Electrical instruments in the gas industry

OPPOSITION to the use of electrically operated devices in the gas industry has disappeared because of the outstanding advantages of many forms of electrical control apparatus. Although the control of gas pressure generally is still mechanical, the flexibility and sensitiveness of electrical pressure controllers has made these devices a valuable asset in the distribution of gas. Thermal meters, calorimeters, and total heat meters are among those to which electrical devices are applied. The Thomas thermal meter makes possible the automatic measurement of gas flow at standard conditions independent of variations in the temperature, pressure, and saturation condition of the gas. The Thomas calorimeter, a device comprising an unusual combination of mechanical and electrical parts, provides a means for recording gas quality; while the Thomas total heat meter, an electrical combination of the above instruments, gives a direct measurement of the energy in the gas.