Volume calibration of various gasmeters using a modified Tissot spirometer.

Various methods for determinating energy expenditure by indirect calorimetry are used in laboratory and field studies such as the Douglas bag method, often used in combination with a wet gasmeter, the respirometer of Kofranyi and Michaelis (KM) and the Oxylog (OX). To calibrate the volume measurements of these pieces of apparatus a modified Tissot spirometer was built, consisting of an outer casing filled with water, a core and a bell. It was equipped with a solid counterbalance and with an additional roller chain, partly freely suspended on the side of the counterbalance. This construction allowed compensation for the varying buoyancies of the bell. The lift of the bell was measured by means of a vernier scale. From calculations of the geometric volume a revolution counter was adapted to record the moved volume in litres. By means of this spirometer volumes up to 200 l can be used for calibration at various physiological flow rates. Calibration procedures for KM, wet gasmeters and OX were developed. For OX a small inaccuracy up to 2.0% was observed within the flow range from 20 to 70 l.min-1. The inaccuracy increased at higher flow rates. Under defined calibration conditions the modified Tissot spirometer enabled repeated calibrations of different types of gasmeters.