Progress in noise thermometry for nuclear applications

The effects of nuclear radiations on conventional thermocouples (type K, C and N) mainly used in irradiation experiments may create significant drifts of the signals. In order to solve these difficulties, the CEA (French Nuclear Energy Commission) has developed and qualified in laboratory conditions miniature devices, which combine a noise thermometer and intrinsic thermocouples (NT-TC), for future application in a research reactor. In this paper, a particular approach of combined NT-TC sensors is described. Present measurements, based on a correlation and a comparison technique, have been performed in a typical laboratory environment between 200 and 400 °C which are typical temperatures in materials irradiation experiments.