ITS-90 Fixed-Point Cells

Traditional freeze-point cells

If you want true primary temperature standards capability, you want metal freeze-point cells that are very close to the theoretical freezing temperature and provide plateaus that are both stable and long lasting.

Fluke Calibration’s metal freeze-point cells are the culmination of more than 20 years of primary standards experience. No other company has as much experience in the development of metal fixed-point cells. That’s why you’ll find Fluke cells in many national metrology institutes around the world.

Each Fluke Calibration cell is carefully constructed in our ultra-clean, state-of-the-art lab, using high-density, high-purity graphite crucibles containing metal samples with purity of at least 99.9999 % (six 9s) and, in many cases, 99.99999 % (seven 9s). The crucible is enclosed within a sealed quartz glass envelope that is evacuated and back-filled with high-purity argon gas. A special sealing technique is used to seal the cell at the freezing point. We measure and record for you the precise pressure of the argon gas to ensure the most accurate corrections for pressure.

Once manufactured, all Fluke cells are tested and supplied with an assay of metal-sample purity. Every traditional size ITS-90 cell further undergoes more rigorous testing in our primary standards lab where we realize melt-freeze curves and perform a detailed “slope analysis” to confirm cell purity. If you want more data, we’ll give you an optional intercomparison with our own reference cells.

Gallium cells

Gallium cells are a great reference for validation of instruments subject to drift (like SPRTs), and they’re important for calibrating sensors used near room or body temperatures, in environmental monitoring, and in life sciences applications.

Fluke Calibration’s 5943 Gallium Cell is sealed in a stainless steel envelope. High purity gallium (99.99999 %) is enclosed in a plastic and metal shell. The stainless steel container is then filled with pure argon gas at one standard atmosphere at the melting-point temperature.

Gallium expands by 3.1 % when it freezes requiring the cell to have flexible walls. Unlike some manufacturers’ cells, which are made from PTFE enclosure materials, our cells don’t need pumping and refilling because they’re not gas permeable. In fact, we guarantee our cells will maintain their uncertainty of < 0.1 mK for at least five years. Realization and maintenance of the cell is automated with our 9230 Maintenance Apparatus (see page 31). This apparatus will provide melting plateaus up to eight days and a convenient control to automatically achieve a new melt plateau each week with an investment of just five minutes. Never has the maintenance of a world-class gallium cell been easier.