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.

The difficulty of unbiased “comparison shopping”

One problem that faces users and specifiers of flowmeters is how to compare the specifications and performance of different flowmeters. This is a real problem because specifications are often written so as to emphasize positive features, and minimize the negative features of a particular product.

We decided that something could be done to assist the end users and specifiers of flowmeters. What was needed was a thorough, objective, third-party assessment of the specifications of all of the world’s flowmeters.

We decided to begin with magnetic flowmeters, because they are one of the most commonly used technologies, both in process and environmental applications. We began by producing a Competitive Intelligence Report and Marketing Intelligence Report that were intended to be sold primarily to manufacturers and large end-users. However, we found that there was a real need for a simplified, lower cost version that could be used by smaller end-users and individual specifiers.

To this end, we developed “The Consumer Guide to…” series of books. The first in the series was The Consumer Guide to Magnetic Flowmeters, published by Copperhill and Pointer and available from ISA Press. This book is now in its second edition.
Magnetic flowmeters are not a commodity product

There is a perception within the instrumentation, systems, and automation community that magnetic flowmeters have become a commodity product. It has been said that magnetic flowmeters are pretty much equal, that their specifications are pretty much equal, and therefore their performance is pretty much equal. This has made it difficult for users and manufacturers alike to differentiate magnetic flowmeters. In order to compete, manufacturers have reduced prices and stifled new product development across the product niche. This is because high development costs cannot be justified to develop innovative products in a market where the only differentiation is on price.

We discovered that both printed and verbal manufacturer claims actually tend to support the perception that a magnetic flowmeter is a commodity item. These claims typically refer to claimed performance under ideal conditions, and are often simplifications intended to make things easy for the purchaser/specifier. So incredibly "easy" have things become that even the accuracy of the widely used analog output signal is often not stated and is often not known. Yet this is important, since the analog output is the most commonly used to control the process.
How we put together our study
Recent information we developed in the course of doing research for our series of reports “Competitive Intelligence Survey: Magnetic Flowmeters,” challenges the perception that magnetic flowmeters are, or should be considered, a commodity product. Originally, we collected data on 43 companies worldwide who sell magnetic flowmeters. We found that 26 companies manufacture meters, with the remainder private-labeling them from one or more manufacturers. When the study was completed, our list expanded to over 60 companies worldwide, including companies in
Eastern Europe, China, and India.
We asked the companies to participate in our research, and all but a few agreed to provide product specifications. Their raw information was tabulated on over 150 data sheets that were developed specifically for this purpose. The types of magnetic flowmeters were further organized into categories (see sidebar). Within each category, each model was compared on the basis of its published performance specifications. If there appeared to be an omission or inconsistency in a published specification, we sought further clarification from the supplier.
How we analyzed the data

Tabulated and graphical performance data revealed significant differences between models and manufacturers of magnetic flowmeters. Some magnetic flowmeter performance was as much as 2-3 times poorer than that of other flowmeters in the same category (see chart).

The calculations illustrate much of the reason why magnetic flowmeters might be perceived as a commodity product. Magnetic flowmeter performance specifications are often intricate, yet suppliers often simplify them to reflect performance only under the best operating conditions. So incredibly "simple" have things become that some suppliers cannot quantify the accuracy of the analog output signal. Yet this is important, since the analog output is the signal most commonly used to control the process.
What the data means

End-users and consulting engineers who know that several suppliers offer identical equipment (except for nameplate) will be able to better control whose equipment they purchase, and at what price. To simplify these relationships, the flowmeter categories were tabulated by supplier along with country of origin and/or source of manufacture.

To help select the best equipment for an application, users would also like to know which models perform better in a given category of magnetic flowmeters. To this end, within each category, each model was ranked in order of its calculated performance.
The results of the study

The report concludes, “…while there are differences in the electronic features associated with different transmitters, flowmeter performance at reference conditions was found to vary widely. Differences were especially significant at low flow conditions that are commonly encountered in actual flowmeter operation.”

This series of reports is unique in providing this comparison data. We consider the results to be significant and expect that some buying patterns and marketing strategies may be altered as an outcome of our research. Because of the dynamic changes in the flowmeter marketplace due to acquisitions, product additions and deletions, we intend to update this report as events warrant, and make it available as a consumers’ guide utility on a continuing basis.

Since 1961, Fox critical flow nozzles, also called sonic chokes, have been used to maintain stable gas flow rates in systems where maintaining stable, accurate gas flow rates is essential to overall system performance. By establishing a shock wave in the venturi, the sonic choke establishes fixed flow rates unaffected by P or any fluctuations, surges, or changes in downstream pressure.

