Calibration of liquid flow meters

Denver July 16th, 2014

Erik Smits
Content

- Who is VSL and Erik Smits?

- Why do we measure and calibrate?
- Comparable and Reliable measurements!
- At what moment do we calibrate instruments
in liquid flow measurement systems?
- Different methods of measuring liquids
- Calibration methods – pipe provers and
master meters
- Some tips!
VSL the Short Version

- National Metrology Institute of the

Netherlands like NIST in the USA
- Focus is applied metrology (measurement)
- 3 Focus area’s Energy, Chemistry and Flow
- Not organized by measurement unit like most
NMI’s
- We are a company and not government owned
Departments, Tasks and Services

Research and Development

- Development/maintenance national measurement standards
- International traceability assurance
- Research in metrology and measurement systems

Calibration and Reference materials

- Calibrations
- Reference materials
- Proficiency testing, inter-laboratory comparisons

Customized Applied Metrology

- Consultancy
- R&D Contracts
- International projects, Training
Erik Smits
Senior Metrologist Liquid Flow and Volume
VSL – Member of TNO Companies
- Accredited laboratory;
- Work under ILAC
regulations;
- Calibration large gas flow
meters up to 60 Pa×105;
- Calibration of large
hydrocarbon flow meters.
Calibrations performed in the
Netherlands only for customers
around the world.
- Inspection and - Notified body for MID - National Metrology
enforcement for MID (legal metrology) in Institute (NMI) of the
(legal metrology) in the Europe; Netherlands;
Netherlands; - Member of OIML; - Member of BIPM;
- Member of OIML on - Type approval and system - Maintaining the National
behave of the Dutch certifications; measurement standards
government; - Verifications; (kg, s, m, etc..);
- Gaming. - Gaming. - Traceable services to SI
units (calibrations);
The Netherlands only. Offices around the world. - R&D new measurement
standards;
- Training sharing
knowledge;
- Consultancy and
certification and auditing.
Services around the world.
Why Measure and Calibrate?

- Product quality (to make sure a product meets

its specification)
- Safety (To prevent non desired situations)
- Billing “money flow” (contracts & sales to
public)
- Development of new products (So we can
reproduce it at a different location)
- Process control
- Other.....

Comparable and Reliable measurements!

Comparable and Reliable
Measurements

- Measurement system (good definitions)

- Unbroken chain of calibration and
comparisons to international measurement
standards. Proven measurement traceability.
- Specified measurement uncertainties
(repeatability and reproducibility are only two
sources in an uncertainty evaluation)
- Written standards?
Measurement Units

7 base units in SI: m, kg, s, A, K, mol, cd

All flow measurements units traceable to one or
more base units (m3/s, kg/s, m/s, kg/m3
mm2/s, etc).
The kilogram is the last remaining base unit of the SI that is still defined by a
material artifact
The meter is the length of the path travelled by light in vacuum during a time
interval of 1/299 792 458 of a second
The second is the duration of 9 192 631 770 periods of the radiation
corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the
ground state of the cesium 133 atom.
 Example of Traceability Chain of a
Liquid Flow Meter

Standard
Chain SI Unit Chain
Working Standard
at a NMI

Test Measure

Pipe Prover

Custody Transfer Meter

Uncertainty
Proven Traceability

For proven traceability only accept

- National Metrology Institute certificates with or

“without” CIPM MRA logo (VSL, NIST, PTB etc..)
- ISO/IEC 17025 accredited certificates with the
logo of the accreditation company and a
documented scope of work (RvA, NVLAP, A2LA,
etc..)

Always check scopes do not go blind on logo’s

and verify the capabilities and uncertainty!
At what moment do we calibrate instruments in
liquid flow measurement systems?

- When they are new at the factory or at a

calibration laboratory
- Time based interval (daily, monthly, yearly, ..)
contract, legislation, certification, .....
- Scientific based interval (statistics)
- Diagnostics signalling
- Bad vibes about the measurement(s)
- Every week as CEESI tells us!
- Etc....

What are we looking for...........

Comparable and Reliable
Measurements

What we actually want is some kind of insurance to

make sure that the transferred liquid (money) flow
going in and/or out through the measurement
system stays within an excepted tolerance!

