PETROLEUM ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT

FLOW LOOP EXPERIMENT

EXPERIMENT #T-3
FLOW METERING

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OBJECTIVES

- To study the concepts of flow metering.

- To study the principles of different flow meters

THEORY

Flow metering is one of the most essential parts of any production operation. Even small errors in measuring
the flow on a major pipeline will cause a major loss to either the seller or the buyer. Thus, it is in everyone's
interest to meter the flow with the highest accuracy.

Unfortunately, the techniques of metering are not always 100% accurate. Variations exist between the
different techniques used. These techniques will have their optimum accuracy at different operating
conditions and flow levels.

Each flow meter is based on different operating principles:

Mass Flow Meters (Micro Motion Flow Meter)

In this meter, the mass of the fluid is measured directly under the assumption that the mass of the fluid is a
property, which can be considered to be independent of changing fluid composition and environmental
conditions. This is considered to be an advantage over other flow meters that measure fluid volume, since
fluid volume is highly dependent on the composition and the environment.

The Micro Motion meter operates by application of Newton's second law of physics, force equals mass times
the acceleration (F = ma). It uses a tube that is vibrated up and down by a magnetic coil. Fluid is flowing
through the tube. Fluid moving at the inlet side of the tube will be accelerated, while fluid moving at the
outlet side will be decelerated. The mass of the fluid will resist the acceleration and the deceleration and will
therefore exert a force on the tube. The force from the accelerated fluid will have the opposite direction of
the decelerated fluid, but will be of the same magnitude. These two opposite forces will cause a twist on the
tube. The angle of twist will be linearly proportional to the mass rate of the flowing fluid. When the tube
reverses the direction, the accelerations, forces, and the tube twist in the reverse direction. The twist angle is
again proportional to the mass flow rate. The twist is measured as time differences by two sensors, one on
the right side and one on the left side. These two signals are analog voltage signals and will then be
converted into standard analog and frequency outputs capable to be read and interpreted by standard data
acquisition equipment.

This meter is widely applicable for measurement of liquid flows. Application to gases is more limited in that
the density of low-pressure gases is often insufficient to accurately operate the unit. Advantages of this unit,
besides direct mass flow output, includes wide range of operating conditions, and applicability to non-
homogeneous fluids.

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 Figure 1. Mass flow meter (coriolis flow meter)

Positive Displacement Meters

The definition of a positive displacement meter by ASME states that the fluid to be measured has to pass
through the meter in successive and more or less completely isolated quantities, by alternately filling and
emptying compartments or cavities of fixed volume. Common types of displacement meters are: Bellows
(Diaphragm), Geared or Lobed Impeller (Rotary), Sliding or Rotating Vane (Vane) and Liquid Sealed Drum
(Wet).

These meters are designed to measure the volumes of the fluids. An example is the Roots Positive
Displacement Meter, which uses the rotary positive displacement operating principle. This system has two
impellers; the bottom impeller rotates in a counterclockwise direction toward the horizontal position, fluid
enters the space between the impeller and the cylinder. When bottom impeller reaches the horizontal
position, a definite volume of fluid is contained in the bottom compartment. As the impeller continues to
turn, the volume is discharged. Concurrently, the top impeller rotating in the opposite direction has trapped a
definite volume in its horizontal position, confining another known volume of fluid. The process is repeated
four times for each complete revolution of the impeller shafts. Flow of fluid creates the rotation movement of
the impellers.

The volume of fluid passing through the displacement meter could be calculated from the rotation speed of
the impellers and the known volume between the cylinder and the impellers. However, the common method
of calibrating a displacement meter is to flow a known volume of fluid through the meter and measure the
rotation frequency.

An important thing to remember is that the displacement meter will measure the in-situ volume. It is
therefore necessary to correct for pressure and temperature when measuring gas. Liquid can in most cases be
considered to be incompressible.

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 Figure 2. Positive displacement meter

Turbine Meters

The Turbine
ine meters use a rotating turbine to measure the fluid flow. The performance of turbine flow meters
is based on two basic assumptions: first, the rotor rotation varies linearly with the average fluid velocity and
second, the volumetric flow rate is proport
proportional to the average fluid velocity.

The turbine is kept in a continuous rotation by the fluid stream

stream.. In contrast to the rotary type positive
displacement meter, the turbine meter does not break the stream into nominally discrete segments.
seg By means
of a secondary element, which is essentially a revolution counter, the meter measures the total distance of
travel of the fluid past the primary device. With a known cross
cross-section
section of flow, the distance can be converted
to units of total volume
ume that has passed. Alternately, turbine speed can be converted into flow rate readings.
In other words, the motion of the rotor vanes is sensed by a pick
pick-off
off device which in turn generates a pulsing
electrical voltage signal. The frequency of the pulsing signal relates directly to the flow rate; summation of
the pulses relates to the total flow.

