Petrobras Transporte S.A.: Transpetro’s Ultrasonic Flow Meter Recalibration Program

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomaz Carvalho ◽  
Ana Luisa Ferreira ◽  
Tulio C. Lourenço
Keyword(s):  
Technical Committee ◽  
Flow Meters ◽  
Diagnostic Parameters ◽  
Performance Change ◽  
Scada System ◽  
Important Concern ◽  
Ultrasonic Flow Meter ◽  
National Regulatory Agency ◽  
Time In Service ◽  
Metrological Performance

In recent years, the use of ultrasonic flow meters has gained worldwide acceptance for natural gas custody transfer applications. TRANSPETRO has also increased significantly the use of this technology because of the important role it plays in reducing lost and unaccounted for (LUAF) gas. A plan of this equipment is essential to guarantee the proper operation and the specified accuracy of the meter runs as well as mandatory in order to comply with a national regulatory agency (ANP) ordinance, which requires ultrasonic meters to be recalibrated every 30 months. This interval can be extended if the agency approves a study submitted by the operator, presenting a reasonable historical metrological performance the meters. In 2009, the Measurement Technical Committee of the Pipeline Research Council International (PRCI) published a report recommending ultrasonic meters to be recalibrated based on time-in-service, but on periodic assessment of the diagnostic parameters provided by the equipment. The report states that if these diagnostic logs indicate performance change, the meter should be cleaned and the performance re-checked; the recalibration should be considered only if the performance change remains after the cleaning. Carrying out this procedure guarantees, according to the report, the calibration is within the uncertainty of the calibration facility for a period of at least six years. Although the several PRCI reports recommend some diagnostic parameters to be followed, their names, categories and limits vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. A narrow relationship with each manufacturer must be established in order to define the finest practices. The periodic basis of the diagnostic logs collection is also an important concern. The state-of-art on following the diagnostic parameters is to have them integrated to the SCADA system, random problems can be neglected if manual collection is performed from time to time. The objective of this paper is to present TRANSPETRO’s ultrasonic flow meters recalibration program based on PRCI reports and manufacturers’ recommendations, as well as show the company’s strategy for the diagnostic parameters collection.

Flow Calibration and Error Analysis of Dual-Axis Tracking Trough Solar Collector System

2014 ◽  
Vol 654 ◽  
pp. 262-265
Author(s):  
Jian Ling Deng ◽  
Yong Zhu ◽  
Zi Li Zhou ◽  
Rong Rong Zhai ◽  
Ji Feng Song ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Study ◽  
Mass Flow ◽  
Solar Collector ◽  
Rotation Speed ◽  
Flow Meter ◽  
Flow Measurements ◽  
Flow Meters ◽  
Collector System ◽  
Ultrasonic Flow Meter

In this paper, a dual-axis tracking trough solar collector system is established, and used to measure and calibrate flow rate at different conditions by using the ultrasonic flow meter and mass flow meter, providing important reference for follow-up experimental study. With the changing of the medium’s temperature and the rotation speed variation of the pump, the two flow meters were used to work together to measure the accurate flow measurements, obtaining the measurement error of the mass flow meter. After that, the reason of error and methods used to reduce the error are analyzed.

Multi-Path Gas Ultrasonic Flow Meter Performance at Low Velocity

2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas B. Morrow
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Thermal Stratification ◽  
Gas Flow ◽  
Low Flow ◽  
Large Temperature ◽  
Gas Temperature ◽  
Low Velocity ◽  
Flow Meters ◽  
Southwest Research Institute ◽  
Ultrasonic Flow Meter

Multi-path gas ultrasonic flow meters are used to measure the flow rate of natural gas in custody-transfer metering applications. Steady-flow tests were performed in the high-pressure loop (HPL) of the Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) Metering Research Facility (MRF) flowing natural gas through two 300 mm (12-inch) diameter multi-path ultrasonic flow meters with different ultrasonic path configurations. Tests were performed with both small and large temperature differences between the flowing gas temperature and the outdoor ambient temperature. This paper presents the results of the large temperature difference tests with and without an upstream flow conditioner for one multi-path ultrasonic meter in the low-flow range of 0.15 m/s (0.5 ft/s) to 0.30 m/s (1 ft/s). Test conditions were selected to complement a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) study performed by Morrison and Brar [2004,2005] at Texas A&M University. The experimental results confirm that the gas flow in the ultrasonic meter was thermally stratified (as predicted by Morrison and Brar [2004]) and show the effects of thermal stratification on path velocities, meter diagnostic path velocity ratios, and on meter accuracy. The results show that the flow conditioner was relatively ineffective in smoothing the axial velocity profile distortion caused by thermal stratification in this low velocity range.

