Future domestic gas meter: review of current developments

This paper illustrates the gas flow rate measurement techniques that can be introduced in future domestic applications. First, the role of the gas meter in legal metrology introduced. Then, the 'intelligent' (or 'smart') gas meter is analyzed, since it should be used in the near future. Such a meter is an improvement of the current domestic diaphragm gas meter, also equipped with electronic components, so as to obtain more flexible instrument and a more convenient measurement data processing (temperature compensation, remote reading, etc). After that, static gas meters are analyzed. Such meters have no moving parts. Of this category, only ultrasonic and fluidic oscillator meters are reviewed here. At present they are in an advanced phase of experimentation for custody transfer gas metering. Thanks to their design, which does not include any moving parts, these meters may represent in the future the best solution to measure the consumption of natural gas for domestic use. This paper discusses the operating principles and metrological characteristics of the static meters mentioned above, and provides some experimental results regarding domestic gas measurement. Finally, their possible evolution and application on the international scene are briefly outlined.