Project: Implementing the new Kelvin

The SI unit of temperature – the kelvin – is to be redefined in terms of the Boltzmann constant, which relates energy at the individual particle level with temperature. This redefinition, along with other recent advances in temperature metrology, will enable a fundamental change in the way we measure temperature. Current temperature scales rely upon a set of fixed points determined by primary thermometry. This project will improve primary thermometry at temperatures ranging from 0.0009 K to over 3000 K and will assign definitive thermodynamic temperatures to a set of high temperature fixed points for the first time. This, along with new sensing methods and techniques, will allow extreme temperature measurements to be linked to a direct realisation of the kelvin. The results will benefit the large number of industries that measure temperature on a daily basis, in particular low temperature industries such as cryogenics and high temperature industries such as steel production.

Acronym SIB01 InK (Reference Number: SIB01)
Duration 01/10/2012 - 30/09/2015
Project Topic Metrology
Project Results
(after finalisation)
See Website
Website visit project website
Network EMRP
Call EMRP Call 2011 - Health, SI Broader Scope and New Technologies

Project partner

Number Name Role Country
1 NPL Management Limited Coordinator United Kingdom
2 Centro Español de Metrología Partner Spain
3 Conservatoire national des arts et metiers Partner France
4 Agencia Estatal Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas Partner Spain
5 Istituto Nazionale di Ricerca Metrologica Partner Italy
6 Laboratoire national de métrologie et d'essais Partner France
7 Teknologian tutkimuskeskus VTT Oy Partner Finland
8 Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt Partner Germany
9 Turkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu Partner Türkiye
10 Department of Industry Innovation Science Research and Tertiary Education Observer Australia
11 National Institute of Metrology - NIM Observer China
12 Universidad De Valladolid Observer Spain
13 Federal State - Owned Unitary Enterprise "All Russian Research Institute for Optical and Physical Measurements" Observer Russia
14 Royal Holloway and Bedford New College United Kingdom