1. The document proposes using solid density standards instead of open scale hydrometers to calibrate reference hydrometers, which provides better accuracy, ease of use, and traceability.
2. A quartz sphere is used as the solid density standard, suspended in a thermostatic bath maintained at 20°C. The density of the calibration medium is determined directly from the mass measurements of the solid standard in air and submerged.
3. The reference hydrometer is then suspended and weighed at different immersion levels to calibrate it based on the known density of the calibration medium from the solid standard measurements. Using a solid standard provides density measurements with ppm accuracy compared to parts per thousand using water.
1. The document proposes using solid density standards instead of open scale hydrometers to calibrate reference hydrometers, which provides better accuracy, ease of use, and traceability.
2. A quartz sphere is used as the solid density standard, suspended in a thermostatic bath maintained at 20°C. The density of the calibration medium is determined directly from the mass measurements of the solid standard in air and submerged.
3. The reference hydrometer is then suspended and weighed at different immersion levels to calibrate it based on the known density of the calibration medium from the solid standard measurements. Using a solid standard provides density measurements with ppm accuracy compared to parts per thousand using water.
Original Title
Hyrometer Calibration using Solid Reference Standards
1. The document proposes using solid density standards instead of open scale hydrometers to calibrate reference hydrometers, which provides better accuracy, ease of use, and traceability.
2. A quartz sphere is used as the solid density standard, suspended in a thermostatic bath maintained at 20°C. The density of the calibration medium is determined directly from the mass measurements of the solid standard in air and submerged.
3. The reference hydrometer is then suspended and weighed at different immersion levels to calibrate it based on the known density of the calibration medium from the solid standard measurements. Using a solid standard provides density measurements with ppm accuracy compared to parts per thousand using water.
1. The document proposes using solid density standards instead of open scale hydrometers to calibrate reference hydrometers, which provides better accuracy, ease of use, and traceability.
2. A quartz sphere is used as the solid density standard, suspended in a thermostatic bath maintained at 20°C. The density of the calibration medium is determined directly from the mass measurements of the solid standard in air and submerged.
3. The reference hydrometer is then suspended and weighed at different immersion levels to calibrate it based on the known density of the calibration medium from the solid standard measurements. Using a solid standard provides density measurements with ppm accuracy compared to parts per thousand using water.
Indian Journal of Engineering & Materials Sciences
Vol. 3(,!June 1996, pp. 131-132
Note
Calibration of reference hydrometers using From primary standard, secondary standard of
solid density standards quartz or low expansion glass in various sizes are generated. One of the secondary standards of o C Sharma & S Sinha diameter 25 mm was used as solid density in National Physical Laboratory, Dr K S Krishnan Road, calibration of reference standard hydrometers. A New Delhi I ro 012, India special arrangement was developed for loading and Received 29 Septemher 1995; revised 29 January 1996 unloading the sphere using a suspension system for hydrostatic weighing. This note suggests the use of solid density standard to Experimental set-up-- The experiment set-up calibrate reference standard hydrometers instead of con- consists of a thermostatic bath in which distilled ventional method of a calibrated open scale hydrometer. water.is filled. Xylene or some other liquid is taken in a This ensures better accuracy of measurement, ease of cylindrical jar and dipped in thermostatic bath which operation and traceability in density measurement. has both heating and cooling arrangements. Reference standard hydrometers are calibrated by most of the National laboratories using Cuckow HOOJED TO method I. These hydrometers are used to calibrate BALANCE
