INTERNATIONAL OIML R 32

RECOMMENDATION Edition 1989 (E)

Rotary piston gas meters and turbine gas meters

Compteurs de volume de gaz à pistons rotatifs et compteurs

de volume de gaz à turbine
OIML R 32 Edition 1989 (E)

ORGANISATION INTERNATIONALE
DE MÉTROLOGIE LÉGALE

INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATION
OF LEGAL METROLOGY
 Foreword

The International Organization of Legal Metrology Cooperative agreements are established between
(OIML) is a worldwide, intergovernmental OIML and certain institutions, such as ISO and IEC,
organization whose primary aim is to harmonize the with the objective of avoiding contradictory
regulations and metrological controls applied by the requirements; consequently, manufacturers and users
national metrological services, or related organizations, of measuring instruments, test laboratories, etc. may
of its Member States. apply simultaneously OIML publications and those of
other institutions.
The two main categories of OIML publications are:
International Recommendations and International
Documents are published in French (F) and English (E)
• International Recommendations (OIML R),
and are subject to periodic revision.
which are model regulations that establish the
metrological characteristics required of certain This publication – reference OIML R 32 (E), edition
measuring instruments and which specify methods 1989 – which is under the responsibility of OIML
and equipment for checking their conformity; the TC 8/SC 8 Gas meters, was sanctionned by the
OIML Member States shall implement these International Conference of Legal Metrology in 1988
Recommendations to the greatest possible extent; and suspersedes the previous edition dated 1979
OIML publications may be obtained from the
• International Documents (OIML D), which are
Organization’s headquarters:
informative in nature and intended to improve the
work of the metrological services.
Bureau International de Métrologie Légale
OIML Draft Recommendations and Documents are 11, rue Turgot - 75009 Paris - France
developed by technical committees or subcommittees Telephone: 3 (0)1 48 78 12 82 and 42 85 27 11
which are formed by the Member States. Certain Fax: 3 (0)1 42 82 17 27
international and regional institutions also participate E-mail: [email protected]
on a consultation basis. Internet: ww.oiml.org

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 ROTARY PISTON GAS METERS
and TURBINE GAS METERS

1 Scope

This Recommendation applies to :

1.1. rotary piston gas meters in which internal walls defining the measuring chambers are set in
rotation and the number of revolutions of these walls represents a measurement of the volume of
the gas passed.

1.2. turbine gas meters where the gas flow rotates a turbine wheel and the number of revolutions of
this wheel represents the volume of the gas passed.

With regard to the gas meters defined above, this Recommendation complements the
International Recommendation R 6 “General provisions for gas volume meters”, the provisions of
which apply jointly with the requirements of this Recommendation.

2 Working range

2.1. The authorized values of the maximum flowrates and the corresponding minimum flowrates of
rotary piston gas meters and turbine gas meters are given in the following Table.

Working range
Gas meter
Qmax 1:10 1:20 1:30 1:50
designation
m3/h Qmin
G
m3/h

16 25 2.5 1.3 0.8 0.5

25 40 4 2 1.3 1.8
40 65 6 3 2 1.3
65 100 10 5 3 2
100 160 16 8 5 3
160 250 25 13 8 5
250 400 40 20 13 8
400 650 65 32 20 13
650 1 000 100 50 32 20
1 000 1 600 160 80 50 32

and decimal multiples of the values of the last 5 lines of the above Table.

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3 Details of construction

3.1. Rotary piston gas meters

3.1.1. Rotary piston gas meters shall have a static pressure tapping at the inlet and at the outlet close to
the connection (flange) for measuring the pressure absorption ; the pressure measured upstream
shall constitute the metering pressure.

3.1.2. Rotary piston gas meters may include a manual device for allowing the pistons to be turned,
provided that it cannot be improperly used in such a way as to interfere with the correct functioning
of the gas meter.

3.1.3. Notwithstanding the requirements of point 8 of R 6, the bearings of the shafts of the rotating
pistons of gas meters (Roots type) of a size greater than G 160 may be constructed in such a way as
to allow them to be replaced without damaging the protective seals.

