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U.S. Department of Energy
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Remote calibration of Resistance Temperature Devices (RTDs): Final report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5579430

Johnson noise power measuring techniques have been used to calibrate platinum resistance temperature detectors (RTDs) installed in an operating nuclear plant - Connecticut Yankee Atomic Power Company's Haddam Neck Nuclear Plant - achieving agreement with the dc calibration from better than 0.1% to as much as 1% (0.54 to 9.7/sup 0/F) at the normal operating temperature of 585/sup 0/F. Tests were also conducted at plant shutdown conditions. In this application, RTDs with an ice point resistance of 200 ..cap omega.. were connected with four-wire extension cables approximately 100-ft long to a test station in containment. Methods were developed for in situ characterization of the extension cables and for quantitative measurement of and correction for nonthermal induced noise. Analysis of dc calibration methods showed that resistance-temperature tables used with industrial PRTs may be in error by 0.2/sup 0/F or 0.02% A (expressed as a percentage of absolute temperature in either Kelvin or degrees Rankine) at 540/sup 0/F. Recalibration of the RTDs measured in the plant tests showed differences of about 2.5/sup 0/F or 0.2% A at 540/sup 0/F from calibration tables used in the plant.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-84OR21400
OSTI ID:
5579430
Report Number(s):
EPRI-NP-5537; ON: DE88006381
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English