Analysis of Security of SCADA System

2014 ◽  
Vol 568-570 ◽  
pp. 1417-1421
Author(s):  
Qing Xue Li ◽  
Long Hua Mu
Keyword(s):  
Cyber Security ◽  
Computer Network ◽  
Autonomous Systems ◽  
Power Grids ◽  
Scada Security ◽  
Scada System ◽  
Important Concern ◽  
Interconnected Power Grids ◽  
General Feeling ◽  
Global Standardization

SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) is an important concern about national security of our country and its security professionals. During those early days, a so called "security by obscurity" helped provide a palpable layer of cyber security and defense and a general feeling of immunity kinds of security problems that have started emerging networks to emerge in the mid 1980's, starting with the known Morris Worm. However, with the global standardization of TCP/IP protocol, and for the past 20 years, with the migration of autonomous systems SCADA interconnected power grids, security risks have increased exponentially. The security officials can no longer rely on the isolated nature of these systems to provide protection. Unfortunately, the security of SCADA systems has not kept pace with advances in computer technology. According to a 2003 report by Sandia National Laboratories, the SCADA security is generally five to ten years behind compared to typical systems of information technology. As threat, the contradictory range has expanded to include not only domestic but foreign terrorists, disgruntled internal, organized crime and even international competitors. This volatile convergence of global computer network and critical weaknesses in the operating system and application software system are well understood by opponents. Although a catastrophic failure is unlikely, these risks could be very problematic and cause disruptions in essential services and billions of euros in losses. This study includes a description of the state of the art of attacks against these systems and the reasons for the vulnerability of these systems. [1, 2, 3]

Fluid Motion in Ultrasonic Flowmeter Cavities

1999 ◽  
Vol 121 (2) ◽  
pp. 422-426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tore Lo̸land ◽  
Lars R. Sætran ◽  
Robert Olsen ◽  
Inge R. Gran ◽  
Reidar Sakariassen
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Flow ◽  
Dynamic Range ◽  
Fluid Motion ◽  
Fluid Flows ◽  
Characteristic Size ◽  
Flow Meter ◽  
Flow Measurements ◽  
Flow Meters ◽  
Ultrasonic Flow Meter ◽  
Cavity Width

The ultrasonic flow meter is a newcomer among flow meters for measuring large quantities of natural gas. It has notable advantages compared to traditional meters. The ultrasonic flow meter is much more compact and has a wider dynamic range for flow measurements than the orifice plate meter. When manufactured, the ultrasonic sensors are often set back from the pipe wall in a cavity. When the fluid flows past the cavities, a secondary flow of vortices with characteristic size equal to the cavity width is established inside the cavities. The aim of this study has been to investigate the influence of this secondary flow on the accuracy of the ultrasonic flow meter. Both measurements and numerical simulations of the cavity flow have been conducted. It has been found from the present work, that the influence of the flow in the cavities on the measurements increases nonlinearly with the pipe flow rate.

Attenuation of an ultrasonic beam by suspended particles and range of acoustic flow meters in sewer networks

2012 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 478-483 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frédérique Larrarte ◽  
Pierre François
Keyword(s):  
Suspended Particles ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Wastewater Management ◽  
Flow Meter ◽  
Flow Meters ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Theoretical Predictions ◽  
Ultrasonic Flow Meter ◽  
Intensity Decay ◽  
Sewer Networks

Ultrasonic flow meters are commonly used in wastewater management. Under certain circumstances, a reduction in the flow meter range may occur and cause significant error in the flow rate measurement. Attenuation due to suspended particles is one of the phenomena capable of reducing the flow meter range. The present paper examines attenuation resulting from re-suspended pond sediment over a wide range of concentration values. It appears that a formula established for sand suspensions provides a good estimate of ultrasound attenuation for these types of particles as well. Experiments conducted for wastewater under particle concentrations commonly encountered in sewer networks demonstrate that the attenuation by particles only contributes to a negligible extent towards intensity decay, in accordance with theoretical predictions. We also theoretically determine herein the operating conditions under which the range of an ultrasonic flow meter would be significantly reduced due to particle attenuation.

