Capabilities for Dielectric-Constant Gas Thermometry in a Special Large-Volume Liquid-Bath Thermostat

Dielectric-constant gas thermometry is being further developed at PTB to measure thermodynamic temperature and the Boltzmann constant at the triple point of water. For this purpose, a huge liquid-bath thermostat with a liquid volume of about 800 L has been built to provide a suitable thermal environment in the central working volume (diameter 0.5 m, height 0.65 m), in which the vacuum chamber containing the measuring system is placed. Measurements of the temperature field in the working volume have been performed with and without the chamber using a mesh of 12 platinum resistance thermometers at appropriate positions. The results verify that the temperature inhomogeneity in the bath is well below 1 mK as necessary. The uncertainty of the temperature measurement inside the measuring system must be of the order of 0.1 mK. Its thermal conditions have been, therefore, investigated in detail, too. Special emphasis was given to the thermalization after temperature changes.