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，这反过来将使我们能够在现场提供更准确的温度测量。此外，这还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)声称其精度为±0.001K，高出一个数量级。在全球范围内，科学级CTD产品(电导率、温度、深度)的市场规模达到数千万英镑，考虑到竞争对手的数量有限，我们认为完全有理由期望从海外竞争对手那里抢走至少10%的市场份额。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原始温度传感器的不稳定以及我们现有接口电路板的不稳定和分辨率。该项目将使我们了解开发我们的温度测量以提供一个数量级的提高精度。我们还将受益于通过与NPL合作来支持我们的准确性主张的能力。“

"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."