Modeling and Control of Real Flow Calibration System

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kai Wen
Keyword(s):  
Process Control ◽  
Calibration System ◽  
Process Data ◽  
Flow Meters ◽  
Digital Twin ◽  
Twin Model ◽  
Scada System ◽  
Human Operators ◽  
Real Flow ◽  
And Control

Abstract The calibration of large-diameter flow meters is performed in the calibration station where real flow passes through. The typical calibration process is manipulated by human operators, which is time-consuming and easily affected. Since most of the process parameters are detectable, the smart calibration system was aided by the on-line modeling process and consisted of three parts: the digital twin model, the process controller, and the human-machine interface (HMI). The digital twin model was based on the basic partial differential equations of the gas flow in pipelines and was meant for the flow behavior prediction over short periods and provided decision-making assistance for human operators. The verification of the digital model was based on both the historical process data and the real-time process data. The process controller represented the manipulator meant to replace the human operator. The function of the controller included process control and calibration flow point adjustment. The HMI was designed based on the industrial supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system. Since the process control was essential, the scheduling scheme and command sequence feedback to the SCADA system was rechecked by human operators via the HMI. The result of the active control was displayed in the HMI based on the digital twin model. Since smart control was the tendency in the piping system, the automated process verification and control formed the basis of the smart system. By entering the size and range of the flow meters into the HMI, the entire industrial system inside the calibration station was executed automatically.

Investigation of the Use of Ultrasonic Flow Meters at Oil Refining Process Unit

2020 ◽  
pp. 7-11
Author(s):  
E.V. Glebova ◽  
◽  
A.T. Volokhina ◽  
E.A. Polikakhina ◽  
◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Flow Rate ◽  
Petroleum Products ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Oil Refining ◽  
Process Unit ◽  
Flow Meter ◽  
Flow Meters ◽  
Pressure Losses ◽  
Oil Refineries ◽  
Ultrasonic Flow Meter

It is known that changes in the flow rate of the medium can directly affect the safety of the process of refining oil and petroleum products. Therefore, the use of high-precision flow meters is one of the safety barriers to prevent possible accidents and incidents. Unfortunately, the task of parametric measurement of the consumption of oil and petroleum products before and after their processing in most cases causes certain difficulties. For this reason, each specific measurement task should be approached from a different perspective, offering different means and methods of measurement, allowing to achieve the most reliable and accurate data on the measured flow rate. Operating conditions at the oil refineries place high demands on flow meters. Conventional orifice flow meters, which are often used to measure flow in the oil refineries, have certain disadvantages: they require frequent maintenance, process interruptions during installation, cause pressure losses in the pipe. Based on the experience of foreign companies in replacing insertion flow meters with clamp-on flow meters, it was decided to use non-invasive (non-contact) flow meters for medium measurement. The advantages of these flow meters are that there is no need to cut pipes, which practically eliminates the risk of leaks occurrence during installation. Also, the ultrasonic flow meter does not have direct contact with the measured medium, which allows avoiding contamination of both the flow meter itself and the medium, as a result, increasing the accuracy and durability of flow measurement at the site. Research objectives: substantiation of the possibility of operation of an ultrasonic flow meter at the oil refining site, recommendations for the use of various sensors, as well as selection of the optimal installation site for the device. The flow rate readings matched the previously established readings taken from the orifice meters. As a result, it is concluded that the ultrasonic flow meters can be used to measure the flow rate of stripped oil.

scholarly journals Numerical Flow Disturbance Testing of the Innovative Ultrasonic Flow Meter

2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Fluid Flow ◽  
Velocity Field ◽  
Velocity Profiles ◽  
Ultrasonic Measurement ◽  
Flow Meter ◽  
Flow Disturbance ◽  
Flow Meters ◽  
Technical Requirements ◽  
Ultrasonic Flow Meter ◽  
Measurement Area

Ultrasonic flow meters are devices for fluid flow measurement using the ultrasonic principle. Within the technical requirements for gas meters, the flow disturbance test is required. The aim of this study was the CFD analysis of the fluid flow field inside the ultrasonic gas meter regarding the influence of flow disturbance. The methodology for numerical analysis and results assessment was defined. The velocity profiles in the area for ultrasonic measurement have been obtained. The evaluation of the profiles was aimed to confirm that the velocity field (profile) is flow independent. Furthermore, it was necessary to prove insensitivity to input disturbance. The obtained results lead to the statement that the velocity profiles can be considered invariant when the flow rate changes and the disturbance do not affect the velocity field in the ultrasonic measurement area. The influence of disturbance should be negated due to the flow meter channel used.

Spectroscopic Diagnostics of Tokamaks

1988 ◽  
Vol 102 ◽  
pp. 165-174
Author(s):  
C. de Michelis
Keyword(s):  
Transport Properties ◽  
Power Losses ◽  
Spectroscopic Diagnostics ◽  
Important Concern

AbstractImpurities being an important concern in tokamaks, spectroscopy plays a key role in their understanding. Techniques for the evaluation of concentrations, power losses and transport properties are surveyed, and a few developments are outlined.

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