Ringelmann scale
Encyclopedia
The Ringelmann scale is a scale for measuring the apparent density of Smoke
. It was developed by Maximilien Ringelmann of La Station d'Essais de Machines in Paris in 1888. It has a 5 levels of density inferred from a grid of black lines on a white surface which, if viewed from a distance, merge into known shades of grey.
There is no definitive chart, rather, Prof. Ringelmann provides a specification; where smoke
level '0' is represented by white, levels '1' to '4' by 10mm square grids drawn with 1mm, 2.3mm, 3.7mm and 5.5 mm wide lines and level '5' by all black. A popular version is that published by the U.S. Bureau of Mines in circular 8333 of 1967. The British Standard version (BS2742:1969) alters Ringelmann's specification to give a chart similar, on modern paper with modern ink, to the probable appearance of charts produced on earlier, possibly darker, paper, with paler ink.
The data obtained has definite limitations. The apparent darkness of a smoke depends upon the concentration of the particulate matter in the effluent, the size of the particulate, the depth of the smoke column being viewed, and natural lighting conditions such as the direction of the sun relative to the observer while the accuracy of the chart itself depends on the whiteness of the paper and blackness of the ink used.
In use, the observer glances from the smoke, as it issues from the stack, to the chart and notes the number most nearly corresponding with the shade of the smoke. A clear stack is recorded as No. 0, and 100 percent black smoke as No. 5.
Smoke
Smoke is a collection of airborne solid and liquid particulates and gases emitted when a material undergoes combustion or pyrolysis, together with the quantity of air that is entrained or otherwise mixed into the mass. It is commonly an unwanted by-product of fires , but may also be used for pest...
. It was developed by Maximilien Ringelmann of La Station d'Essais de Machines in Paris in 1888. It has a 5 levels of density inferred from a grid of black lines on a white surface which, if viewed from a distance, merge into known shades of grey.
There is no definitive chart, rather, Prof. Ringelmann provides a specification; where smoke
level '0' is represented by white, levels '1' to '4' by 10mm square grids drawn with 1mm, 2.3mm, 3.7mm and 5.5 mm wide lines and level '5' by all black. A popular version is that published by the U.S. Bureau of Mines in circular 8333 of 1967. The British Standard version (BS2742:1969) alters Ringelmann's specification to give a chart similar, on modern paper with modern ink, to the probable appearance of charts produced on earlier, possibly darker, paper, with paler ink.
The data obtained has definite limitations. The apparent darkness of a smoke depends upon the concentration of the particulate matter in the effluent, the size of the particulate, the depth of the smoke column being viewed, and natural lighting conditions such as the direction of the sun relative to the observer while the accuracy of the chart itself depends on the whiteness of the paper and blackness of the ink used.
In use, the observer glances from the smoke, as it issues from the stack, to the chart and notes the number most nearly corresponding with the shade of the smoke. A clear stack is recorded as No. 0, and 100 percent black smoke as No. 5.