Gas-me′ter.
A device for measuring the quantity of volume of passing gas.
Citizen
Seguin, of the National Institute of
France, described a gas-meter at the sitting of the
Institute, October 6, 1797.
The wet-meter was invented by
Clegg in 1807, and improved by
Crosley in 1815.
The dry-meter was invented by Malam in 1820, and improved by
Defries in 1838.
Many improvements and variations have been added since by various parties.
A (
Fig. 2183) is a longitudinal and
B a transverse section of the wet-meter, which is composed of an outer box
a partially filled with liquid, as water, alcohol, or glycerine, to the level of the line
b c, somewhat above its center.
Within this is journaled an axis carrying a series of buckets
d d d d, each capable of containing a definite quantity of gas, which is admitted through the pipe
e at the central part of the meter, and causes the buckets successively to rise, maintaining a continuous rotation.
The gas passes out through a pipe
f at the upper part of the meter, its quantity being measured by a series of multiplying gear-wheels; these derive their
[
953]
motion from the axis on which the buckets are journaled, and register 100s, 1,000s, 10,000s, and 100,000s of feet, the amount being indicated on a series of dials.
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Wet-lime purifier. |
Valves are arranged to cut off the supply of gas when the water in the meter rises above or falls below certain limits.
The constant-level meter has an automatic arrangement of float, which, as the water wastes by evaporation, descends and immerses an equal portion of its bulk, which is always equal to the quantity of water which has disappeared.
The principle of the dry-meter may be understood by describing it as a machine having a bellows of known capacity, and alternately filled with gas and emptied, the pulsations being counted by a register.
O1 it may be described as a cylinder with a reciprocating piston, whose motions are counted, the gas being discharged from the alternate ends of the cylinder as the piston reciprocates.
The pressure of gas is the motor, and the changes of direction of motion are effected by induction and eduction valves, much as in a steam-engine.
Sugg's (
English) photometric gas-meter is designed for experimental use, to show not only the volume of gas which has been consumed at the end of a given time, but also the rate per hour or per minute that the consumption is proceeding.
It has two index-hands, one revolving once in a minute, and moved by clock-work; the other making a complete revolution during the passage through the meter of one twelfth foot of gas. The standard of the
London companies is that the gas, when burned at the rate of 5 cubic feet per hour, shall give a light equal to the burning of 14
sperm candles, each consuming 120 grains in the same time.
