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offset the instrument

English translation: to adjust zero reading upwards on the scale to create a manoeuvre space

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:to offset (an instrument)
Selected answer:to adjust zero reading upwards on the scale to create a manoeuvre space
Entered by: ErichEko ⟹⭐

02:07 Sep 8, 2006
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Tech/Engineering - Chemistry; Chem Sci/Eng / gas concentration measurements
English term or phrase: offset the instrument
What exactly is being done and why ? The text is about determination of gas concentrations in stationary source emissions.

The text goes as follows:

"Evaluation of the lower detection limit

Present zero gas if the instrument has no “live zero”, and offset the instrument by no less than 10% of full scale. Carry out a minimum of 30 readings at time intervals no less than five times the instrument electronic time constant, by presenting zero gas (A.3.1) to the AMS as in A.4.2.1 and note the reading. Carry out these readings in the shortest time possible in order to minimize zero drift and any zero deviation due to temperature response.
Assuming the confidence level is 95%, the lower detection limit, x, is given by the formula:
...

where
... is the mean of the blank readings;
... is the standard deviation of the blank readings."
Jörgen Slet
Estonia
Local time: 20:58
pump in zero gas so that the instrument have a live zero of 10% of full scale
Explanation:
This is my understanding:

present zero gas --> pump in zero gas into the instrument.

See definition of zero gas here: http://www.chemicool.com/definition/zero_gas.html

if the instrument has no live zero --> if the instrument does not have non-zero baseline.

See how to work w/ live zero here: http://www.faqs.org/docs/electric/DC/DC_9.html

In short, a good instrument must have a non-zero baseline so as to differentiate "zero measurement" from "faulty instrument". Say, an instrument is able to measure a pressure in the range of 0-12 PSI. It is better to create a scale of 0-15 PSI and *add something* to make the instrument shows 3 PSI when there is nothing to measure (=zero pressure). When the instrument shows 0 PSI, then it must be faulty, e.g. faulty scale arm/needle or circuitry. In our case, that *something* is zero gas.

offset the instrument by no less than 10% of full scale --> pressure (or volume or other property you try to measure) of the pumped-in zero gas must push the scale to no more than 10% of full scale.

You have defined the full scale well in your "Note(s) from asker".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2006-09-08 04:01:50 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Opppss... I mistakenly read the sentence: ".... push the scale to NO MORE than ...".

And the answer should also read the same "... a live zero EQUAL TO OR MORE THAN 10% ....

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2006-09-08 04:04:16 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sorry. "... push the scale to NO LESS than ..." (pity me to stumble at the same mistake twice ;)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 23 hrs (2006-09-09 01:36:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Zero Gas: in determining contaminant contribution by gas distribution system components, a PURIFIED GAS that has an impurity concentration below the minimum detection limit (MDL) of the analytical instrument. This gas is used for both instrument CALIBRATION and component testing.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day14 hrs (2006-09-09 16:41:10 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

On the second thought, I think there are 2 possible answers:

(1) pump in zero gas until the baseline is moved >= 10% of full scale
== Although zero gas is almost pure in nature, it still contains some contaminants though very little. So, pump in gas as much as needed to shift the baseline.

(2) pump in certain volume of zero gas and set the baseline manually to be >= 10% of full scale

Question for:
First interpretation -> will there be enough room to contain a near pure gas for it to shift the baseline as needed?

Second interpretation -> can we do a manual setting?

Well, I guess you have to get to the author of the original text, or have hands-on experience w/ the instrument itself to decide which interpretation is right.
Selected response from:

ErichEko ⟹⭐
Indonesia
Local time: 00:58
Grading comment
Answer (2) at 1 day14 hrs seems to be the correct one, but Tony/Dusty gave it a long time ago already. I can't select his comment as an answer, so I will select yours as the second closest, but I will give you just one point, if you don't mind. Thanks for all the discussion.
1 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
3 +2'counterbalance', shift the baseline
Anton Baer
4pump in zero gas so that the instrument have a live zero of 10% of full scale
ErichEko ⟹⭐


Discussion entries: 4





  

Answers


17 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +2
'counterbalance', shift the baseline


Explanation:
Do you know the term 'tare', as used in weights and measures?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tare

"Tare is a term in weights and measurements which refers to the weight of an empty container. The tare can be subtracted when a filled container is weighed to determine the weight of the contents alone."