The relationship between the number of pulses produced by the turbine flow meter and the volume of fluid
passing through it is called the meter
meter-calibration factor K. Each turbine flow meter has its own K factor,
determined by individual calibration. The common method of calibration is to displace a known volume of
fluid through the turbine over a known period of time.

The advantage of the turbine meter is the ability to measure high flow rates at high pressures over a wide
temperature range. The turbine meter can be converted to measure mass flow by addition of compensating
equipment. The disadvantage is that the turbine meters tend to be inaccurate at low flow rates.

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Some turbine meters such as the Rockwell gas turbine meter used in this facility, have the advantages that
they contain pressure and temperature transducers to compensate for pressure and temperature changes.

Figure 3. Turbine meter

Orifice Meters

The orifice meters measure the pressure drop across an orifice for a constant stream of fluid. Thus, the orifice
meter measures primarily the rate of flow, and not the volume of the flow (inferential). As in all the flow
meters, the orifice meter also consists of two distinct parts. The first is the primary element, which is the
orifice plate and the adjacent part of the pipe. This is the interacting part of the meter that is in contact with
the fluid. The secondary element is the part that translates the interaction between the fluid and the primary
element into flow rates and records the result. This secondary element consists of a differential-pressure cell
and an upstream static pressure cell.

An orifice meter is a conduit and a restriction to create a pressure drop. The differential pressure is
proportional to the square of the rate of the flow. For gases, measuring the upstream pressure and the
pressure drop across the orifice, the expansion factor of the fluid can be calculated. The expansion factor is a
measure of how much the volume of the fluid changes with the pressure drop. The expansion factor is, in
effect, a density correction needed for the orifice flow calculation. Since liquids can be considered
incompressible, there is no need to compensate for the change in pressure.

When flow occurs through a restriction it can either be subcritical or critical. For most flow meter
calculations the flow will be considered subcritical. Sonic or critical flow occurs when the velocity of the
fluid reaches the speed of the sound. This velocity is different for liquids and gases. A rule of thumb to use in
gas flow is that critical flow is reached when the down stream pressure is approximately 50% less than the
upstream pressure. The basic equations for single phase subcritical flow are:

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Liquid: =

Gas: =

where: C Flow coefficient factor

Ao Cross sectional area of orifice opening

Y Expansion factor

P Differential pressure

L - Liquid density
G gas density at upstream conditions
Flow through an orifice meter can be accurately determined without the need for actual fluid calibration.
Well established procedures convert the differential pressure into flow rates, using empirically derived
coefficients. These coefficients are based on accurately measurable dimensions of the orifice plate and pipe
dimensions combined with measurable characteristics of the fluid rather than on fluid flow calibration. This
means that only the pressure transducers need to be calibrated for interfacing with the data acquisition
system.

Figure 4. Orifice meter

EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP

Water from the water tank is pumped through the mass flowmeter. The flow rate can be controlled manually
or automatically from the computer via the variable frequency drive (VFD). The flow meter is able to give
two outputs out of three outputs including: flowrate, temperature and pressure. In this setup, we will output

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flowrate and temperature. There are four main test sections in the flowloop: pipe, pipe, 1/8 orifice,
and a system of pipes and elbows. The fluid can flow through each individual test section as well as several
test section simultaneously. Pressure gauges and differential pressures are installed to record the absolute
pressures and pressure drops in the four test sections. All the data can be recorded by using the computer
data acquisition system.

EQUIPMENT LIST
Data acquisition equipment: Labview

Flow metering: Micro Motion mass meter

Pressure transmitters: Pressure gauges, Rosemount pressure transducers to measure absolute pressure and
differential pressures

Temperature transducers

Pipeline: and

Orifice: 1/8

Elbows:

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EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE

1. Turn on the PC
2. Start the pump
3. Set a desired flow rate and turn on the auto control in the speed control panel on the computer
4. As soon as the flow rate gets stable, save the data including pressure drop through the orifice and
the flow rate.
5. Repeat the test by varying the flow rate from 1, 3, 5, 7 GPM
6. Repeat steps 1 to 5 with flow rate from 2, 4, 6 GPM.

CALCULATIONS:

1. Calculate the mean pressure drop and the uncertainty in each experiment for the orifice
2. Using the flow rate 1, 3, 5, 7 GPM to get the flow coefficient factor
3. Using the calculated flow coefficient factor to predict the pressure drop at flow rates 2, 4, and 6
GPM. Comparing with the measured pressure drops.

QUESTIONS

1. Explain which meter is more accurate, and why?

2. Explain the principles of the mass flow meter and the orifice meter
3. List all the advantages and disadvantages of the orifice flow meter and the mass flow meter.
4. State any possible reasons for the discrepancy of flow rate between the orifice meter and coriolis
meter.