Application of Coriolis Principle Meters in Natural Gas

Karl Stappert

Emerson Automation Solutions

Lo que no se mide no se puede controlar, lo que no se controla no se puede mejorar

 Measurement Standards for Coriolis
Natural Gas Applications

• AGA11 & API 14.9

• ASME MFC-11-2006
• AGA6
• ISO 10790
• OMIL R137
THEORY OF OPERATION
Theory of Operation - Meter Design
Theory of Operation – Pickoff Signals (No Flow)

Zero Stability
 Theory of Operation - Meter Zero
8” Meter - Performancew/Zero
HC3 Performance Based on Zero Stability
Stability
2.00

1.50

1.00

0.50
Error %

0.00

-0.50

-1.00

-1.50

-2.00 MMCFD
Theory of Operation – Pickoff Signals (Flowing)
Theory of Operation – Accuracy Specification

Example
HC3 Performance w/Zero Stability & Flat Spec
Calculation of Qt
HC3
2.00
Qt  ZeroStability / FlatSpec
1.50 Qt  136.4(kg / hr ) / 0.35%
1.00 Qt  0.136(tons / hr ) / 0.0035
Qt  39tons / hr
0.50
Error %

0.00

-0.50

-1.00

-1.50

-2.00
tons/Hr
 AGA 11
Minimum Performance Requirements
Corilois Meter Performance Specification

1.60
Error Limit
1.40 = +1.4% (Qmin ≤ Qi < Qt)

1.20
1.00
0.80 Error Limit
= +0.7% (Qt ≤ Qi ≤ Qmax)
0.60
Repeatability
Percent Error (%)

0.40 ±1.0% (Qmin ≤ Qi < Qt)

0.20
0.0
Maximum P-P Spread
-0.20 0.7% (Qt < Qi ≤ Qmax)

-0.40 Repeatability
±0.35% (Qt ≤ Qi ≤ Qmax)
-0.60 Error Limit
= -0.7% (Qt ≤ Qi ≤ Qmax)
-0.80
-1.00
-1.20
Error Limit
-1.40 = -1.4% (Qmin ≤ Qi < Qt)

-1.60

0 Q min Q t Flow Rate (Q i) Q max

CORIOLIS PERFORMANCE ATTRIBUTES
 Coriolis Performance Attributes
• Calibration directly transfers across fluid range Reynolds Number
– Calibration independent of fluid phase
– Reduced meter flow calibration and verification costs

• Reduction in measurement uncertainty caused by field operating

conditions Asymmetrical Profile
– No flow conditioning or special piping requirements
• Insensitive to profile change
– High immunity to errors and damage due to flow surges, pulsations, and
flow turbulence / noise
– Reduction in measurement uncertainty due to process condition and fluid Swirl
composition variability Actual velocity

• Robust non-wearing design and on-line performance and

mechanical integrity diagnostics
– Elimination of failures due to normal wear and elimination of user physical Pulsating Flow
intervention to verify meter performance

• Broadest and least complex “high accuracy” application range of

any flow technology
– Application freedom
 GERG Performance Testing
“No Error Effects from Regulator Location”
Effect of a pressure regulator (upstream) on the performance of a Micro Motion meter
2.00

1.50 20 bar + pressure regulator

1.00 20 bar

0.50
Error (%)

0.00

-0.50

-1.00

-1.50

-2.00
0 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 6000 7000 8000

Flow rate (kg/h)

 GERG Performance Testing
“No Gas Pulsation Error Concerns”
Effect of flow pulsations on a Micro Motion meter • Ideal Meter for…
frequency "sweep" at 2700 kg/h
2.00 • Gas leg of separators
1.50
• Fuel gas measurement
1.00
to reciprocating
engines
0.50
Error (%)

• Measurement at or
0.00
near inlet and outlet
-0.50 of reciprocating
-1.00
compression
Flow Tube Resonant
-1.50 Frequency 80 Hz • Measurement near
regulation; i.e. flow
-2.00
0 50 80 100 150 200 250 300 350 400 through regulator
Frequency (Hz) pulsates at low flows
 GERG Performance Testing
Vibration Effects
1.5

