Calibration of thermocouple psychrometers and moisture measurements in porous materials Available to Purchase

The paper presents in situ method of peltier psychrometric sensors calibration which allow to determine water potential. Water potential can be easily recalculated into moisture content of the porous material. In order to obtain correct results of water potential, each probe should be calibrated. NaCl salt solutions with molar concentration of 0.4M, 0.7M, 1.0M and 1.4M, were used for calibration which enabled to obtain osmotic potential in range: −1791 kPa to −6487 kPa. Traditionally, the value of voltage generated on thermocouples during wet-bulb temperature depression is calculated in order to determine the calibration function for psychrometric in situ sensors. In the new method of calibration, the field under psychrometric curve along with peltier cooling current and duration was taken into consideration. During calibration, different cooling currents were applied for each salt solution, i.e. 3, 5, 8 mA respectively, as well as different cooling duration for each current (from 2 to 100 sec with 2 sec step). Afterwards, the shape of each psychrometric curve was thoroughly examined and a value of field under psychrometric curve was computed. Results of experiment indicate that there is a robust correlation between field under psychrometric curve and water potential. Calibrations formulas were designated on the basis of these features.