HiTeMS: A project to solve high temperature measurement problems in industry

HiTeMS is a three-year research project involving fifteen partners, part funded by the European Metrology Research Programme. The objective of the research is to develop a suite of methods and techniques that will significantly improve the practice of industrial high temperature non-contact and contact thermometry, up to at least 2500 °C. Special emphasis is given to facilitating in-situ traceability, i.e. ensuring traceability to the International Temperature Scale of 1990 (ITS-90) directly within the industrial process. HiTeMS will do this by seeking to address common problems encountered in high temperature thermometry such as unknown emissivity and varying path transmission for non-contact thermometry and sensor characterization (including thermocouple reference function determination) and, characterizing and mitigating sensor drift (to at least 2000 °C). The project started in September 2011 and this paper focuses on the anticipated research outcomes by the time of the project conclusion in Aug 2014.