What is a Dead Weight Tester & How it works?

Every business that uses pressure instruments to monitor fluid and gas pressures and flow rates relies on accurately calibrating today's high-tech pressure measurement instruments. Pressure is a complex measurement discipline. And to have precise measurements, pressure gauge calibration is necessary. That's where pressure calibrators come in.

There needs to be a calibration kit for pressure gauges that is universally suitable for all users' needs. Pressure gauge calibration standards diverge substantially based on their uses and the setting in which they are utilized.

That’s why there are different types of pressure calibrators for different scenarios. For example, a dead weight tester, multifunction calibrator, or measuring gauge with a predefined accuracy can examine the accuracy of transmitters, sensors, transducers & pressure gauges.

Today, we will review what these dead-weight testers are and how they work.

Deadweight Testers - What are They?

The DWT - Dead Weight Tester is a pressure-monitoring system that helps maintain pressure by dividing the force's weight by its applied area. DWT offers excellent calibration accuracy for pressure gauges and guards against inaccurate pressure readings. 

Deadweight testers provide a quick and inexpensive approach to assess a range of pressure calibrations by utilizing calibrated weights to drive desired pressure ranges to a system under test. Adding a deadweight tester is important because the instrument may house all the technology necessary to create pressure, measure it & regulate it more precisely.

Pressure gauges, sensors, transmitters & transducers are just a few examples of the many pressure measurement devices that leverage it for calibration. Dead Weight Testers have become the major standard for measuring pressure with stability, precision, and repeatability.

But where are they used? Let’s take a look.

Deadweight Testers - The Many Uses

A dead weight tester is sometimes referred to as a primary reference standard because it is thought to yield the most accurate findings due to the great degree of accuracy with which the weight mass & the radius of the piston cylinder are well-known.

When used incorrectly, a few factors can significantly affect the measurement uncertainty of a deadweight tester. It includes mistaken local gravity correction, loss of mass from scratches on the weights, loss of friction from improper upkeep of the piston cylinder assembly, measures taken without spinning the weights, and failure to guarantee that the base is horizontal.

Today, standards laboratories mainly utilize dead-weight testers to offer a reference standard for pressure calibration needs.

So, How Does it Work?

A DWT (Dead Weight Tester) is a pressure calibration tool that sets pressure setpoints precisely across a broad range of pneumatic or hydraulic pressures using metal baggage & piston parts.

Since pressure is computed by dividing the applied force by the surface area of the piston cylinder (P= F/A), the pressure produced by a deadweight tester is estimated by doubling the overall mass by the gravitational acceleration. 

A screwpress provides pressure, while a gas monitor is used for pneumatic methods. The allocated pressure is obtained when the weights are lifted to a floating position using the screwpress or regulator.

To be precise, the letters P, F, and A stand for the reference pressure in pascals (Pa), the force acting on the piston in Newtons (N), and the effective area in square meters (m2).

Most applications requiring calibration fall within the 0–2500 bar pressure range. On the other hand, Deadweight testers can measure pressures up to 10,000 bar. This calibrating device has a high accuracy range of 0.005% to 0.1%.

Modern dead weight tests can offer cutting-edge physical compensation and are highly accurate and sophisticated. They can create an intelligent calibrator device that can register all important environmental variables, improve reading accuracy, and automatically adjust readings precisely.

The Bottom Line

Accurately adjusting and quantifying an instrument's pressure is the main advantage of using a Dead Weight Tester. The Dead Weight Tester also offers the most precise and affordable option for calibrating additional pressure systems/measuring unknown pressure when high precision is needed.

At Nagman, we have the best dead-weight testers of the highest caliber. Our top-notch calibrators are simple and efficient when fine-tuning or making adjustments. Are you looking for top-notch calibrators? Feel free to browse our products to find the best fit for your needs!

What are Dry Block Calibrators & How it is Used?

 In all industries, temperature is the most monitored factor. Particularly in the process industry, precise temperature measurements are crucial for the smooth operation of all processes. And for that, we need temperature calibrators.

A temperature calibrator is any tool that can be used to check if temperature data from measuring equipment are reliable. They can also be used to check if temperature device readings fall within the accuracy and error tolerances that have been set. 

Many different temperature calibrators exist, ranging from a portable instrument for lab calibrations to a robust dry block temperature calibrator, and they serve specific calibration purposes. Today, we will walk you through dry block calibrators - what they mean and why they are used for temperature calibration!

What are Dry Block Calibrators?

Dry block temperature calibrators come with metal inserts with holes bored into them for mounting temperature sensors. These holes range in size, and the metal insert can be removed from the outside. In this arrangement, the metal near the temperature source and the temperature sensors are close. 

Since they don't contain any liquid, dry block calibrators can also be known as dry well calibrators. Dry block calibrators are mostly used in the metrological calibration of temperature measurement equipment's thermal and thermodynamic characteristics, such as temperature sensors, RTDs, platinum resistance thermometers, and other measuring devices. 

These devices deliver extremely precise and trustworthy results as the most popular temperature calibrators. Also, a dry-block calibrator could be the best choice to gauge a sensor's mobility or accuracy.

Where are Dry Block Calibrators Used?

Dry block calibrators provide good stability, a compact, lightweight shell for easy transport to the field, and an insert that can often calibrate one to three calibrating sensors simultaneously. However, there are other significant uses as well.

Temperature Range

Dry block calibrators can calibrate temperature instruments with a particularly large temperature range. Some calibrators can be used at temperatures as high as 100 degrees Celsius. Also, dual dry block calibrators can calibrate temperatures between -100 and 350 degrees Celsius.

Portable

Dry block calibrators are also exceptionally heavy-duty portable that can be utilized for both in-home and tough outdoor calibrations. It is usually a good idea to have a portable calibrator model on hand for short-site calibrations.

Best for Small-Diameter Sensors

Linear sensors with small diameters, such as sheathed thermocouples, thermistor probes, and RTD probes, calibrate effectively using dry-block calibrators. Further, this accuracy level can also be raised using a platinum resistance thermometer (PRT), an external reference thermometer.

Suitable for Multiple Sensors

Another useful feature of these calibrators is the number of sensors that can be calibrated simultaneously. From 10 to 40 sensors can be calibrated in a dry-block calibrator. However, it is better not to overload. Nevertheless, simultaneous calibration of two or three sensors is only possible with dry block calibrators. 

But How do they Work?

A dry block calibrator/furnace works on a simple heating principle. Let's break it down. First, the dry block calibrator's furnace is brought to the desired temperature by heating or cooling a metal block. Then the temperature of its temperature field is maintained uniformly and steadily. 

The heated or cooled metal constant temperature rapidly functions as a medium to offer an adjustable and controlled stable reference thermometer for the measured sensor to calibrate temperature equipment.

Usually, a dry block has a removable insert featuring suitable holes or bores for temperature sensors to be inserted into. The dry block normally measures the temperature internally, but you may also use an external reference temperature sensor by inserting it into one of the holes.

A dry block often got replaceable points with several options. Each is drilled over multiple holes to assist in the calibration of various temperature sensors.

Automate Temperature Calibration with Nagman

In the end, dry block calibrators deliver excellent performance at an affordable cost. They are portable, light, and quick, making them the perfect choice. Nagman offers a wide range of high-quality dry block temperature calibrators for all needs. 

Whether you work in the food sector and need to calibrate thermocouples used in engines or monitor oven sensors, Nagman has years of experience to help you choose the ideal dry block for your particular needs! Get the highest quality dry block calibrators for better accuracy with Nagman!