What about the statement of manufacturers no

calibration needed. Will they guarantee you the
loss of money when not calibrating?
Examples of liquid flow measurements
and the calibration needs

- First we need to understand that there are

two basic applications
- Continues flow measurement (pipe lines)
- Batch measurement (filling of a storage tank, tanker)
- A combination is also possible
- What type of calibration method do we
choose?
- Standing start stop method (batch measurement)
- Flying start stop method (continuous flow
measurement)
Batch or Continues Flow Measurement?
 Batch and Continuous Flow
2" 486 l/min

300

250

200
Frequency [Hz]

150
1369 l/min

500

100 450

400

350
50 Test 1
Test 2
Frequency [Hz]

300
Test 3
250

0 200
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180
150
Time [s]
100

50

0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160
Tijd [s]
Calibration Method Selection

Questions to ask yourself

- Type of flow meter
- Use of the flow meter in the field
- What can we expect from the calibration facility
- Do we need a flying start stop or do we need standing start
stop
- Liquid properties (viscosity, density, temperature and pressure)
- Traceability and Uncertainty
- Field or Laboratory calibration

We can then choose these methods

- Prover tank
- Gravimetric (diverter or transfer point) [lab only]
- Pipe prover
- Tower [lab only]
- Master meter
Typical Metering Run API MPMS 5.8

Calibration on location (proving)

- Mobile or fixed pipe prover or master
meter(s)
- Try to calibrate the flow meter in the range of
operation
- Make sure the person who performs the
calibration knows what he or she is doing.
Follow a calibration training?
Typical Metering Run API MPMS 5.8

Calibration in Laboratory
- Send flow meter, conditioner, upstream and
downstream pipes(ID) to calibration facility
- Calibrate the flow meter in the range of
operation and always min. and max flow
rates (only possible in calibration facility)
- Calibrate with the correct viscosity and
density or close to it
Calibration Using a Pipe Prover
Calibration Using a Pipe Prover

- Flying start stop method

- Different types
- Sphere provers (bi- and unidirectional)
- Piston provers (bi-directional)
- Small Volume provers or compact provers (piston)
- No manual read-out
- Minimum number of pulses or pulse
interpolation needed
- Water draw vs dynamic behavior
Calibration Using a Master Meter
Calibration Using a Master Meter

- Both standing and flying start stop method

possible
- Less accuracy as the master meter has been
calibrated using one of the other calibration
methods
- Manual and digital reading possible
- It is possible to almost calibrate any flow
meter as long as a connection can be made
- Not every type of flow meter can be a master
meter
 Flow Meter Calibration
Meter curves
0.30

0.25

0.20

0.15

0.10
Measurement Error [%]

0.05

0.00

-0.05

-0.10

-0.15

-0.20

-0.25

-0.30
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Flow rate [%]
Flow Meter Calibration
Black line and points
Flow API R Error s mean U mean s single U single
[%] [%] [%] [%] [%] [%] [%]
100 0.130 -0.040 0.023 0.052 0.051 0.083
80 0.160 0.010 0.029 0.057 0.064 0.099
60 0.130 0.036 0.027 0.056 0.061 0.095
40 0.080 0.064 0.015 0.045 0.033 0.061
20 0.120 0.014 0.021 0.050 0.047 0.077
10 0.130 -0.046 0.025 0.054 0.057 0.090
U in reference flow rate 0.04% with pipe prover

Red line and points

Flow API R Error s mean Umean s single U single
[%] [%] [%] [%] [%] [%] [%]
100 0.050 -0.034 0.008 0.061 0.018 0.065
80 0.030 0.004 0.006 0.061 0.013 0.063
60 0.050 0.030 0.008 0.061 0.019 0.066
40 0.020 0.062 0.004 0.060 0.008 0.061
20 0.070 0.012 0.014 0.063 0.031 0.074
10 0.060 -0.048 0.010 0.062 0.023 0.068
U in reference flow rate 0.06% with master meter
Some Tips for Flow Meter Calibration

- Each type of flow meter might need a

different calibration approach!
- Location of the calibration (Best option
always onside!)
- Calibration method up to you
- Accuracy vs Uncertainty
- Do what is needed and not more (more will
cost most of the times more money and
downtime)
- Ask help from an expert (call CEESI or VSL)
Remember

- Measurements always need to be

Comparable and Reliable
- Proof of traceability through calibration to
measurement standards
- Specified measurement uncertainties
- Location of calibration

A solid calibration plan minimizes the risk of

loosing money! Not just for your flow meters
VSL
PO Box 654
2600 AR Delft
The Netherlands

T +31 15 269 15 00
F +31 15 261 29 71
E info@vsl.nl
I www.vsl.nl Erik Smits:
http://lnkd.in/K3Hbya
Erik Smits VSL group:
E fsmits@vsl.nl http://lnkd.in/Bif3Sy
VSL Fluid Flow Metrology group:
http://lnkd.in/DF2zJx

@Erik_VSL
Questions ?