Flow Measurement Accuracy and Flow Meter Integrity
Over the last few weeks in a series of blogs, we have featured the unique capabilities of Micro Motion’s Smart Meter Verification (SMV) diagnostics and its’ impact across plants in the food & beverage, chemical and oil & gas sectors.
From the need for powerful diagnostics to maintenance-free operations, regulatory compliance and the delivering of process improvements, we have charted many of the industry challenges Smart Meter Verification addresses. In this final blog, we will look at how Smart Meter Verification is influencing operations today in specific scenarios and real-life applications.
The answer is in a big way. Take marine fuel bunkering.
Occasionally, a batch of fuel can become aerated when valves are not closed, pumps not properly started, or excessive tank stripping occurs, with aeration affecting meter accuracy.
There is also a danger in batching applications that aeration can impact the custody transfer process leading to preventable operational oversights. In such cases, Smart Meter Verification and its multiphase diagnostics can immediately calculate air entrainment and its’ severity, instigating remedial action, and ensuring that Micro Motion Coriolis flow meters continue to deliver outstanding flow measurement for optimal custody transfer and quality control.
In an earlier blog, we discussed the ever-changing compliance landscape and the need to find a balance between increased output and reduced costs, and meeting regulations. Again, Smart Meter Verification meets this challenge head-on through providing the specific data regulators require, rather than cumbersome and expensive calibrations and laboratory trips.
Another Smart Meter Verification application is in accelerating the implementation of companies’ Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) strategies. In such cases, these powerful remote diagnostics, digital intelligence and multiple data points provide users with a complete process overview and link in perfectly with plant goals of process automation, enterprise-assets management and IIoT-led business operations.
Smart Meter Verification in Action
Let’s finish with two real-life examples where Smart Meter Verification has delivered – a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) terminal in Northern Iraq and a research center for steam turbines in the Czech Republic.
In Iraq, the pressure was on to rebuild a loading terminal, with 1000 m3 of LPG – valued at $500,000 – being lost to flaring each day. In this case, Coriolis flow meters were used for flow measurement with the high volatility, high thermal expansion and low lubricity of LPG causing significant measurement challenges. Here, Smart Meter Verification provided the operator with confidence in meter health and the trouble-free operation of the loading process in what were challenging conditions.
With the Czech research centre, flow measurement uncertainty can have a significant impact on performance testing results for steam turbines with highly accurate flow measurement required and provided for by Micro Motion Coriolis flow meters.
This led to precise steam temperature control, allowing for the running of critical performance tests with very low uncertainties. In this case, 100% measurement confidence was provided through the Smart Meter Verification and – together with the flow meters – provided the operator with an improved uncertainty of performance testing on steam turbines of 0.12%.
From marine fuel bunkering and multiphase diagnostics to compliance, IIoT strategies, research stations and LPG terminals, Smart Meter Verification has the ability to influence operations in multiple applications, generating real-time decision-making intelligence and flow measurement confidence right here and now.
