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Updated calibration guide will improve the harmonisation of volumetric measurement calibrations

This summer EURAMET has published an updated version of their guideline on the ‘Calibration of Standard Capacity Measures Using the Volumetric Method’ (No. 21, version 2.0).

EURAMET’s calibration guides are regularly published and updated to provide the European metrology community with the means to harmonise their measuring instrument calibrations. The guidelines cover procedures for a range of technical areas, from electricity and magnetism, to mass and related quantities.

Calibration Guideline No. 21 in particular details information and advice concerning standard capacity measures for tanks that utilise a volumetric calibration method. To monitor the domestic and industrial consumption of water and fuels, for example, it is essential to have accurate measurement systems and volume standards in place – where the volume standards here are referred to as ‘standard capacity measures’.

While there are a few different recognised methods in place for calibrating standard capacity measures, the volumetric method enables large volumes up to 10 000 litres (or more) to be calibrated at a working level - where there are less stringent requirements for high accuracy. EURAMET’s guide presents a detailed volumetric calibration procedure that can remove sources of human error resulting from personal judgements and individual evaluations, helping to harmonise and improve the reproducibility of volumetric metrology practises across Europe.

Isabelle Care, Chair of the Technical Committee for Flow (TC-Flow) that supports the measurement of fluid quantities, comments on the guide:

“The expertise of the European metrology institutes in the field of volume is recognised worldwide, which is demonstrated by this guide. I would like to thank Elsa Batista and all the co-authors for their work, which also reflects the willingness to share knowledge by disseminating good practice in both calibration and uncertainty assessment.”

The updated version of the guide reflects the actual practises that are applied in European metrology institutes. Since the last version, the changes made include a reference to a new edition of a petroleum measurement standard (ISO 8222), a widened measurement range of use, improved measurement criteria and descriptions of techniques, and a new chapter on neck scale calibration.

Elsa Batista, one of the authors and coordinators of the document revision, comments further on the revised guide:

“With the development of measurement technology and relevant experience from NMIs concerning the volumetric method, it was deemed necessary to update EURAMET’s calibration guideline no. 21 – a unique, fundamental document for laboratories that perform calibrations of standard capacity measures”.

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