What is the role of the gas meter in a fuel gas system?

The gas meter serves a crucial function in a fuel gas system by measuring the volume of gas consumed by appliances. This measurement is essential for billing purposes, as utility companies need to determine how much gas has been used by a customer during a billing cycle. The meter tracks the flow of gas in cubic feet or cubic meters and provides an accurate account of consumption, which ensures that customers are charged appropriately.

While regulating gas pressure, monitoring gas quality, and controlling flow rate are important aspects of gas systems, these tasks are typically handled by other components rather than the gas meter itself. For example, pressure regulators are designed to maintain safe and consistent pressures for downstream appliances, and flow control devices manage the rate at which gas is delivered. The properties of the gas, including its quality, are typically assessed through other specialized equipment. Thus, the gas meter's primary and most significant role remains that of measuring consumption accurately.