\ laboratory grade hydrometers for routine applica- tions. The process of calibration involves weighing of 11 the hydrometer in air and in a liquid of known density, immersed to the level of graduation in question. The hydrostatic weighing in the liquid is carried out in temperature controlled bath which is normally maintained at 20°C. The density of calibration medium used for hydrostatic weighing of hydrometer is determined by using an open scale hydrometer. The 10 use of solid density standard for determination of density of calibration medium instead of an open scale hydrometer is more practical. The open scale hydrometer has to be calibrated in a medium of known density by using a sinker whose volume is determined by taking water as standard for density measurement. Use of solid density standard would remove all these anomalies and the density of the calibration medium is determined directly by knowing mass of the solid density standard in air and in the medium. Solid density standard-Water presents some limitations as reference standard for density measurement and accuracy achieved? is about 3 ppm. Solid density standards have been fabricated- whose accuracy of density measurement has relative uncertainty of 7 x 10-7• Solid spheres made of quartz, Zerodur, silicon low expansion glass are used as solid density standards':". National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi maintains solid density standard like other standards of physical measure- Fig. I-Suspension system for solid density standard and hydrometer [1. Micrometer head, 2. L N screw, 3. top plate, ment. Quartz serves as primary standard and 4. transfer pan, 5. lock skew, 6. clamp for SOS, 7. solid density accuracy of measurement up to 2 ppm has been standard, 8. support for SOS, 9. reference standard hydrometer, achieved. All measurements are carried out at 20°C. 10. clamp for hydrometer, and II. up-down motion assembly] 132 INDIAN 1. ENG. MATER. SCl.,JUNE 1996
Temperature within the jar is maintained at 20°C with medium is first determined. From known density of a variation of ± 0.0 I°C using temperature regulator. medium the value of density corresponding to the Mass measurement is carried out with a Mettler mark of hydrometer up to which ithas been immersed, balance H-315 in which arrangement for loading may be calculated as per standard procedures. below the pan has been provided. The resolution of Conclusion-The concept of using solid density balance is 100 ug and capacity I kg. A suspension standard to evaluate the density of liquid for system fixed on the cover of the jar helps to load and calibration of reference standard hydrometer is more unload the density standard on the balance. A promising as solid density standards provides much support which carries the solid density standard may higher accuracy of measurement than water as be moved up and down by operating a micrometer density standard. The calibration of open scale head and places the density standard on a triangular hydrometer makes use of sinker and density of the support connected to the balance. When operated calibration medium thus determined have an down, the solid density standard is made to rest on accuracy of only few parts in IOs. By using solid triangular support, thus loaded on the balance and density standard, one can determine the density of mass measurement may be carried out. After calibration medium directly with accuracy in ppm measurement is over, it may be lifted up thus range. Besides, it provides ease in operation of system unloading the balance. The bath is movable as it is and whole calibration process is less time consuming. mounted on parallel horizontal rails. The top of the Traceability which is now-a-days a much sought stem of hydrometer is gripped in a specia\1y designed after requirement, results directly by the use of solid clamp to sink the hydrometer to a desired graduation. density standards and eliminates the need for The whole assembly is given in Fig. I. preparation and maintenance of very pure samples of Measurements-First of all bath position is set and water as density standard. triangular support system is connected to balance. Acknowledgement-The authors wish to thank The standard is loaded on the balance and its mass is Prof. E S Raja Gopal, Director, NPL, for his measured in the calibration medium. The standard is continuous encouragement and interest in this then unloaded from balance. The balance is now work. disconnected with suspension system and bath is moved and hydrometer is connected to balance through its own suspension arrangement. The References hydrometer may be immersed to any defined mark 1 Cuckow F W. J Sac Chern Ind, 68 (1948) 44. using this special suspension device which may be 2 Sharma D C, BhamraS S& MathurB G, MAPAN. 7 (1992) 3. 3 Bowmon H A. Schoonover R M& Carroll C L. J Res Nat Bureau moved up or down. Thus mass of the hydrometer up Standards. 78 (1974) 13. to the given mark of immersion in the medium is 4 Spickweck F. Kozdon A. Wagenbreth H. Toth H & Hoburg D. determined. From mass of solid density standard in PTB Mitt, 100(3)(1990) 169. air and calibration medium, the density of calibration 5 Sharma DC & Sinha S, Indian J Eng Mater sn, 2 ( 1995) R9.
