Patent ID: 8486710

Claim:
A method for measuring a lower heating value of a gaseous fuel, said method comprising: mixing a gaseous fuel with air to provide a combustible air-fuel mixture; directing the air-fuel mixture to flow across a flow surface of a first micro-hotplate maintained at a constant temperature; measuring a change in power required to maintain a constant temperature of the first micro-hotplate flow surface due to a convective and conductive heat transfer from the first micro-hotplate flow surface to the air-fuel mixture; directing the air-fuel mixture to flow across a flow surface of a second micro-hotplate maintained at a constant temperature; combusting the air-fuel mixture as the air-fuel mixture flows across the second micro-hotplate flow surface; and measuring a change in power required to maintain a constant temperature of the second micro-hotplate flow surface due to the combustion of the air-fuel mixture.