GASCalc™ 5.

0 Calculation Reference
Fixed Pressure Factor
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Background Information
Equations
Example Calculation
General Calculation Procedures
Notes & Considerations
Screen Description
See Also

General Calculation Procedures

To calculate the various values associated with the fixed pressure measurement factor calculation, complete the
following steps:

! Select the Fixed Pressure Factor menu item from the Meters menu list. The Fixed Pressure Measurement
Factor calculation screen will be displayed.

! Select the Clear command button to set all of the values to an empty (null) value.

! Select the Base Conditions command button. The Base Conditions screen will be displayed.

! Enter the appropriate base pressure and temperature values.

! Select an appropriate method from the Atmospheric Pressure Method list.

! The Use Gas Properties File and Compressibility Method assigned on the Base Conditions screen
are ignored for this calculation.

! Select the Apply command button to save the changes and return to the current calculation screen.

Note - If the Use Current Base Pressure Value option is unselected (unchecked), the Base Pressure value
assigned on the Base Conditions screen is ignored for this calculation.

! Click on the red label associated with the item to be calculated (the unknown) until the label is underlined.

! Select the desired dimensional units for all of the data items.

! Enter a value for all known data items.

! Select the Calculate command button.

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Example Calculation

Calculate the fixed pressure measurement factor and volume at a base pressure of 14.73 Psia [1016 mBar (Abs)] and
a volume of 1000 Cf [30 m3] measured at a metered pressure of 2 Psig [140 mBar], using the AGA atmospheric
pressure calculation method.

To perform the calculation, complete the following steps.

! Select the Fixed Pressure Factor menu item from the Meters menu list. The Fixed Pressure Measurement
Factor calculation screen will be displayed.

! Select the Clear command button.

! Select the Base Conditions command button. The Base Conditions screen will be displayed.

! For the Pressure, enter 14.73 Psi (Abs) [1016 mBar (Abs)].

! For the Temperature, enter 60 Fahrenheit [15.6 Celsius].

! From the Use Gas Properties File list, select us standard.prp [uk standard.prp].

! From the Atmospheric Pressure Method list, select AGA.

! From the Compressibility Method list, select None.

! Select the Apply command button.

! In the Base Conditions section, click on the Volume label until it is underlined. From the Volume
dimensional units list, select the Cf [m3].

! In the Meter Conditions section:

! For the Pressure, enter 2 Psi [140 mBar].

! For the Volume, enter 1000 Cf [30 m3].

! For the Elevation, enter 0 Feet [0 Metres].

! In the Base Conditions section:

! Select (check) the Use Current Base Pressure Value option.

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! Select the Calculate command button.

Results - The results should be similar to the following:

Volume At Base Conditions: 1135.9 Cf [34 m3]

Compressibility At Flowing Conditions: 1.000 [1.000]

Fixed Pressure Measurement Factor: 1.136 [1.138]

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Screen Description

The various values associated with the fixed pressure measurement factor may be calculated using the Fixed Pressure
Measurement Factor calculation routine. To perform a calculation, select the Fixed Pressure Factor menu item from
the Meters menu list. The Fixed Pressure Measurement Factor calculation screen will be displayed. The features
associated with the screen are described as follows.

Data Items

Base Conditions -

Pressure - A data field used to enter the “base” pressure value. Enter a value by typing it into the data field.
Ensure the value is expressed in terms of the selected dimensional unit.

Use Current Base Pressure Values - A check-box used to indicate whether the base pressure value set in
the Base Conditions is used in the calculation. When selected (checked), the base pressure value set in the
Base Conditions will be used in the calculation. When unselected (unchecked), the entered base pressure
value will be used in the calculation. Select (check) this option if desired.

Volume - A data field used to enter or display the adjusted meter volume. If the value is known, enter a value
by typing it into the data field. Ensure the value is expressed in terms of the selected dimensional unit.

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Meter Conditions -

Atmospheric Pressure - A data field used to enter a specific atmospheric pressure value. The item is only
displayed and enabled when the Atmospheric Pressure Method in the Base Conditions is set to “None -
Entered Value”. If the field is displayed and enabled, enter a value by typing it into the data field. Ensure the
value is expressed in terms of the selected dimensional unit.

Elevation - A data field used to enter the height above mean sea level of the meter location. The item is only
displayed and enabled when the Atmospheric Pressure Method in the Base Conditions is not set to “None”
or “None - Entered Value”. If the field is displayed and enabled, enter a value by typing it into the data field.
Ensure the value is expressed in terms of the selected dimensional unit.

Pressure - A data field used to enter the value of the operating pressure in the meter. Enter a value by typing
it into the data field. Ensure the value is expressed in terms of the selected dimensional unit.

Volume - A data field used to enter or display the metered volume value. If the value is known, enter a value
by typing it into the data field. Ensure the value is expressed in terms of the selected dimensional unit.

Calculated Values

Compressibility At Flowing Conditions - Displays the calculated compressibility factor at the specified flowing
conditions.

Fixed Pressure Measurement Factor - Displays the calculated fixed pressure measurement factor value.

Command Buttons

Base Conditions - A command button used to access the Base Conditions screen. When selected, the Base
Conditions screen will be displayed. Make any desired changes to the settings, then select the Apply command button
to save and apply the changes to the current calculation screen.