1
Mass Flow Signal Noise, SCFM

0.5

-0.5

Flow Tube Resonant

-1 Frequency 80 Hz

-1.5
0 80 500 1000 1500 2000 2500
Shaker Table Frequency, Hz

Vibration Frequency of a Reciprocating Compressor

less than 2400 RPM or 40 Hz
CALIBRATION
 Sensor Calibration Established on Water
 Sensor calibration establish
with a gravimetric reference
 Calibration is traceable to NIST
standards.
 NVLAP Certified, Assessment of
calibration as per ISO 17025.
Verified by A2LA to a level of
competence:
±0.014% uncertainty
 Water calibration transfers to
other process fluids
 No impact from:
– changing process density
– changing viscosity
– changing molecular weight
– changing process temp
 Transferability of calibration factor
to other process fluids (liquids &
gases) well established and backed
by 3rd party certificates
– API AGA
– NMi PTB
– OIML ISO
– NIST
 AGA11
“Water Calibration transfers to Natural Gas”
CEESI: Water calibration data on a Coriolis meter can be transferred to natural gas
applications without loss of accuracy

GRI Report GRI - 04/0172

 NMI DECLARATION
Water-to-Gas Calibration Transferability
Testing
 Included ½ to 12 inch Coriolis meters
 Conducted on following mediums
 Natural gas
 Nitrogen
 Ethylene

Results
 CMF Model Coriolis meters calibrated
on water at manufacturer may be
applied to the following applications
without requiring a field calibration or
gas calibration
 Every gaseous medium with density
greater than 4 kg/m3
 Super-critical ethylene with density up
to 450 kg/m3
Flow Pressure Effect Compensation

Potential Error w/o Pressure Correction

(Natural Gas)
 Example of Pressure Effect Compensation 6” Coriolis
Gas Testing Results
• All data collected on natural gas using factory calibration factor on water
• Data shown with and without standard FP pressure compensation
• Deviation of all compensated data < 0.25%
 Multipoint Piecewise Linearization
0.10%

As Found Error
0.05%
Error

Multi-Point Piecewise Linear

0.00%
Interpolation Correction
0 2 4 6 8 10
(PWL)
-0.05% Corrected Data

-0.10%
Flow Rate, lbm per second

• Corrections applied at each flow test data point

• Corrections between flow test data points determined by linear interpolation
• Correction above the highest flow rate point is held constant
• Correction below the lowest flow test point is based on linear interpolation to the zero
calibration point.
INSTALLATION BEST PRACTICE
 Meter Turndown vs. Operating Pressure
Turndown All Meters SCFH with 15 psi drop
@ Standard Conditions of .600 Real Gravity, 14.73 psi, and 60 Deg F

120

110
Elite 010
Ideal meter location is
100 Elite 025
upstream of regulator Elite 050
90
Elite 100
T 80 Elite 200
U
Elite 300
R 70
N Elite 400
D 60 F025
O F050
W 50
F100
N
40 F200
R025
30
R050
20 R100

10

0
100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000 1100 1200 1300 1400
PSI

High Pressure = High Turndown

 Gas Velocity and Filtration

 Nickel Alloys do not Erode from High Gas Velocities

(example Orifice Plate)
 Gas Velocities & Pressure Drop is similar to other
Measurement Technologies (Orifice, Turbine)
 Meter should be protected from Abrasive Particles
 Flow Tube Coating/Debris Build-up Apparent as Zero
Shift (Zero Shift Affects Low-end not High-end
performance)
 Piping Alignment and Support
• Proper weight support
• No sagging pipes
• Piping supports installed near
upstream and downstream flanges of
meter

• Meter flow tube case is sacred

ground
• Case should not be used to support
the meter or other equipment

• Proper alignment of piping & flanges

• Use of fabrication spool piece when
fabricating piping in the field (slip-fit
desired)
 Meter Orientation
• No special upstream or
downstream piping
requirements

• Flow Tubes up on gas preferred

• Flow Tubes in flag position with

flow direction down preferred
(WET GAS!!!)
 Piping System Design
 Upstream and Downstream Block Valves
 Bypass to Eliminate Interruption of Service
 Pressure Port Upstream of Sensor
 Temperature Port Upstream of Sensor
• Avoid Joules Thomson Effect issues downstream
VOLUME CALCULATIONS
 Base Volume Calculations
SCF  Mass FP

b

SCF  Mass FP
 
AGA8 Detail
 Pb x Mr(Gas) 
 
