New publication of the VDI/VDE guideline 3520 “Surface temperature measurement with contact thermometers” – contents and background of the development

Abstract. Temperature measurement at the surface of solids by means of contact thermometers has its own metrological characteristics, which are in contrast to characteristics of the measurement with immersed contact thermometers. They significantly influence the accuracy and the measurement uncertainty of the measured temperature and its deviations. Up to now, no national or international guideline exists which deals with the determination of the static and dynamic measurement deviations. Therefore, the guideline committee “VDI/VDE-GMA FA 4.62 Contact Thermometry” has developed the new VDI (Association of German Engineers) and VDE (Association for Electrical, Electronic and Information Technologies) guideline 3520 “Surface temperature measurement with contact thermometers”. It contains information about the most important properties of contact surface thermometers and error sources, and it presents typical measurement results for various applications. In addition, the parameters influencing the measurement result and test equipment for their determination are described, and concrete examples of thermometer data sheets are given.