OMNI Flow Computers, Inc.
Last Updated: 13 April 09
Multivariable Flow Transmitter Interfaces:
Connectivity and Data Transfer Issues
User Manual Reference
This technical bulletin
complements the information
contained in the User
Manual, applicable to all
revision .74+.
Multivariable Flow
Transmitters
These are a special type of
smart digital instrumentation
device that incorporates
multiple sensors. The sensors
are controlled by
microprocessors.
52-0003-0004 Š Rev B
TB # 980504B
Contents
Scope ................................................................................................................... 1
Abstract ............................................................................................................... 1
Improving Accuracy and Performance............................................................. 2
Multiple Sensors and Parameters ................................................................................. 2
Scan Interval ................................................................................................................. 2
Time Lag ....................................................................................................................... 2
Transferring Flow Rate and Totalizer Data ...................................................... 3
Serial Data Communications ............................................................................. 4
The Flowmeter Device as a Communication Slave ....................................................... 4
The Flowmeter Device as a Communication Pseudo Master ........................................ 4
The Flowmeter Device as a Full Communication Master .............................................. 4
Point-to-Point Configurations......................................................................................... 5
Advantages and Disadvantages of a Serial Data Link................................................... 6
Direct Pulse Train ............................................................................................... 7
Figures
Figure. 1. Point-to-Point Wiring Configuration.................................................5
Scope
This technical bulletin applies to all firmware revisions versions .74+ of OMNI
6000/OMNI 3000 Flow Computers.
Abstract
The term ‘multivariable flow transmitter’ describes a class of smart digital
instrumentation devices. This class of device incorporates multiple sensors
controlled by either one or more microprocessors. Coriolis and ultrasonic liquid
and gas flowmeters are examples of current multivariable transmitter
technology. These devices use some form of serial data communication link to
transfer data to and from the OMNI flow computer, requiring an ‘SV’
multivariable communication combo module. In addition, the devices provide an
output pulse train which is proportional to the flow (either mass or volume).
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OMNI 6000 / OMNI 3000 Flow Computers Technical Bulletin

Improving Accuracy and Performance

Obtaining high accuracy is the primary goal of instrumentation designers. The
inclusion of one or more microprocessors gives the instrument designer the
ability to improve the performance of a device, by taking advantage of the fact
that the measurement sensor is far more repeatable than it is accurate. For
example, given the same set of operating conditions, the sensor is able to
reproduce its results in an extremely predictable manner within the range of its
sensors. At a different set of operating conditions, the sensor results may be
different but still extremely predictable.
Some considerations for improving measurement accuracy and instrument
performance are the use of multiple secondary sensors and parameters, the
device’s scan interval, and the time lag it produces to calculate results from a
sensor measurement.

Multiple Sensors and Parameters

The microprocessor allows the manufacture to characterize and correct the
measurement sensor results by monitoring its electronic ambient conditions and
sensor operating conditions. This is done using secondary sensors or
calculating parameters such as temperature, pressure and density. The net
result is greatly improved accuracy of the measurement output, and the
availability of other measured or calculated parameters, which can be used by
tertiary devices such as flow computers. The flow computer uses these
parameters as values for input variables in ‘equations of state’ and to diagnose
the condition of the transmitter.

Scan Interval
All microprocessor controlled multivariable flowmeter devices operate on some
scan interval; i.e., input parameters are measured on a scan interval (fixed or
variable). The measured parameters are then input into a calculation sequence
which produces a resultant flow rate, (either mass / unit time or volume / unit
time).

Time Lag
Note that sensor measurements must be taken before a result can be
calculated. The calculated flow rate represents that which existed for the
previous scan interval; i.e., there is a time lag from when the measurement is
taken to when the flow rate is calculated. Fast scan intervals are typically used
to minimize any uncertainty that may be introduced by this time lag.

