Test Results of the MECH Probe at Mound

Mound has conducted an evaluation of the Mound Electrical Calibration Heater (MECH) probe using a calorimeter operating under Mound's calibration program. The MECH was developed to be used as a secondary standard for calorimeters to relieve some of the constraints associated with existing standards. The probe was compared to the accepted calorimetry standard, Pu- 238 heat standards, to determine its bias and viability as a secondary standard. A low wattage MECH probe was tested over the range of 0.1 to 1.5 watts and preliminary results indicate that there is a calculable bias between the two types of standards. However, the early findings show that the precision of both the MECH and the Pu-238 standards are very similar. Additional tests were performed over the 0.1 to 1 watt and 2 to 8 watt ranges using a second calorimeter system.