With no moving parts, sonic chokes provide the simplest and most reliable way to regulate gas flows. This is particularly true when high pressure, high temperature, cryogenic, explosive, or high purity gasses need to be regulated.

Industry uses many different names to describe this equipment. Here is a partial list of descriptions that can be used interchangeably:

*
Sonic choke
*
Laval Nozzle
*
CVM (Critical Venturi Meter)
*
Sonic nozzle
*
Critical Flow Venturi

Sonic chokes are converging/diverging nozzles whose operating principles are discussed in every fluid mechanics textbook. They offer the designer a remarkably simple way to regulate stable gas flow rates.

Simplifying Gas Flow Control by Eliminating Flow Meters, Feedback, and Control Valves
Systems designers often think that the only way to maintain uniform gas flow rates into a process where backpressure may fluctuate is to provide for continuous flow management via a) a flowmeter, which sends a signal to : b) a process controller, which in turn adjusts c) a control valve. The aerospace industry, which cannot afford the weight and complications of such a system, embraced critical flow venturies thirty years ago as the simplest and most reliable way to regulate gas flow rates. As long as inlet pressure to the sonic chokes can be regulated accurately, all of the above equipment can be replaced with one simple sonic choke. A simple, standard piece of equipment - a pressure regulator has, when coupled with a sonic choke, become a gas flow regulator.

How does Pressure Drop Affect Flow?
It doesn't. As long as discharge pressure is below about 88% of upstream pressure (in psia), backpressure has absolutely no effect on flow rate. Downstream pressure can fluctuate wildly with no impact on gas flow rates. This limitation is referred to as the 'recovery' of a choke. For Fox sonic chokes, recovery can be assumed to be 88- 90%. For example, with a fixed inlet pressure of 100 psia, a sonic choke can discharge into a backpressure that cycles abruptly from 20 to 80 to 20 psig, and will deliver stable, uniform, accurate, unchanging gas flow rates.

Pressure/Temperature Ratings
Because they are machined from solid bar, Fox chokes are often used in gas lines at 3000 psig or higher. With no moving parts, they are the ideal way to regulate gas flows that are very hot, or very cold. Fox chokes have been used with gasses up to 1500° F, and with Helium at - 400° F.

Accuracy
Fox sonic chokes can be calibrated to ±0.25% traceable to NBS. Theoretical calibrations are accurate to ±2%. There is no reason to ever install a flowmeter downstream of a sonic choke. The flow has been regulated with such accuracy that it does not need to be measured. Simple corrections enable calibration data to be converted to other temperatures and pressures.


Typical Applications of Sonic Chokes

Controlling Conveying Air Flow Rate in Dense Phase Pneumatic Transport Systems
Fox sonic chokes have been incorporated into hundreds of dense phase pneumatic conveying systems. In these systems, it is essential that air flow rates are both controlled accurately and remain fixed and stable, even if downstream pressures due to changing product or flow rates (sugar, sand, coal, etc.) vary. The sonic choke must, therefore, maintain uniform air feed rates, and hence uniform, controlled transport velocities, that are unaffected by any changes in product rates or characteristics.

Ultra-High Purity Gas Systems
Traditional flow meters used by the industrial gas industry would contaminate the ultra high purity gasses needed by the semiconductor and other industries. When filling customer tanks without a sonic choke, gas feed rate vary constantly as P varies. With a sonic choke, which are easily provided in ultra-high purity configurations, flow rates are easily controlled and the lack of moving parts eliminates the chance of contamination.


Rocket Engines, Chemical Lasers, and Superconductors
Fox sonic chokes have been used in these three applications for decades. Aerospace - Chokes are typically used to control hydrogen and oxygen, the fuel and oxidizer, in test-stand rocket engine firings as well as flight hardware. Pressure ratings are frequently 4000 psig or higher. Chemical Lasers similarly require precise flow control of very high pressure gasses. Airborne lasers require light weight flow controls, for which sonic chokes are ideal. Superconductivity research often requires controlling helium or hydrogen gas flow rates at below -300° F, which is quite simple for chokes.

Calibration Standard
Because sonic chokes are so simple, they have been preferred for years as a reference standard. One calibrated choke can be used as a reference to which other, less reliable flowmeters can be checked.

An EESIFLO EASZ-10FP consists of two sensor housings which contain ultrasonic transducers . The transducers are positioned on one side of the pipe or tube . The flowmeter's electronic ultrasonic circuitry directs signals from one transducer to another and back through an upstream and a downstream measurement cycle.

