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Emerson's Micro Motion flowmeter validated by GRI for use in natural gas custody transfer applications

03/15/2005

merson's Micro Motion ELITE Coriolis flowmeters have been recognized by the gas industry as a valid method for measurement of the custody transfer of natural gas. Independent GRI-sponsored testing, performed by Colorado Engineering Experiment Station, Inc. (CEESI), confirmed there is no advantage in performing a gas calibration over a water calibration in achieving the specified gas accuracy of the Emerson Micro Motion ELITE Coriolis flowmeter.

This validation of Micro Motion ELITE Coriolis flowmeter measurement capabilities is a result of gas-industry-suggested research following the publication of AGA Report No. 11 / API MPMS Chapter 14.9. The new GRI findings can be found in Gas Research Institute Report GRI-04/0172.  The report summarizes testing on the transferability of water calibration data of Micro Motion ELITE flowmeters to natural gas operating conditions, and the effects of free liquids present in the gas stream on its performance. 

GRI research results demonstrate that Micro Motion ELITE flowmeters can be applied successfully, without the loss of accuracy, in many dry-natural gas and wet-natural gas applications thereby providing further endorsement of the benefits of this specific flowmeter technology.  The results also show that Micro Motion ELITE Coriolis flowmeters perform within 1% accuracy in wet-gas applications with liquid loading up to 1%, and that an algorithm could be applied allowing Micro Motion ELITE flowmeters to accurately measure wet-gas up to 20% liquid loading.

This marks another defining moment in the identification of Micro Motion Coriolis flowmeter technology economic benefits over traditional gas flow measurement by the gas industry. The advantages that distinguish Micro Motion Coriolis flowmeters include:

• Water calibration is directly transferable to natural gas measurement
• Lowest uncertainty influences on base flow element accuracy of any flow measurement element currently available
• Immunity to flow disturbances and fluid compositional change
• No moving or wearing parts
• No high flow damage or loss of measurement
• Process pressure and temperature measurement typically not required
• Up to 50:1 usable turndown, depending on operating pressure