3.2. Turbine gas meters

3.2.1. Turbine gas meters shall have a pressure tapping permitting the determination (indirectly if
necessary) of the pressure immediately upstream of the turbine wheel as the metering pressure.

3.2.2. If there is a nozzle upstream of the turbine wheel, the turbine gas meter may have, in addition to
the pressure tapping required in point 3.2.1, a second pressure tapping immediately before this
nozzle, so that the pressure drop due to the nozzle can be measured.

3.3. Pressure tappings

3.3.1. The bores for pressure tappings shall have a diameter of at least 3 mm. In the case of slit-shaped
pressure tappings, slits shall have a width of at least 2 mm in the direction of the flow and a cross-
section of atleast 10 mm2.

3.3.2. Pressure tappings shall be provided with a means of closure so as to make them gas-tight.

3.3.3. The pressure tapping for the metering pressure shall be clearly and indelibly marked “рm” and
other pressure tappings “р”.

3.4. Built in conversion device

3.4.1. Rotary piston gas meters and turbine gas meters may have a built-in conversion device which
converts the volume at metering temperature to that at base temperature or which converts the
volume at metering conditions to that at base conditions.

3.4.2. The indicating device for the volume at base conditions shall have a sufficient number of digits
to ensure that the volume passed during 2000 hours at maximum flowrate, minimum temperature
and, if applicable, maximum pressure does not move or switch all the digits to their initial
positions.

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4 Test element

4.1. When the gas meter has a mechanical test element according to point 5.2.2 of R6, the scale
interval and the scale numbering shall comply with the following Table.

Designation G maximum numbering

for working range scale every
1:10 interval
1:30 1:50 m3 m3
1:20

16 0.000 2 0.001
16 - 65 16 - 100 25 - 160 0.002 0.01
100 - 650 160 - 1000 250 - 1600 0.02 0.1
1000 - 10000 1600 - 10000 2500 - 16000 0.2 1
≥ 16000 ≥ 16000 ≥ 25000 2 10

4.2. The scale interval of the test element of the indicating device for base conditions shall be less than
0.1 % of the converted volume counted in three minutes with maximum flowrate at maximum
temperature and, if applicable, minimum pressure.

5 Maximum permissible errors

5.1. Under the conditions laid down in point 6 of R 6, the maximum permissible errors are as follows :

Maximum permissible errors

Flowrate Q
m3/h
on intial verification in service

Qmin ≤ Q ≤ Qt ± 2 % ± 3 %
Qt ≤ Q ≤ Qmax ± 1 % ± 1.5 %

Note : In service values are recommended values.

The values for the transitional flowrate Qt are as follows :

Working range Qt

1 : 10 0.20 Qmax
1 : 20 0.20 Qmax
1 : 30 0.15 Qmax
1 : 50 0.10 Qmax

5.2. On initial verification at one set of metering conditions the gas meter shall be adjusted so that the
weighted mean error (WME) is as close to zero as the adjustment and the maximum permissible
errors allow.

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 The WME is calculated as follows :

n
∑ (Qi / Q max ) × E i
i =1
WME = n
∑ (Q i / Q max )
i =1

where :
Qi/Qmax is a weighting factor.
Ei is the error at the flowrate Qi as specified in point 7.2.1.
(where Qi = Qmax a weighting factor of 0.4 instead of 1 shall be used).
The WME shall have a value between – 0.4 % and + 0.4 %.

Note : After changing the adjustment it is not necessary to repeat all tests. It is sufficient to repeat a
test at one flowrate and calculate the other new Ei values from the previous ones.

5.3. The maximum permissible errors on initial verification apply to new meters and to meters
submitted for verification after the protective seals have been damaged.

5.4. When the maximum torques indicated on the gas volume meter according to points 3.2.1 and 3.2.2
of R 6 are applied to the drive shafts, the indication of the gas volume meter at Qmin when tested
with atmospheric air (of density 1.2 kg/m3) shall not shift more than the values given in the
following Table.

