When we considered low temperature comparison calibration, we had to take into account Health and Safety considerations, both of the liquids used in compressors to generate low temperatures and also the liquids used in the calibration volume itself. The cost of chillers increases considerably for very low temperatures. We concluded that using chillers for very low temperatures was expensive, unsafe and unreliable.
Our solution is a simple heated metal block design using a single, safe surrounding liquid, liquid nitrogen.
An apparatus immersed in liquid nitrogen will cool to approximately -195°C. Our design, using a controller and heater, permits the cryostat to be set at any temperature above liquid nitrogen temperature.
The Cryostat comprises an insulated machined copper equalizing block inside an 80mm diameter tube 480mm long, attached via a flange to a lid giving access for three thermometers, a vacuum port and a Lemo connector for the temperature sensor and heater. A cable runs to a controller which sets the temperature. An RS422 connector permits the calibration to be automated using one of our Software programs.