It sounds like the instrument is to be calibrated into a 'negative' zone to account for some uncertainty or other in the measurements themselves... So if the baseline is '0', the operator is asked to set it at -10%...

However, the text is rather arcane and it's not clear what 'live zero' means. 'Present' at the beginning seems to be a verb in the imperative ('set the reading at zero'); also no indication in this snipper of what 'full scale' is...


Anton Baer
United Kingdom
Local time: 18:58
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Tony M: Yes, it's exactly that! a 'live zero' means an actual measured zero, rather than merely a non-reading. You have to offset the pointer (etc.) somewhere up the scale before you start, to give it 'room for manoeuvre', as it were
3 hrs
agree  Alfa Trans (X)
9 days
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
pump in zero gas so that the instrument have a live zero of 10% of full scale


Explanation:
This is my understanding:

present zero gas --> pump in zero gas into the instrument.

See definition of zero gas here: http://www.chemicool.com/definition/zero_gas.html

if the instrument has no live zero --> if the instrument does not have non-zero baseline.

See how to work w/ live zero here: http://www.faqs.org/docs/electric/DC/DC_9.html

In short, a good instrument must have a non-zero baseline so as to differentiate "zero measurement" from "faulty instrument". Say, an instrument is able to measure a pressure in the range of 0-12 PSI. It is better to create a scale of 0-15 PSI and *add something* to make the instrument shows 3 PSI when there is nothing to measure (=zero pressure). When the instrument shows 0 PSI, then it must be faulty, e.g. faulty scale arm/needle or circuitry. In our case, that *something* is zero gas.

offset the instrument by no less than 10% of full scale --> pressure (or volume or other property you try to measure) of the pumped-in zero gas must push the scale to no more than 10% of full scale.

You have defined the full scale well in your "Note(s) from asker".

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2006-09-08 04:01:50 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Opppss... I mistakenly read the sentence: ".... push the scale to NO MORE than ...".

And the answer should also read the same "... a live zero EQUAL TO OR MORE THAN 10% ....

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2006-09-08 04:04:16 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Sorry. "... push the scale to NO LESS than ..." (pity me to stumble at the same mistake twice ;)

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 23 hrs (2006-09-09 01:36:05 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Zero Gas: in determining contaminant contribution by gas distribution system components, a PURIFIED GAS that has an impurity concentration below the minimum detection limit (MDL) of the analytical instrument. This gas is used for both instrument CALIBRATION and component testing.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 day14 hrs (2006-09-09 16:41:10 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

On the second thought, I think there are 2 possible answers:

(1) pump in zero gas until the baseline is moved >= 10% of full scale
== Although zero gas is almost pure in nature, it still contains some contaminants though very little. So, pump in gas as much as needed to shift the baseline.

(2) pump in certain volume of zero gas and set the baseline manually to be >= 10% of full scale

Question for:
First interpretation -> will there be enough room to contain a near pure gas for it to shift the baseline as needed?

Second interpretation -> can we do a manual setting?

Well, I guess you have to get to the author of the original text, or have hands-on experience w/ the instrument itself to decide which interpretation is right.

ErichEko ⟹⭐
Indonesia
Local time: 00:58
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in IndonesianIndonesian
PRO pts in category: 5
Grading comment
Answer (2) at 1 day14 hrs seems to be the correct one, but Tony/Dusty gave it a long time ago already. I can't select his comment as an answer, so I will select yours as the second closest, but I will give you just one point, if you don't mind. Thanks for all the discussion.
Notes to answerer
Asker: We are measuring gas concentrations. And getting a response of at least 10% of the maximum reading with zero gas sounds very strange...

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