Improving the stated calibration accuracy of Valeport instrumentation to improve International competitiveness.

“我们需要改善与Valeport温度计校准相关的不确定性，这将使我们能够在现场提供更准确的温度测量。此外，这也将提高相关传感器的精度，这些传感器基本上也依赖于温度测量，如电导率（盐度）和声速。我们在寻求提高温度测量能力方面遇到的具体问题是，尽管我们已经在校准实验室投资了最先进的设备，但我们无法进一步缩小产品的精度规格。在此背景下，我们目前能够自信地指定我们的产品将以±0.01K的精度测量温度。然而，我们的国际竞争对手（特别是美国和加拿大）声称精度为±0.001K，好一个数量级。在全球范围内，科学级CTD产品（电导率、温度、深度）的市场规模达数千万英镑，鉴于竞争对手数量有限，我们认为从海外竞争对手那里挖走至少10%的市场份额是完全合理的。从货币角度来看，这将意味着每年出口营业额的最低增幅将远远超过200万英镑。在与我们的合作伙伴NPL讨论了这个问题后，我们认为我们最大的误差来源是由原始温度传感器的不稳定性和我们现有接口电路板的不稳定性和分辨率产生的。该项目将为我们提供理解，以发展我们的温度测量，以提供一个数量级的精度提高。通过与国家物理实验室合作，我们还将受益于支持我们的准确性声明的能力。”

"We need to improve the uncertainties associated with thermometer calibrations at Valeport, which will in turn allow us to offer more accurate temperature measurements in the field. Additionally, this will also result in improved accuracies of associated sensors which also fundamentally rely on Temperature measurement, such as Conductivity (Salinity) and Sound Speed.The specific problem that we have with seeking to improve our Temperature measurement capabilities is that despite already investing in state of the art equipment in our calibration laboratories, we are unable to further narrow down the accuracy specifications of our products. To put this in context, we are currently able to confidently specify that our products will measure Temperature with an accuracy of ±0.01K. However, our international competitors (USA and Canada in particular) claim accuracies of the order of ±0.001K, an order of magnitude better.Worldwide, this market for science grade CTD products (Conductivity, Temperature, Depth) amounts to several tens of millions of pounds, and given the limited number of competitors, we believe that it is entirely reasonable to expect to poach a minimum market share of 10% from our overseas competitors. In monetary terms, this would represent a minimum increase in export turnover of well over £2m per annum.Having discussed the problem with our partner NPL, we believe that our greatest sources of error are generated by the instability of the raw temperature sensor and the instability and resolution of our existing interface circuit board.The project will deliver us the understanding to develop our temperature measurement to provide an improved accuracy by an order of magnitude. We will also benefit from the ability to support our accuracy claims by working with NPL."