 
 Zb x R x Tb 

SCF  Mass FP AGA8 Gross 1 or 2

x
 
Gr



 (Gas) (Air) 
METER VERIFICATION
Coriolis Meter Performance Verification
Linear Meter

y  mx  b

Meter
Zero

FCF
 Using Resonant Modal Analysis to Test
Flow Calibration Factor (FCF)
 Test that can be performed under flowing conditions
 Eliminates lab flow calibrations and improves operational
efficiency and compliance

Okay
Test tones

Response Not Okay

 AGA11 Meter Verification Procedure

– Meter Zero Verification

 Check it…. Don’t calibrate it unless out of tolerance

– Coriolis Sensor Verification

 Diagnostics
– Smart Meter Verification (FCF)

– Temperature Verification
 Check it…. Don’t calibrate it unless out of tolerance

– Meter Transmitter Verification

 Diagnostics
APPLICATION EXAMPLES
 Natural Gas Industry - Coriolis Sweet Spots
• Custody Transfer
 Natural gas city, commercial, and
industry gates
 Pay and check meters
 Gathering stations
 Specialty gas
 Pure and unusual gas mixtures
• Fiscal
 Fuel gas
 Gas storage
• Operations
 Efficiency control
 Injection meters
 City / Industrial Gates
Solution
• Self limiting design with no over-range
• Reduction in ancillary measurement devices
• On-line performance diagnostics
Results
• Reduction in OpEx
– No damage due to flow surges
– Reduction in calibration events
• No calibration pressure and temperature
PIGSAR Calibrations
• On-line performance diagnostics

• Improved measurement system performance

– 0.1% pay & reference match 10+ years
– $100K CapEx savings over turbine
– Elimination of gas give away and over-registration due
to pulsations
 Low Flow Metering
Solution
• Coriolis low flow metering
Results
• Reduction in OpEx
– No damage due to flow surges
– No calibration reference requirements
– No manual inspection & clean
– 63% reduction in OpEx
• Improved measurement system performance
– Measurement of + $7,000 of gas give-away in 1 month
– Est. $1500 / year savings in calibration costs
 Fuel Gas
Solution
• Self limiting design with no over-range
• Reduction in ancillary measurement devices and on-
line performance diagnostics
• Ideal energy meter (mass ≈ BTU)
Results
• Reduction in OpEx
– No damage due to flow surges
– Reduction in calibration events
• No calibration pressure and temperature
• On-line performance diagnostics
• Improved measurement system performance
– Coriolis payback in 1 year by through maintenance
reduction
– Coriolis determines compressor maintenance
– Reduction in gas emissions
 Natural Gas Storage
Solution
• High immunity of error caused by dirty
processes
• On-line process and instrument diagnostics
• Forward and reverse flow performance
identical
Results
• Reduction in OpEx
– No calibration reference requirements
– No manual inspection & clean
– Over 80% reduction in OpEx
• Improvement in measurement and reservoir
management
– Detection of water coning
– Detection of CO2 breakthrough
– Improved dirty process tolerance
 Gas Production
Solution
• Fit for purpose flow meter
– Measurement of surging fluid flows
• Ability to detect liquid carry over & gas carry under

Results
• Reduction in OpEx
– No damage due to flow surges
– Reduction / elimination of calibration requirements
– Reduction in manual inspection & clean
– 63% reduction in OpEx
• Improved separator & measurement system
performance
– Unaffected by pulsing or surging flows
– Improvement in production and gathering balance by 12 to 36%
 Gas Gathering
Solution
• Fit for purpose flow meter
– Measurement of surging and pulsating flows
• High error immunity to dirty processes
• Elimination of compressibility error on unusual
production gas mixtures
Results
• Reduction in OpEx
– No damage due to flow surges
– Reduction / elimination of calibration requirements
– Reduction in manual inspection & clean
– Better than 50% reduction in OpEx
• Reduction in compressibility related
uncertainty by approximately 1%
 Master Metering
Solution
• High immunity to installation effects and flow
disturbances
• Calibration independent of fluid composition
• Robust compact portable design
Results
• Improvement in flow reference
reproducibility
– Improved flow test repeatability
– Better than 0.1% long-term meter factor
stability
• Reduction in operating costs
– 57% reduction is operating costs (transport
and time)
– Elimination of flow reference damage due to
operator error