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Summary
The NIST Thermodynamic Metrology Group (TMG) provides critical research into pressure measurement capabilities improving uncertainties in user facilities and developing new national standards. Additionally, the group maintains and develops improvements to the current national standards for pressure in the range of 10-7 Pa to 280 MPa. Below is a description of our calibration services and a list of primary research projects.
Description
Piston Gauge (29010C - 29040S)
This service provides calibrated secondary standard piston gauges, calibrated electronic pressure instruments, and special tests of customer supplied piston gauges. Measurements of pressure are available for submitted calibration items for the range from 10 kPa to 280 MPa. For additional information about our measurements and facilities, see Piston Gauge.
Technical contact: Christopher Meyer
Low Pressure Manometry (30010C - 30025C, 30040S)
Measurements of absolute and differential pressure from 0.1 Pa to 360 kPa are made using low pressure manometry. Common pressure instruments calibrated are capacitance diaphragm gauges, quartz bourdon gauges, low pressure gas piston gauges, along with special tests of customer supplied pressure instruments. For additional information about our measurements and facility, see Low Pressure Manometry.
Technical contact: Jay Hendricks
Vacuum Gauge (30029C - 30038C, 30050S)
This service provides calibrated secondary standard ion gauges, spinning rotor gauges, and special tests of customer supplied vacuum gauges. Measurements of pressure are available for submitted calibration items for the range from 10-7 Pa to 30 Pa. For additional information about our measurements and facilities, see Vacuum Gauge.
Technical contact: James Fedchak
Measurements of helium leaks and low gas flow from 1x10-14 mol/s to 1x10-3 mol/s are made using primary and comparative flow standards. (Contact the Fluid Metrology Group for larger flows from 0.01 mol/s to 6x107mol/s.) For additional information about our measurements and facility, see Flow/Leak.
Technical contacts: Julia Scherschligt
Current Research Projects
Realizing Pressure, Temperature, and Length - The TMG is designing a new primary standard for pressures in the range of 1 Pa to 360 kPa using the optical refractive index of gas. Additionally, by maintaining the pressure constant the device can act as a primary standard for temperature and improve in-situ length measurements.
Dynamic Pressure - Time dependent processes and pressure/blast waves require increasingly accurate dynamic measurements of pressure. Pressure is a key measurement that provides critical information on the changing conditions of a process or system, and microsecond response is crucial.