NIST Calibration Services for Liquid Volume

Published

November 24, 2009

Author(s)

Vern E. Bean, Pedro I. Espina, John D. Wright, J F. Houser, Sherry D. Sheckels, Aaron N. Johnson

Abstract

NIST provides calibration services for metal volume provers for liquid volumes from 4 L to 7600 L using gravimetric and volumetric methods. This document describes the procedures and methods of calculation used in the calibration service. The covered methods are: the direct weighing of neck scale and slicker plate provers, the pre-weighed water method, the weigh tank method, and three variations of the volume transfer method. We also describe methods for calibration of neck scales on volume provers. Sample uncertainty analyses are provided for three gravimetric calibrations and one volume transfer calibration. Typical uncertainties for neck scale provers are 0.015 % + 0.003 gal or 0.015% + 0.012 L (about 0.3 % for a 1 gal (3.8 L) volume prover and 0.02 % for a 100 gal (380 L) prover).

Citation

Special Publication (NIST SP) - 250-72

Report Number

250-72

NIST Pub Series

Special Publication (NIST SP)

Pub Type

NIST Pubs

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.250-72

Keywords

liquid volume, neck scale, slicker plate, test measure, thermal expansion, uncertainty, viscosity correction, volume prover

Citation

Bean, V. , Espina, P. , Wright, J. , Houser, J. , Sheckels, S. and Johnson, A. (2009), NIST Calibration Services for Liquid Volume, Special Publication (NIST SP), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.SP.250-72 (Accessed October 9, 2025)