Calculate - A command button used to calculate the value of the unknown (underlined) parameter.

Cancel - A command button used to close the screen without saving any changes.

Clear - A command button used to set all of the data items to blank (null) values.

Close - A command button used to close the screen and save the current data values.

Help - A command button used to display this Calculation Reference.

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Notes - A command button used to display the Calculation Notes editor screen for the current calculation.

Open - A command button used to open a previously saved calculation file. When selected, the File Selection screen
will be displayed. Enter or select the desired File name, then select the Open command button.

Print - A command button used to print the contents of the calculation screen. When selected, the Print Settings
screen will be displayed. Make any desired changes to the printer settings, then select the Print command button.

Save - A command button used to save the contents of the calculation screen to a calculation file. When selected,
the File Selection screen will be displayed. Enter or select the desired File name, then select the Save command
button.

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Notes & Considerations

! The Calculation Notes editor screen allows the User to add a specific title and/or notes to the current calculation
values.

! The red colored labels indicate which items may be calculated. An underlined (selected) label identifies the item
to be calculated as unknown. Only one item at a time may be selected to be calculated, the remaining items must be
known. To identify which item to calculate, click on the label associated with the desired item until the label is
underlined.

! When unknown, the volume at base conditions is determined by multiplying the measured (metered) volume by
the fixed pressure measurement factor.

! When unknown, the volume at measured (meter) conditions is determined by dividing the base volume by the fixed
pressure measurement factor.

! To specify the number of digits to display to the right of the decimal indicator, double-click in the associated data
field. The Decimal Specifications screen will be displayed. Enter or select the desired number of digits, then select
the Apply command button to save and apply any changes.

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Background Information

The base pressure and temperature values dictate the pressure and temperature used to compute a “standard” volume
of gas. In most cases these values are established by a tariff or contract. When gas is measured at conditions other
than the established base pressure and temperature, the measured volume must be adjusted or corrected to determine
the volume at the base or standard conditions.

For example if the gas is being measured (metered) at 2 Psig, that is if the operating pressure of the meter is 2 Psig,
and the tariff or contract base pressure is 14.73 Psia, the metered or index volume needs to be corrected to a standard
volume at the base pressure before being used for billing purposes. This correction is generally made by applying
a multiplying factor to the measured volume. This factor is often referred to as the “fixed pressure measurement
factor” or FPM factor. The FPM factor may be applied at the meter using a mechanical or electronic corrector, in the
billing or accounting system, or by manual calculation.

When working with positive displacement meters, the “absolute” pressure must be used to determine the number of
“standard volumes” measured by the meter. The absolute pressure is equal to the sum of the gauge (measured)
pressure and the local atmospheric pressure. The local atmospheric pressure is a function of the elevation of the
meter. A base pressure of 14.73 Psia is widely used in the US, with most residential delivery or meter pressures at
0.25 Psig (7 inches of water column). Although these values prevail in the US gas industry, the only time that the
meter pressure and the base pressure are actually the same are for a meter located at an elevation of about 475 feet -
that is the elevation where the atmospheric pressure is approximately equal to 14.48 Psia, which results in an absolute
meter pressure, with a 0.25 Psig delivery pressure, of 14.73 Psia (14.48 + 0.25 = 14.73). For exact volume
determination a pressure adjustment factor should be applied in all cases where the operating pressure of the meter
is different than the associated base pressure value. However in most cases, at least in the US, it is only applied in
cases where the meter operating pressure is greater than 0.25 Psig (7 inches of water column), regardless of the
location.

For exact measurement, a similar temperature related factor should also be applied to meters that are not temperature
compensated. However in most cases, a temperature adjustment is only made in large volume transfer applications.

Further, an adjustment factor known as the compressibility or supercompressibility factor should be applied to
compensate for deviations from the ideal gas law. However, again in most cases, adjustment for compressibility is
only made in large volume transfer applications.

The “corrected” volume is computed by multiplying the measured volume by the FPM factor. Failure to apply the
FPM factor in cases where the delivery or meter pressure is higher than the base pressure, will result in under
reporting of the actual quantity of “standard volumes” passing through the associated meter.

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Equations

The computation of the fixed pressure measurement factor and adjusted volumes as supported by GASCalc are
described as follows.

Fixed Pressure Measurement Factor

GASCalc uses the following equation to calculate the fixed pressure measurement factor.

Reference 1

Corrected Volume

GASCalc uses the following equation to calculate the “corrected” volume at based conditions.

Reference 1

Equation Variables

Unless noted otherwise, the following base units and variable definitions apply to all of the methods and equations
described in this section:

FPMF = Fixed Pressure Measurement Factor, Dimensionless

PB = Pressure at Base Conditions, Psia
PMETER = Pressure at Meter Conditions, Psia
QB = Measured Volume at Base Conditions, Cf
QMETER = Measured Volume at Meter Conditions, Cf

PMETER = PMETER_GAUGE + PATM

PATM = Atmospheric Pressure at Meter Location, Psia
PMETER_GAUGE = Gauge Pressure at Metered Conditions, Psig

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References
1. American Gas Association, Measurement, GEOP Series Book M-1, 1993.

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See Also

Atmospheric Pressure Calculation Reference

Base Conditions Conversion Calculation Reference
Base Conditions Help Reference
Compressibility Factor Calculation Reference
Standard Volume Calculation Reference

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