Photon Control is currently developing a line of optical flow meters for use in measurement of the flow rates of gases and clear liquids in process control and custody transfer applications. This market worldwide is estimated at 7 billion dollars per annum and growing. Global construction of pipelines is expected to place extraordinary demand for meter manufacturing capacity worldwide as China begins a rapid program of gas pipeline infrastructure construction in the upcoming decades

One thing which sets Photon Control apart from its competitors in the sensor and flow meter markets is the fact that no wires or electricity are involved in the areas where measurement is conducted or where the signals are transmitted to a data collection system. In both of these areas, only light and optical components are present. Not only does this protect against accidental ignition of combustible vapors, it also makes these devices immune to electromagnetic interference. We think both these traits make our units attractive today, and will do even more so in the future

There are other important advantages of the future Photon Control optical flow meter products which are:


Size and Form Factor. Because the measurement is made in a direction orthogonal to the axis of the pipe, it requires very little length. This means that it may be possible to place an optical flow meter in an existing flow system with virtually no cost of installation, or for very low cost in new piping.

Large flow range measurement. Early estimates are that velocities ranging from 0.3 to 100 meters per second should present few problems making the optical flow meter range the largest of the available technologies.

High Accuracy. The optical flow meter is capable of measuring flow with an accuracy better than 0.5% which makes it suitable for fiscal gas metering.

Immunity to Swirls or Other Non-Axial Flows. A very significant advantage of our technology is that the meter measurement is not adversely affected by the swirl of gas in the pipeline and which requires significant remediation and expense for other meters.


No Obstruction in Pipes. Because there are no elements protruding into the pipe, there is no pressure drop or other effect on the flowing gas as a result of the measurement. This can save the costs and infrastructure related to repressurizing the pipeline and will also prevent damage from flow anomalies. In steam measurement for example, a very significant amount of damage is caused by the “hammer” of high pressure condensate which routinely builds up in the flow.

Price-Manufacturing Costs. We believe the small, non-fiscal versions of the meter can be sold at a price of less than USD 3000 which should allow us to displace inferior devices, such as variable-area meters in many process control applications, and to provide affordable measurement in other places where today no measurement is the norm.


Ability to Operate at Any Pressure. There is no reason why this device won't work at pressures ranging from atmospheric up to 1000 bar which makes it suitable for a number of applications for which there is not a good metering solution.

Integral Optical Sensors. The fact that pressure and temperature sensors could be bundled together in a compact, all-optics package is a strength.

Bi-Directional Flow Measurement. The optical flow meter can measure flow in either direction for applications where flows must be reversed. Another feature shared with few other meters.

Multi-phase Flows. Optical methods can distinguish gas and liquid fractions in the flow due to their distinct optical properties.

Beyond flow, there are other elements in the flowing gas which can be measured optically for further diagnostic or process purposes. For example, it should be straightforward to determine the distribution of particle sizes in the gas. A later project will incorporate infrared (IR) absorption technology to determine constituents of the gas. Also, it should be possible to use the technology to measure the flow rate of clear liquids as well as gas

Given all these perceived advantages and the many markets that look particularly attractive for the optical flow meter, Photon Control has chosen to concentrate on developing the highest priority meters by engaging with major customers The first priority meter opportunities that have emerged are:

Low-Pressure Natural Gas. In many parts of the World, flow measurement is not practical because there is no reliable and economical means of metering gas flow at atmospheric pressure. One prime example of this is coal bed methane, which in 2000 accounted for approximately 7% of US annual natural gas consumption, about 1.4 TCF. Another is the measurement of gas vented from oil wells during production, sometimes called casing head gas. In light of the greater emphasis on controlling the emission of methane and other greenhouse gases, as well as the possibility of trading credits internationally, we think measurement of these is likely to become increasingly important with time. There is currently no good method for measuring gas flow in either of these cases. The Photon Control optical flow meter should be a clear winner in both.

Saturated Steam. Measuring of saturated steam is a challenging task because of high operating temperature (200C and higher) and a risk of the “hammer” effect. This latter problem represents a major challenge for any intrusive mechanical flow meters used for steam metering. A market exists which includes high power industrial boilers for steam generating plants used in heavy oil production and low power boilers for the food processing industry. Automation in the latter industry is inhibited for want of appropriate steam flow meters. Photon Control has completed initial testing on saturated steam using the steam generation facility at the University of British Columbia to establish the feasibility of optical flow measurement for steam. Photon Control's optical steam flow meter is being designed in such a way that it will be capable of measuring the steam quality (percentage of water in steam) as well.


Flare Gas. Environmental, political and economic factors are pushing the oil and gas industry away from flaring vent gas. In addition to the safety concerns, national legislation in many countries requires controlling emissions. The market for flare gas metering is estimated to be tens of thousands of units worldwide. From a technical prospective, the optical flare gas flow meter will be very similar to that Photon Control is developing for low-pressure vent gas metering with the difference being larger pipe sizes (16” or even 72” for flare gas versus 1” or 2” for vent gas). In addition to flow measurement, the optical flow meter will have the potential to provide data on gas composition of value in managing processes for industry.


Hydrogen Flow Measurement. At the other end of the pressure spectrum is measurement of hydrogen and other gases that have been hyper-compressed. Although one other type of meter has been used with compressed natural gas at pressures up to 350 bar, the makers of hydrogen delivery systems say that they need as much as 800 bar operation, perhaps more.