Permissible shift of the

Value of Qmin
indication at Qmin

0.02 Qmax 1 %
0.03 Qmax 1 %
0.05 Qmax 1 %
0.1 Qmax 0.5 %

6 Pattern approval
6.1. Request for pattern approval
At the same time as the pattern sample is submitted, the applicant shall place at the disposal of
the Authority responsible for the examination from two to six sample meters manufactured in
conformity with the pattern.
If so requested by the Authority responsible for the examination, these meters should include
more than one size if simultaneous approval of those sizes is requested. Depending on the results of
the tests, additional sample meters may be requested.
Notwithstanding the above provisions, the sample meters may be submitted at different times,
but the decision regarding pattern approval will be given only when all these sample meters have been
received and examined.
6.2. Examination
6.2.1. General
6.2.1.1. The pattern and its sample meters shall comply with the requirements of R 6 and of points 2,
3, 4 and 5 of this Recommendation.

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6.2.1.2. In addition, for flowrates between 0.4 Qmax and Qmax the difference between the maximum and
minimum of the error curve as a function of the flowrate Q shall not exceed 1% for each meter.

6.2.2. Disturbance test for turbine gas meters

6.2.2.1. Turbine gas meters are submitted to a test for the influence of flow disturbances as specified in
Annex A.

6.2.2.2. During the test the shift of the error curve shall not exceed 0.33 %.

6.2.2.3. If the design of a turbine gas meter pattern is similar for all the pipe sizes, disturbance tests
with gas meters of two sites shall suffice.

6.2.3. Durability test

6.2.3.1. The pattern and samples of rotary piston gas meters and turbine gas meters shall be submitted
to a durability test. This test shall be carried out as far as possible at the maximum flowrate and
with air or gas.

6.2.3.2. The duration of the durability test shall be such that each gas meter measures a volume of air
or gas corresponding to 1000 hours of operation of the gas meter at the maximum flowrate ; the test
shall be completed within 2 months.

6.2.3.3. After the durability test, the gas meters, when tested with air of density 1.2 kg/m3, using the
same standard instruments as those used in the test resulting from point 6.2.1.1 shall comply with
the following requirements :

a) the values of the errors determined at the flowrates specified in point 7.2.1 shall not differ by more
than 0.5 % from the errors noted during the test resulting from point 6.2.1.1,

b) for flowrates between 0.4 Qmax and Qmax, the difference between the maximum and minimum of the
error curve as a function of the flowrate Q shall not exceed 1.5 %.

6.2.4. Gas meters with drive shafts

6.2.4.1. In the case of rotary piston gas meters and turbine gas meters having one or more drive shafts,
at least three meters of each size shall be tested with air at a density of 1.2 kg/m3 for compliance
with the requirements of R 6, point 3.2.4 and of point 5.4 of this Recommendation.

In the case of rotary piston gas meters and turbine gas meters having several drive shafts, the
test shall be carried out on the drive shaft which gives the least favourable result.

For gas meters of the same site, the lowest torque value obtained in the tests shall be used as the
maximum permissible torque value.

Where a pattern embraces gas meters of various sizes, the torque test need be carried out only
on the meters of the smallest size, provided that the same torque is specified for the larger gas meters
and that the output shafts of the latter have the same or greater output constants.

6.2.4.2. In the case of gas meters with several values for Qmin only the test described in point 6.2.1 for
the least value of Qmin need be carried out. The permissible torques for the other working ranges
may be calculated from that test result.
Conversion to other Qmin values is governed by the following rules :
a) where the flow is constant, the variation in the error is proportional to the torque ;

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 b) where the torque is constant, the variation in the error for rotary piston gas meters is inversely
proportional to the flowrate, and for turbine gas meters it is inversely proportional to the square of
the flowrate.

