Correction factors and performance of a 4 degrees C sealed water calorimeter

In the past two decades, the water calorimetry technique for determination of absorbed dose to water in several types of radiation beams has moved sig nificantly closer to being a recognized method. In this paper we summarize the constructional details of a 4 degrees C sealed water calorimeter curren tly in operation at the University of Gent. This sealed water (SW) calorime ter is of the Domen type and has been improved in several aspects compared with its original design. The relevant correction factors for heat transpor t and for field perturbation are described. Using relative response measure ments in Co-60, We experimentally verified the relative heat defect for two distinct chemical systems, using two different detection vessel arrangemen ts. The overall 1 sigma uncertainty on the absorbed dose to water at Co-60 based on this system amounts to 0.7%.