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 TB-980504B
Note
At the time that this bulletin
was being prepared, certain
manufacturers were making
firmware adjustments to
their products to provide
high resolution totalizers
suitable for use by the
OMNI flow computer.
52-0003-0004 Š Rev B
MV Flow Transmitter Interfaces: Connectivity and Data Transfer Issues
Transferring Flow Rate and Totalizer Data
Multivariable flowmeters provide useful and important diagnostic data and
alarms which can be of great benefit to the user. This data could be processed
and used to warn the user of impending failures or operational problems before
they have had a major impact on the uncertainty of the measurement result.
There is no question that the integrity of the measurement is greatly enhanced
by providing this data to the flow computer and allowing the flow computer to log
and alarm any abnormalities detected.
Various multivariable flowmeter devices update their databases with the most
recently calculated volume or mass flow rate. The OMNI flow computer, which is
operating on a 500 msec calculation cycle, uses the last flow rate received from
the flowmeter to calculate the incremental flow quantity for the current
calculation cycle.
Most flowmeter devices also provide internal totalizers. Using these totalizers
can be difficult unless they are provided in a numeric format which increments
and rolls over predictably. Floating point variables for example normally keep
increasing in value and do not roll over to zero at any point. This causes a
problem because as the totalizer increases in size, a point is reached when the
bit resolution of the mantissa portion of the number is exceeded, and the
totalizer begins to increment using larger and larger steps. The flow computer
could compare the totalizer values received between successive serial
transmissions, but because of the totalizer roll over and resolution problems,
and the inability to synchronize the reading of successive totalizer readings with
the calculation cycle of the flow computer, it is better to use the instantaneous
flow rate value obtained via a direct connection to calculate and totalize the flow
in the flow computer. This has significance because it forms the basis for the
totalizer integration within the transmitter.
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 OMNI 6000 / OMNI 3000 Flow Computers Technical Bulletin

Serial Data Communications

Each time the device performs its measurement scan and calculation process, it
typically updates the values of calculated variables, measured parameters and
alarm points in its database. Some flowmeter devices act as serial
communication slaves, allowing the database to be asynchronously read and, in
some cases, modified. Other devices act as serial communication pseudo
masters and simply transmit certain database points on a regular time interval,
while acting as a slave and accepting commands and configuration changes. At
least one device ⎯the Krohne Ultrasonic flowmeter⎯ can be both ‘full
Getting Customer communication master’ and ‘communication slave’.
Support
Customer support is
available at: The Flowmeter Device as a Communication Slave
 (281) 240-6161
Email should be sent via In this mode the flowmeter device transmits data as requested by the flow
the WEB Page at: computer communication master. When asked for data, the flowmeter will
www.omniflow.com transmit the most recently calculated data or block of data. In normal operation,
or email to: the flow computer requests flow and diagnostic data on a regular interval and
helpdesk@omniflow.com intersperses any other data transmissions (e.g., configuration data or
commands) between these regular flow update polls. Sometimes due to heavy
communications traffic, communication glitches or transmission retries, flow
update polls can be time-skewed or missed altogether.

The Flowmeter Device as a Communication Pseudo

Master
In this mode a fixed block of data is transmitted over and over on a regular
interval without requiring a response, (e.g., Instromet ultrasonic gas flowmeter
transmits a information data block every second). Any command or
configuration data that is needed to be sent to the flowmeter transmitter must be
interspersed between these regular data block transmissions. It is the job of the
flow computer acting as communication master to ensure that configuration
changes do not collide with information data block transmissions. Sometimes
due to flow computer task loading, communication glitches or transmission
retries, flow data blocks can be time-skewed.

The Flowmeter Device as a Full Communication Master

The Krohne ultrasonic flowmeter can be configured to act as a Modbus master.
In this mode the flowmeter can be configured to realize transactions of up to 20
predefined data blocks, which can be writes of data to a flow computer or reads
of data from a flow computer. Each transaction requires a response from the
slave flow computer. Update cycle time can be excessive if too many blocks
with too much data are transferred and, as with the other serial communication
methods, glitches and transmission retries can delay or time-skew the data
received.