7 Initial verification and subsequent verifications

7.1. Examination

7.1.1. Gas meters are examined and tested to ascertain whether they conform in general to their
approved patterns, and comply with the requirements of R 6, as well as the requirements of this
Recommendation.

7.1.2. Gas meters shall be submitted in working order and shall be provided with the required sites for
the application of the verification and protective marks.

7.1.3. If gas meters are intended to incorporate ancillary devices operated by the output shafts, these
devices shall be attached, unless attachment after verification is expressey authorized.

7.2. Accuracy tests

7.2.1. A gas meter shall be considered to comply with the requirements concerning the maximum
permissible errors if these are met at the following flowrates :
a) for gas meters with a working range of 1:10 to 1:30 :
Qmin, 0.05 Qmax and 0.1 Qmax when these values are larger than Qmin, 0.25 Qmax, 0.40 Qmax, 0.70 Qmax
and Qmax,
b) for gas meters with a working range of 1:50 :
Qmin, 0.05 Qmax, 0.15 Qmax, 0.25 Qmax, 0.40 Qmax, 0.70 Qmax and Qmax.

If the tests are done at other flowrates, they shall be at least as effective as those mentioned
above.

7.2.2. A gas meter may be verified using a gas other than air, and/or at other than near-ambient
conditions.

7.3. Additional markings

The density range in which the errors are required to comply with the maximum permissible
errors may be indicated on the data plate, expressed as :

ρ = ... ― … kg/m3

This marking may replace the range of metering pressures (point 4.1.(i) of R 6), unless the pressure marking
refers to a built-in conversion device.

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 ANNEX A

DISTURBANCE TEST FOR TURBINE GAS METERS

A.1. General

A.1.1. The test specified in this Annex should be carried out with air at close to ambient conditions at
flowrates of 0.25 Qmax, 0.4 Qmax and Qmax.

A.1.2. If the design of the pattern of the gas meter is similar for all pipe sizes, it is sufficient to
perform the test on two sizes. Similarity of sizes is assumed if the values of H/D and S/L (see
figure 1) for any size of meter are equal to or less than those for the tested meters.

A.2. Mild disturbances

A.2.1. The piping configurations (see figure 2a and 2b) consist of a pipe with a nominal diameter DN,
and with a length of 5 DN1, two elbows with radius DN1, not in the came plane, and a concentric
expander with diameter DN1 and DN and a length between DN and 1.5 DN.

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 The values of DN1, in relation, to the values of DN are listed in the following Table :

DN (meter) DN1 (pipe)

(mm) (mm)

50 40
80 50
100 80
150 100
200 150
250 200
300 250
400 300
500 400
600 500
750 600
1000 750

A.2.2. The test shall be carried out with the piping configurations as described in point A.2.1 installed
2 DN upstream of the meter inlet (see figure 2c), or with a longer upstream straight pipe and/or
flow conditioner if so specified by the manufacturer.

In the latter case the necessary upstream straight pipe and/or flow conditioner shall be
considered part of the approved pattern and specified in the approval certificate.

A.2.3. During the test the shift of the error curve of the meter shall not exceed 0.33 %.

A.3. Severe disturbances

A.3.1. The same piping configuration as specified in A.2.1 is used with the addition of a half pipe area
plate as shown in figure 3 installed between the two elbows with the opening toward the outside
radius of the first bend.

A.3.2. The provisions of points A.2.2 and A.2.3 apply accordingly.

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 ANNEX B

TEST PROCEDURES FOR ROTARY PISTON GAS METERS

AND TURBINE GAS METERS

(Under consideration)

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 Contents

Foreword……………………………………………………………………………………….2

1 Scope………………………………………………………………………………………...3

2 Working range……………………………………………………………………………….3

3 Details of construction………………………………………………………………………4

4 Test element…………………………………………………………………………………5

5 Maximum permissible errors………………………………………………………………..5

6 Pattern approval……………………………………………………………………………..6

7 Initial verification and subsequent verifications…………………………………………….8

Annex A………………………………………………………………………………………. 9

Annex B……………………………………………………………………………………… 11

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