Effects of 1991 and

2000 AGA-3/API 14.3

Revisions to Orifice
Meter Tubes
Fiscal Measurement
Natural Gas
Topics to be Discussed
 Changes in the 1991 revision
– Mainly affected orifice fittings/plate seals
 Changes in the 2000 revision
– Major effect on meter tube lengths
– Plate thickness change in some sizes
– Added flow conditioner test program
– Added method for determining transmitter lead line
lengths
Major Changes in 1991
 Much tighter ECCENTRICITY requirements
– Orifice plate bore must be centered within fitting bore
within 0.3%
– Previous requirement was 3.0%.
 Other changes in plate seal area resulted in re-
design of plate carrier/seal ring assembly in 2”-8”
sizes
 Meter tube lengths remained as in previous issue
of the standard
Eccentricity

Was 3%, now is 0.3%

Seal area Changes
Other changes to plate seal area
 New requirements for seal diameter tolerance and
sealing slot in fitting caused redesign of plate
carrier/seal in 2”-8” sizes
 Plate carriers and seals are different from
previous design
 Bodies are machined differently from previous
design
 Retrofit kits are available to convert to new design
Comparison Pre-1991 & Later Design

2”-8” Only
Changes in the 2000 revision
 Upstream lengths much longer in most cases
 Straightening vane design changed
 Flow conditioner information added
 Transmitter lead line length calculations added
 Plate thickness change for 2 sizes
 Grandfather clause
 UPSTREAM LENGTH SELECTION
UPSTREAM LENGTH SELECTION COMPARISON

WAS: GRAPHS SHOWING PIPING CONFIGURATIONS

NOW IS:
TABLES
BARE TUBE ( no vane or conditioner)

SHORT TUBE WITH VANE

LONG TUBE WITH VANE

NEW CATEGORY
TUBE WITH CONDITIONER
CATEGORY ( no vane or conditioner )

UNIVERSAL “CATCH ALL” METER TUBE

NOW IS 145D
CATEGORY
NO VANE OR
CONDITIONER

See
detail
CATEGORY SHORT VERSION WITH VANE

UNIVERSAL METER TUBE WITH VANE

MAX .46 BETA

CATEGORY
Short upstream
with tube bundle
CAREGORY LONG VERSION WITH VANE

UNIVERSAL METER TUBE WITH VANE

MAX .67 BETA

CATEGORY
LONG UPSTREAM
WITH TUBE BUNDLE
CHANGES TO API 14.3 - APRIL 2000

THE METER TUBE LENGTH INFORMATION

CONTAINED IN THIS REVISION WAS BASED ON
THE RESULTS OF ACTUAL FLOW TESTING AT
12 LABS (DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL),
USING BOTH LIQUID AND GAS.
CHANGES TO API 14.3 - APRIL 2000

TUBE BUNDLE STRAIGHTENING VANES

CHANGES TO API 14.3 - APRIL 2000
19 CONCENTRIC SAME SIZE TUBES
TUBE BUNDLE STRAIGHTENING VANES

19 TUBE CONCENTRIC PATTERN

NEW, TIGHTER TOLERANCES
CHANGES TO API 14.3 - APRIL 2000

PREVIOUS DESIGNS OF STRAIGHTENING VANES

HEX PATTERN

END BANDS
HEX PATTERN

NOW NOT
ALLOWED

7 TUBE BUNDLE (2”)

FLOW
FLOW CONDITIONING
CONDITIONING
CHANGES TO API 14.3 - APRIL 2000

FLOW CONDITIONERS

REMOVE SWIRL AND CREATE A NEAR

FULLY DEVELOPED FLOW PROFILE
THE DANIEL PROFILERTM

CONDITIONER PLATE
Profiler™ Installation
CHANGES TO API 14.3 - APRIL 2000

METER TUBE WITH PROFILER

MAX .67 BETA

CHANGES TO API 14.3 - APRIL 2000

Meter tube upstream lengths

and beta ratio limits for use
with all flow conditioners
other than the standard tube
bundle will be established by
the manufacturer based on
required testing
(ref. Par. 2.5.5.4 AGA-3/API 14.3 April
2000)
CHANGES TO API 14.3 - APRIL 2000

Flow Conditioner Qualification Test

Good Flow Conditions

Two 900 Elbows in Perpendicular Planes

Gate Valve 50% Closed

High Swirl

Also test at 2 beta ratios, 2 Reynolds numbers and 2 sizes

CHANGES TO API 14.3 - APRIL 2000

PLATE THICKNESS CHANGE

8” SIZE WAS 1/8” THICK, NOW IS 1/4” THICK

24” SIZE WAS 3/8” THICK, NOW IS 1/2” THICK

Reason: differential was limited to 150” in an orifice fitting

Now all sizes listed are suitable for min. 200” differential
CHANGES TO API 14.3 - APRIL 2000

DP TAP CONNECTION LINE LENGTHS

IF PULSATIONS
ARE SUSPECTED,
THERE ARE
EQUATIONS TO
CALCULATE LEAD
LINE LENGTHS TO
PREVENT
PULSATION
AMPLIFICATION
CHANGES TO API 14.3 - APRIL 2000
INCREASED
INCREASED DIFFERENTIAL
DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE
PRESSURE

INCREASED DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURES

 TABLES SHOWING MAXIMUM DP FOR

RECOMMENDED PLATE THICKNESSES

– 304SS AND 316SS

– TEMPERATURES TO 150ºF (65ºC)

– INSTALLED IN BOTH FITTINGS AND FLANGES

• FLANGES ALLOW MUCH HIGHER DIFFERENTIALS
CHANGES
INCREASED TO API 14.3PRESSURE
INCREASED DIFFERENTIAL
DIFFERENTIAL - APRIL 2000
PRESSURE
CONTINUED
CONTINUED

INCREASED DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURES

 SOME SIZES ALLOW UP TO 1000” DP

– VALUES BASED ON PLATE DEFLECTION ONLY

– ANY OPERATIONAL EFFECTS ON ORIFICE FITTINGS NOT

CONSIDERED

 ADDITIONAL TABLES FOR OTHER THAN STANDARD PLATE

THICKNESSES IN APPENDIX
CHANGES TO API 14.3 - APRIL 2000

GRANDFATHER CLAUSE

From API 14.3 Part 2, Par 2.1, April 2000

CHANGES TO API 14.3 - APRIL 2000

Uncertainty example from 14.3, part 1

CHANGES TO API 14.3 - APRIL 2000

It is strongly recommended that a copy

of the new standard be obtained and
read thoroughly as there are many
details not covered in this presentation