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TB-980504B MV Flow Transmitter Interfaces: Connectivity and Data Transfer Issues

Point-to-Point Configurations
Point-to-point configurations (Figure. 1), with both the flow computer and
transmitter terminated, are the only acceptable wiring configuration. Each
flowmeter transmitter is connected to an independent ‘SV’ port of the flow
computer. Because each ‘SV’ port is connected to only one flowmeter
transmitter, each transmitter can now use a default communication address of
‘1’, greatly simplifying flow transmitter replacement issues. Data transfers are
much faster than in a multi-drop mode and the likelihood of transmitter
interaction is greatly minimized.

All 4 MV Ports of Multivariable Multivariable Multivariable Multivariable

Flow Computer Device Device Device Device
must be Terminated ID #1 ID #2 ID #3 ID #1

Omni Flow
Computer
(Using
Independent
SV Ports)
Modbus IDs of Multivariable All Four Multivariable
Devices can be the same in this Devices must be
Point-to-Point Configuration Terminated

Figure 1. Point-to-Point Wiring Configuration

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OMNI 6000 / OMNI 3000 Flow Computers Technical Bulletin

Advantages and Disadvantages of a Serial Data Link

The advantages of totalizing the flow in the flow computer using data obtained
via a serial data link are:
• Saving of two wires needed to transmit the pulse signal
• No need to setup the multivariable flowmeter to output a pulse signal
Disadvantages of totalizing the flow in the flow computer using data obtained via
a serial data link are:
• High level of instrumentation and technical expertise needed to maintain
and debug an installation; e.g., serial communication protocols, serial
data protocol analyzers, interpreting the data messages received from
the flowmeter, etc.
• A cyclic or rapid change in flow rate at the flowmeter may not be
captured correctly because of the relatively slow scan rate of the serial
transmission link.
• The flow rate update rate cannot be guaranteed to be regular in some
cases due to communication glitches requiring communication retries
and time-outs. Other factors which affect this are intermittent
configuration and calibration transactions which may occur on the serial
link. (these concerns are multiplied in a multi-dropped wiring system).

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TB-980504B MV Flow Transmitter Interfaces: Connectivity and Data Transfer Issues

Direct Pulse Train

From the calculated flow rate obtained from each measurement scan, the
device calculates and outputs a pulse train of a certain frequency via a digital
output. Each pulse will represent an exact amount of incremental flow. In some
cases, a second digital output can be used to provide an exact copy of the pulse
train except that it will be out of phase with the original pulse. These two pulse
trains approximate the type of pulse output that is received from a dual pickoff
turbine meter and, as such, can satisfy many of the ‘Pulse Fidelity’ checking
requirements expressed in API MPMS, Chapter 5.5. The flow computer counts
each and every pulse output by the flowmeter device and applies a flowmeter K-
Factor as it would for any other pulse producing flowmeter. K-factors can be
either in pulses per mass unit or pulses per volume unit. Changes in flow rate
are immediately reflected in the pulse output and registered by the flow
computer, within the cycle update limitations of both devices.
The advantages of totalizing the flow in the flow computer via a direct pulse train
are:
• Flowmeter response time is as fast as the measurement and calculation
scan period; e.g., a sudden increase or loss of flow would be detected
within one calculation cycle.
• Individual device scan cycles have no impact on uncertainty. Signal
aliasing is not a problem.
• Easy to implement ‘Dual Pulse Fidelity Checking’ using a second out of
phase pulse using existing flow computer technology.
• Low level of instrumentation and technical expertise needed to maintain
and debug an installation; e.g., simple digital counter is all that is
required to verify proper operation.
• Ability to prove the device using conventional pipe provers and compact
provers (applying double chronometry pulse interpolation methods).

Disadvantages of totalizing the flow in the flow computer via direct pulse train
are:
• Two extra wires are needed to transmit the pulse signal.
• Need to configure (scale) the digital I/O point pulse train frequency.

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