Balometer
A Balometer, is a type of airflow meter that resembles an air collection hood, also referred to as an air flow hood. It is used to measure the flow rate of air leaving or entering the ventilation outlet of an airflow system. Some, balometers also measure the atmospheric pressure of a space as well as the temperature and relative humidity of the flowing air.
Balometers contain a grid with many holes called a flow grid and a micro-manometer, this measures the flow and pressure individually and throughout the grid and compares this to the atmospheric pressure in the space. The function in a similar way to air capture hoods that contain an anemometer but tend to be more accurate and are pre-configured to convert a recorded velocity of air into an volumetric measure.
A barometer (not balometer) is also used to measure atmospheric pressure, traditionally though with closed tubes containing mercury. They are often found outside windows measuring outside air pressure to weather predictions, rising air pressure would indicate a good weather forecast whilst falling pressure might forecast rain or bad weather.
See also: Air capture hood.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
- Air capture hood.
- Air conditioning.
- Air infiltration.
- Air permeability testing.
- Air quality.
- Air tightness in buildings.
- Changes to Building Regulations Part F.
- Computational fluid dynamics.
- Condensation.
- Cross ventilation.
- Cultivating Cleaner Air with BSRIA.
- Displacement ventilation.
- Domestic ventilation systems performance
- Draughts in buildings.
- Effective ventilation in buildings.
- Heat recovery ventilation.
- Indoor air quality.
- Mechanical ventilation.
- Natural ventilation.
- Passive building design.
- Stale air.
- UV disinfection of building air to remove harmful bacteria and viruses.
- Ventilation.
Featured articles and news
The benefits of writing articles for your organisation
How to create a profile for your organisation and publish for free.
No Falls Week. The importance of safe working at height
What to expect and what is on offer to avoid accidents.
Scottish Government action to reach net-zero targets
Retrofit expert group highlight critical actions needed.
A forward thinking, inclusive global community of members.
From engineered product life-spans, to their extension.
Circular economy in the built environment
A brief description from 2021. Where are we now?
Mental Health Awareness Week with ABS
Architects Benevolent Society programme of activity.
CLC publishes domestic retrofit competency framework
Roadmap of Skills for net zero.
May 13-19: Moving more for our mental health.
Understanding is key to conservation.
Open industry engagement survey seeks responses
Institutions and the importance of engagement.
National Retrofit Hub unveils new guide
Digital Building Logbooks and Retrofit: An Introduction.
Enhancing construction site reporting efficiency
Through digitisation and the digital revolution.
Noise in the built environment
BSRIA guide TG 20/2021.
17,000 people suffer conditions as a result of exposure to excessive noise at work.
Turning down the noise: Auditory health
A pervasive risk with far-reaching consequences.
Getting the most out of heat pumps and heating
How heat pumps work and how they work best.
Electrotechnical excellence, now open for entries.