On 2007 Jun 28 , at 4:14 AM, G Stanley Doore wrote:
... why not adopt kL for the cubic metre to be consistent with
other kilo uses.
Why not? Because -
- (1) it is unnecessary. since there is already a name for that size;
namely, the cubic metre,
- (2) the kilolitre and the litre are not coherent with the other
units of the SI; in any calculations done involving other SI units,
care must be taken to use only coherent SI units or else the answers
will be wrong.
The kL is simple and understandable for all to use, but it doesn't
preclude the use of scientific notation by scientists.
Paraphrasing Doore's comment above: "The cubic metre is just as
simple and understandable as the kilolitre (perhaps simpler and more
understandable) and doesn't preclude the general public from using it."
The kL/s would be particularly useful in stream flow and kL for
lake volume in hydrology, and for other applications in which
large volumes are involved. And, it does not preclude the use of L/
s and L for smaller volumes. Also, Nm3 (Normal metre cubed) and
barrels used in oil and gas reporting should be replaced with kL to
make the SI volume unit universal and consistent in the oil and gas
industry.
Everything stated for the kilolitre in the above paragraph is just as
true for the cubic metre, including the fact that use of the cubic
metre does not preclude using the litre for smaller volumes.
I need to ask what is meant by "normal metre cubed". Is that any
different than a cubic metre? Regardless, there is no reason to use
"Normal metres cubed" in place of cubic metres.
Contrary to what Doore suggests, use of the kilolitre is NOT an SI
unit (nor is the litre) and using it to make things "consistent in
the oil and gas industry" would make the "things" inconsistent and
not coherent with the rest of SI. It is more important to keep SI
consistent (and coherent) than it is to cater to one particular
industry that wants special dispensation to measure things differently.
Bill Hooper
72 kg body mass*
Fernandina Beach, Florida, USA
* plus or minus a kilogram or so.
