How are Black Panel Thermometers Calibrated in Accelerated Weathering Tests?

Q-Lab’s accelerated weathering and corrosion testers all have some method(s) for measuring and controlling temperature, including black panel thermometers (BPT) and chamber air temperature (CAT) sensors. Reliable test results depend on accurate calibration of these devices.

Many of the sensors that measure and control temperature in Q-Lab weathering and corrosion testers can be calibrated using a standard reference thermometer and an insulated container of water. These devices include:

• Chamber air temperature (CAT) sensors in the Q-FOG, QCT, and (optionally) the Q-SUN Xe-1
• Black Panel (BP) thermometer in the QUV
• BP thermometer during heated immersion testing
• Wet bulb / dry bulb thermometers in the Q-FOG CRH

However, standard reference thermometers cannot be used to calibrate the temperature for an Uninsulated Black Panel (BP, also known as a Black Panel) or Insulated Black Panel (IBP, also known as a Black Standard) used in a Q-SUN xenon arc tester because they primarily receive their heat by absorbing radiant energy from ultraviolet (UV), visible, and infrared (IR) light and lose heat through convection to the chamber air. As a result, to be calibrated properly, therefore a Q-SUN BP or IBP must be compared to a special calibration thermometer – a UC202 or CT202 – that is itself a black panel sensor that has been calibrated to include the effects of radiant heat and convective cooling in air. This is not necessary for the sensors described in the previous section because chamber air sensors, and wet / dry bulb thermometers, are not exposed to any radiant heat from light sources. Q-Lab’s accelerated weathering and corrosion testers all have some method(s) for measuring and controlling temperature, including black panel thermometers (BPT) and chamber air temperature (CAT) sensors. Reliable test results depend on accurate calibration of these devices.