Enhancing process efficiency through improved temperature measurement: the EMPRESS projects

Abstract EMPRESS 2 is a European project to enhance the efficiency of high value manufacturing processes by improving temperature measurement and control capability. This seeks address four contemporary thermometry challenges in this sector, new developments from its predecessor project, EMPRESS, will be described: • Below 1000°C many industrial require reliable surface e.g. welding, coating, forging forming. Conventional non-contact techniques thermal imaging are prone large errors (tens degrees) due reflected radiation unknown emissivity. Contact approaches similarly errors. Traceable phosphor being developed overcome these difficulties, combined with quantitative thermography determine emissivity for over wide fields view. Above 1300°C sensor drift significant unaddressed issue casting, heat treatment, causing There need more stable sensors standardisation at least one thermocouple type fill gap 1800°C. addressed through improved Pt-Rh thermocouples optimisation double-walled mineral insulated, metal sheathed mitigating insulation breakdown effects. Combustion very challenging traceability almost non-existent; example, measurements flame temperatures can error hundreds degrees. A ‘standard flame’ that transported users’ sites has been developed, deployed several applications a) demonstrate possibility reducing uncertainties an order magnitude b) first time in-situ International Temperature Scale 1990 (ITS-90). Many not amenable any conventional inaccessibility, ionising radiation, electromagnetic interference, contamination; here methods based on optical fibres ideal but there no traceable calibration such currently available. suite different fibre-optic thermometers this. In some cases (ionising radiation) darkening fibre problem, development novel practical ‘hollow core’ fibres.