical characteristics which may affect the temperature measured during the melting plateau. With the radiation thermometer, the radiation heat transfer is directly influenced by the environment because the back-wall is effectively viewing the cold outside environment. In the case of a thermocouple direct viewing of the outside world is blocked so radiation transport is significantly reduced; however, in the case of the thermocouple there is a different component of heat transfer, namely conduction from the thermowell walls in contact with the thermocouple along the thermocouple stem itself.