The Thermocouple Calibration Laboratory calibrates thermocouples of the following type:
- Base Metal
- letter designated (E, J, K, N, T)
- non-letter designated (W/Re, Ir/Rh, Pt/Rh)
- Noble Metal
- S, R, B
- Pure Metal
- Au/Pt
- Pt/Pd
Calibration services for all commonly used types of thermocouples are provided by NIST from -196 °C to +2100 °C. The temperature range for a particular calibration depends on the type of wire or thermocouple submitted.
Thermocouples are calibrated by either comparison or fixed point, depending on the type of thermocouple, the temperature range, and the accuracy required. Both methods provide traceability to the International Temperature Scale of 1990 (ITS-90). Comparison calibration of thermocouple wire uses a reference thermocouple maintained at NIST. Fixed-point calibration of thermocouples use four defining temperatures of the ITS-90: the freezing points of zinc, aluminum, silver, and gold.
Single-leg thermoelements are tested against the NIST maintained platinum thermoelectric reference standard, Pt-67, by the first or second method.
Only bare wires are needed for NIST thermocouple calibrations. We would prefer customers not to send ceramic insulating and protecting tubes since they may get broken during shipment. If the thermocouple is shipped in a mount such as a protection tube assembly, a special dismantling fee may be charged and the parts will be returned unassembled.
The minimum length for thermocouple wire submitted for calibration should be at least:
- Comparison Calibration
- 70 cm for Types E, J, K, N, T, S, R
- 80 cm for Type B
- 100 cm for W/Re
- Fixed-point Calibration
- 100 cm
For base-metal thermocouples (types E, J, K, N, and T) and thermocouple materials, only those that are unused will be accepted for test. A calibration will be undertaken only if the thermocouple is likely to yield the specified accuracy.
How to Arrange a Calibration
- Contact the staff member in charge of the calibration service for your artifact with any technical or calibration cost questions.
- Calibrations are performed on a first come first serve basis.
- Ship your artifact with a copy of the purchase order. Use a sturdy box in which we can return the calibrated instrument.
- The purchase order may be sent to contact by e-mail, fax, or mail. Please include the following information:
- service ID for the calibration
- model and serial number of your artifact
- customer contact name, address, phone, and e-mail
- return shipping method (e.g., shipping account number)
|
Mailing Address
|
Shipping Address
|
| NIST |
NIST |
| Attn: Karen Garrity |
Attn: Karen Garrity |
| 100 Bureau Drive |
100 Bureau Drive |
| MS 8363 |
Bldg. 221, Rm. B308 |
| Gaithersburg, MD 20899 |
Gaithersburg, MD 20899 |
Description and Costs of Services
Comparison Calibrations
|
Service ID
|
Fee, $
|
Description of Service
|
|
32010C
|
1,228
|
Type S, 0°C to 1450 °C
|
|
32020C
|
1,228
|
Type R, 0 °C to 1450 °C
|
|
32030C
|
1,789
|
Type B, 0 °C to 1750 °C
|
|
32031C
|
1,228
|
Type B, 800 °C to 1750 °C
|
|
32040C
|
1,228
|
Type E, 0 °C to 1000 °C
|
|
32041C
|
1,228
|
Type J, 0 °C to 760 °C
|
|
32042C
|
1,228
|
Type K, 0 °C to 1100 °C
|
|
32043C
|
1,228
|
Type N, 0 °C to 1100 °C
|
|
32044C
|
1,228
|
Type T, 0 °C to 400 °C
|
|
32050C
|
537/pt
|
Two-point minimum for all types listed above
|
|
32060C
|
331
|
Replacement report for Types S, R, B
|
|
32061C
|
205
|
Additional Report at time of test
|
|
32070C
|
1,228
|
Thermocouple material tested against NIST Pt thermoelectric standard
|
Fixed-point Calibrations†
|
Service ID
|
Fee, $
|
Description of Service
|
