Method and apparatus for calibrating a thermometer in situ
AssigneeEndress + Hauser Wetzer GmbH + Co. KG
InventorsMarc Schalles, Dirk Boguhn, Peter Seefeld, Reinhard Buchner
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Abstract
The invention relates to an apparatus for the calibration of a thermometer in situ, wherein the apparatus has a temperature sensor (S) for determining a temperature (T); wherein a reference element (K) is provided for calibrating the temperature sensor (S); wherein the reference element (K) at least partially comprises a ferroelectric material (D), which experiences a phase transformation at least one predetermined temperature (TPh) in a temperature range relevant for calibrating the temperature sensor (S).
Claims28
An apparatus for calibrating or validating a thermometer in situ, having:
- a temperature sensor in the form of a resistance element for determining a temperature, wherein an electrical resistance of said resistance element is measured and thereby the temperature is determined;
- and
- a reference element for calibrating said resistance element, wherein:
- said reference element at least partially comprises a ferroelectric material, which experiences a phase transformation at least at one predetermined temperature in a temperature range relevant for calibrating or validating said resistance element;
- and
- said resistance element and said reference element are integrated in a thermometer component and wherein said reference element is arranged next to the resistance element and is sufficiently close to the same temperature as the resistance element;
- wherein said reference element comprises a capacitor element with a dielectric, and said ferroelectric material at least partially comprises the dielectric of said capacitor element.
A method for calibrating and/or monitoring the state of a temperature sensor or a thermometer in situ, comprising the steps of:
- using a resistance element for determining the temperature by measuring an electrical resistance of said resistance element as temperature sensor;
- and
- using a reference element for calibration and/or monitoring of the thermometer, wherein the reference element at least partially comprises a ferroelectric material;
- and
- exposing said resistance element and said reference element to at least one predetermined temperature at which a phase transformation of the ferroelectric material occurs and evaluating measured values or measuring signals obtained by said temperature sensor or reference element, and using said measured values or measuring signals for calibrating and/or monitoring the state of the temperature sensor or thermometer;
- wherein said reference element comprises a capacitor element with a dielectric, and said ferroelectric material at least partially comprises the dielectric of said capacitor element.
An apparatus for calibrating or validating a thermometer in situ, having:
- a temperature sensor in the form of a resistance element for determining a temperature wherein an electrical resistance of said resistance element is measured and thereby the temperature is determined;
- and
- a reference element for calibrating said temperature sensor resistance element, wherein:
- said reference element at least partially comprises a ferroelectric material, which experiences a phase transformation at least at one predetermined temperature in a temperature range relevant for calibrating said temperature sensor resistance element;
- said resistance element and said reference element are integrated in a thermometer component;
- and
- said reference element and the resistance element are integrated into one sensor structure;
- wherein said reference element comprises a capacitor element with a dielectric, and said ferroelectric material at least partially comprises the dielectric of said capacitor element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.