We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Materials

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is a Gasometer?

By Jason C. Chavis
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 8,341
Share

A gasometer is an object which safely holds a type of gas at a steady temperature and a controlled pressure. Generally, they are part of a larger piping operation, used primarily to help maintain proper pressure within the system. However, gasometers can also simply be used to store the gas for later use.

The idea of the container has been used since at least the early 1800s. At the time, William Murdoch developed lighting systems using gas as a power source. In order to store the necessary gas, he developed a container that would maintain the safe pressure system and could keep track of the usage by reading a meter.

Basic gasometers use a large container filled with gas and water. The gas seeps to the top of the container and the water acts as a buffer at the bottom to maintain the pressure. Two pipes are placed inside the facility, one designed to push gas in and another to push the gas out. By adjusting the amount of water within the container, gas is pushed out into the piping system. Gas can then be refilled into the container, which again moves to the top.

The waterless gas holder was developed during the 20th century. This version utilizes a sealed system that holds the gas using the strength of the container's construction. The major benefit of this system is that the pressure is maintained at a level that allows the gas to flow at very fast speeds. Basically, as soon as the gas is turned on within the system, it will flow from the container to the necessary location nearly immediately.

The gasometer design is more frequently seen in Europe rather than the United States. During the Victorian era, specifically, gas holders were the most common way of providing power to communities. Since the U.S. took longer to develop into an urban society, the design was not implemented to the same level.

Many gasometers use natural formations to aid in the storage ability of the container. One of the best features are salt formations. Salt caverns offer a natural durability that helps store gas. A gasometer built atop a salt cavern features water pumped into the cavern, creating saline, further helping keep the pressure and temperature intact. The likelihood of the gas escaping is highly unlikely and essentially creates a natural gasometer that can last seemingly forever.

Share
About Mechanics is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.aboutmechanics.com/what-is-a-gasometer.htm
Copy this link
About Mechanics, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

About Mechanics, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.