|
32090C
|
2,726
|
Type S or R, 0 °C to 1450 °C
|
|
32091C
|
880
|
Type S or R, two-point minimum
|
†0.4mm minimum wire diameter
Comparison calibration of thermocouple or thermocouple material against the NIST Pt thermoelectric standard, temperature measured with an SPRT†
|
Service ID
|
Fee/pt, $
|
Description of Service
|
|
32110C
|
565
|
Range: -196 °C to 315 °C and Liquid N2, U(k=2) 0.4 °C
|
|
32120C
|
565
|
Range: 316 °C to 550 °C, U(k=2) 0.5 °C
|
† minimum wire length 100 cm, two-point minimum
Table at one degree intervals for Type T thermocouple†
|
Service ID
|
Fee, $
|
Description of Service
|
|
32141C
|
586
|
Option 1: Table from -196 °C to 300 °C (-321 °F to 572 °F), calibration points at (-196, -110, -50, 100, 200, 300) °C |
|
32142C
|
586
|
Option 2: Table from -196 °C to 100 °C (-321 °F to 212 °F), calibration points at (-196, -110, -50, 50, 100) °C |
|
32143C
|
586
|
Option 3: Table from -110 °C to 300 °C (-166 °F to 572 °F), calibration points at (-110, -50, 50, 100, 200, 300) °C |
|
32144C
|
586
|
Option 4: Table from -110 °C to 100 °C (-166 °F to 572 °F), calibration points at (-110, -50, 50, 100) °C |
|
32145C
|
586
|
Option 5: Table from 0 °C to 300 °C (32 °F to 572 °F), calibration points at (100, 200, 300) °C |
|
32146C
|
586
|
Option 6: Table from -110 °C to 0 °C (-166 °F to 32 °F), calibration points at (-110, -50) °C |
|
32147C
|
586
|
Option 7: Table from -196 °C to 0 °C (-321 °F to 32 °F), calibration points at (-196, -110, -50) °C |
|
32150S
|
at cost
|
Special Tests of Thermocouples and Thermocouple Materials |
† The cost of the table will be in addition to the calibration per point covered under fee schedule service IDs 32110C - 32120C.
Calibration Measurement Uncertainties
Type S calibrated using fixed-point
|
Fixed-Point Cell
|
U (k=2), μV
|
|
Au (1064.18 °C)
|
1.0
|
|
Ag (961.78 °C)
|
0.8
|
|
Al (660.323 °C)
|
0.9
|
|
Zn (419.527 °C)
|
0.7
|
Type S propagated uncertainties from a fixed-point cell calibration
|
Temperature °C
|
U (k=2), μV
|
Temperature °C
|
U (k=2), μV
|
Temperature °C
|
U (k=2), μV
|
|
50
|
0.4
|
450
|
0.6
|
850
|
0.6
|
|
100
|
0.4
|
500
|
0.6
|
900
|
0.6
|
|
150
|
0.5
|
550
|
0.6
|
950
|
0.6
|
|
200
|
0.5
|
600
|
0.6
|
961.78
|
0.6
|
|
250
|
0.5
|
630.62
|
0.6
|
1000
|
0.7
|
|
300
|
0.6
|
650
|
0.6
|
1050
|
0.7
|
|
350
|
0.6
|
700
|
0.6
|
1064.18
|
0.8
|
|
400
|
0.6
|
750
|
0.6
|
1100
|
0.8
|
|
419.527
|
0.6
|
800
|
0.6
|
|
|
Type B, R, S comparison calibration to a Type S reference thermocouple
|
Temperature,
°C
|
U (k=2),
μV
|
Temperature,
°C
|
U (k=2),
μV
|
Temperature,
°C
|
U (k=2),
µV
|
|
100
|
1.0
|
500
|
2.6
|
900
|
3.0
|
|
200
|
1.5
|
600
|
2.8
|
961.78
|
3.0
|
|
300
|
1.9
|
630.62
|
2.8
|
1000
|
2.9
|
|
400
|
2.3
|
700
|
2.9
|
1064.18
|
2.9
|
|
419.527
|
2.4
|
800
|
3.0
|
1100
|
2.8
|
Base-metal thermocouple comparison calibration to a Type S reference thermocouple
|
Temperature,
°C
|
U (k=2),
μV
|
Temperature,
°C
|
U (k=2),
μV
|
Temperature,
°C
|
U (k=2),
μV
|
|
100
|
0.2
|
500
|
0.5
|
900
|
0.8
|
|
200
|
0.2
|
600
|
0.6
|
961.78
|
0.9
|
|
300
|
0.3
|
630.62
|
0.6
|
1000
|
0.9
|
|
400
|
0.4
|
700
|
0.6
|
1064.18
|
1.0
|
|
419.527
|
0.4
|
800
|
0.7
|
1100
|
1.0
|
Base-metal thermocouple (Type K or N) comparison calibration to a SPRT
|
Temperature
°C
|
U
(k=2),
μV
|
Temperature
°C
|
U
(k=2),
μV
|
|
-200
|
0.4
|
300
|
0.3
|
|
-100
|
0.2
|
400
|
0.4
|
|
0
|
0.02
|
419.527
|
0.4
|
|
100
|
0.1
|
500
|
0.5
|
|
200
|
0.2
|
|
|
General information regarding NIST Calibration Services may be found on the NIST Technology Services Calibration webpage.
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