The flowmeter derives an accurate measure of the "transit time" it took for the wave of ultrasound to travel from one transducer to the other. The difference between the upstream and downstream integrated transit times is a measure of velocity .

Upstream Transit Time Measurement Cycles

An electrical excitation causes the downstream transducer to emit a wave of ultrasound. From these signals, the flowmeter derives an accurate measure of the "transit time" it took for the wave of ultrasound to travel from one transducer to the other.

Downstream Transit Time Measurement Cycles

The same transmit-receive sequence of the upstream cycle is repeated, but with the transmitting and receiving functions of the transducers reversed so that the liquid flow under study is bisected by an ultrasonic wave in the downstream direction. Again, the flowmeter derives and records from this transmit-receive sequence an accurate measure of transit time.

Just as the speed of a plane is affected by headwinds and tailwinds, the transit time of ultrasound passing through a conduit is affected by the motion of liquid flowing through that conduit. During the upstream cycle, the sound wave travels against flow and total transit time is increased by a flow-dependent amount. During the downstream cycle, the sound wave travels with flow and total transit time is decreased by the same flow-dependent amount. The EESIFLO EASZ 10FP flowmeter subtracts the downstream transit time from the upstream transit times utilizing shear wave ultrasonic signals. This difference of integrated transit times is a measure of volume flow.

Monitoring Points:

*
Diesel Generator Lube Oil Purifier Outlet
*
Main Engine Lube Oil Purifier Outlet

Requirement:

Monitor Water Content after Purifier(s) and provide a dry contact alarm. • Ability to set hysteresis for increased water content levels to avoid alarm for spurious short lived increase in water content. • Ability to disable dry contact alarm output during Purifier Start Up sequence • Ability to disable dry contact alarm output during Desludge Cycles.

Solution:

Connect the water content monitors to the fully programmable EASZ-R3 display unit, factory programmed to fulfill the requirements above.

EASZ-R3 Description:

*
2X 16 Character Display able to show water content for both purifiers
*
Menu system for changing parameter

Inputs:

*
EASZ-1 Monitor, Purifier 1 R3-AI1
*
EASZ-1 Monitor, Purifier 2 R3-AI2
*
Purifier On/Off, Purifier 1 R3-DI1
*
State of Oil Feed Valve, Purifier 1 R3-DI2
*
Purifier On/Off, Purifier 2 R3-DI3
*
State of Oil Feed Valve, Purifier 2 R3-DI4

Outputs (sharing alarm point with Leakage Monitor):

* Closed Contact Alarm Output, Purifier 1 R3-DO1
* Closed Contact Alarm Output, Purifier 2 R3-DO2

Functionality (for each purifier)

*
Monitor and present water content on display
*
Give Closed Contact Alarm above setpoint
*
Disable alarm during startup (user adjustable timer)
*
Disable alarm during desludge cycle (user adjustable timer)
*
Avoid spurious water content alarms by requiring certain time of raised content level before alarm is triggered (user adjustable)

Electrical Connections:

A multicore signal cable to be used to bring Valve Status, Alarm Point and RunMode from Purifier 1 and Purifier 2 into the EASZ-R3. EASZ-R3 can be mounted in cabinet for Purifier 1 alternative Purifier 2, or if so is desired in any other location. It is possible to mount EASZ-R3 in one of the Purifier Cabinet doors, alternatively on a piece of DIN rail inside one of the cabinets.

The EASZ-1 water in oil monitor is not limited to fleet applications. The sensors can also be retrofitted to existing applications including:

* Verification of Desorber performance
* Verification of Purifier performance
* Aviation Hydraulics
* Aviation Fuel
* Reduction Gears
* Stern tube bearing lubrication system
* Oil contamination warning system for trucks transporting oil
* Bow Thruster - Gear Oil
* Cement Mill - Gear Filtration
* Cone Crusher - Gear Oil
* Cone Crusher - Lubrication Systems
* Control Oil System on Hydro Turbines
* Copper Stripping Machine - Hydraulic System
* Cold Rolling Mill - Hydraulic Servo System
* Diesel Main Engine Lubricating Oil
* Drilling Machine in Copper Mine
* Fertilizer Manufacturing Plant Centrifuge Hydraulic System
* Fishing Vessel - Central Hydraulic System
* Fishing Vessel - Diesel Fuel System
* Generating Set - Diesel Fuel System
* Hydraulic Oil - Aluminium Injection Moulder
* Hydraulic System - Submarines
* Hydro Power Station - Governor System
* Labelling machine, Lube oil system
* Diesel Engine Fuel
* Compressor lubrication system
* Lube oil system on clutch brake on excenter press
* Main Turbine Lubricating System
* Marine Cranes
* Mill Screw Down Gear Lubricating System
* Mobile Equipment - Container Straddler - Fine Filter
* Mobile Filtration
* Paper Mill Lubricating System,
* Plastic Injection Moulding Machine - Hydraulic System
* Plastic Injection Moulding Machines - Hydraulics
* Quench Oil System
* Quench Oil
* Verification of Vacuum dehydrator performance
* Verification of oil filter performance
* Reduction Gears
* Wall Ironing Machines, Lubrication Oil
* Water Jet - Hydraulic System
* Water in vegetable oil
* Wind Turbine Gear Oil

More about EESIFLO…….

EESIFLO International is an ISO 9001:2000 manufacturer of flow sensors and water in oil monitors. Our clients span the globe and we have supplied solutions to almost every major industry including oil and gas, petrochemical, chemical, pharmaceutical, aerospace, shipping, water and waste water, paper mills , food production and academic institutes

Moisture in oil-

Continuous and accurate monitoring of water contamination in any oil including Lubrication Oils, Heavy Fuel Oils and Hydraulic Oils, Diesel and any oil based chemical. The EASZ-1 is a unique system which provides Operators of all types of Engines, Turbines, Thrusters, Azipods, Gears, Separators, filtration systems and Stabilizers with a means of continuous monitoring of the oil systems for possible water contamination

The EASZ-1 temperature compensated microprocessor based loop powered water in oil sensor enablesfast and reliable drift free online detection and monitoring of moisturepercentage or ppm in oil. The EASZ-1 can be used in on-line moisture monitoring and as a control instrument allowing se parators and oil purifiers to be started only when needed or as a diagnostic or preventative device protecting critical systems from premature failure. Most important of all is the response time which is seconds. The unit responds very quickly to a change in the capacitance of the oil being monitored and is not affected or knocked out of service by saturation and will continue to work in both high and low measurement ranges. Water in oil can cause quick and costly breakdowns. They can happen so fast that in many cases, water in oil can be treated as a more serious contamination problem than metal particle contamination! Water contamination can occur at any time. It is possible that serious damage can be caused on bearings a nd other lubricated components without the user knowing it is happening. The EASZ-1 water in oil analyzer can give early warning of a problem so that corrective action can be taken

Water contamination drastically reduces the performance of mechanical equipment. Excess moisture or water content can increase the risk of corrosion, overheating, machine malfunction and catastrophic failures causing system shutdowns. Accurate measurement and control of moisture in large lubrication systems is essential for planning, servicing , preventing unscheduled downtime and reduction of overall production costs. The EASZ-1 not only gives you continuous direct readings of oil/water mixtures but also directly measures the amount of free water contamination instantaneously . The EASZ-1 was designed to be an affordable device replacing unreliable spot sampling methods and slow response water activity transmitters which only alert the user if there is a risk of free water contamination and nothing else. The EASZ-1 is an easy to use loop powered transmitter unit using a finely engineered stainless steel capacitance cell and high speed encapsulated microprocessor based electronics resistant to humidity and rugged industrial environments. Most of all, the unit weighs approximately 3 lbs (less than 1 kg) and can be set up and running in minutes. The EASZ-1 can handle oils with different densities and onsite zero calibration (if necessary) can be done simply through the press of a button.

EESIFLO International , a manufacturer of flow sensors and water level sensors makes it possible to accurately monitor water in oil contamination in any oil process onboard vessels including lubrication oil, hydraulic oil and any type of engine fuel.
Water in oil can cause costly breakdowns totaling hundreds of thousands of dollars in lost revenue. It is impossible to escape the problems of water contamination in oil systems.

Recently there have been initiatives to determine the feasibility of extending the life of oils or determination of oil change period by analyzing them for water content using an online water-in-oil analyzer. Online measurement of many types of hydraulic oils, lubrication oil and fuel oils . diesel etc by the EESIFLO EASZ-1 water in hydraulic oil analyzer reduces the need for a laboratory to analyze the water content of oil samples. It also acts as an added guarantee because water in oil is continuously being measured online.

In addition, the EESIFLO water-in-oil analyzer can be tested onsite or in a laboratory setting for further accuracy and verification against a Karl Fischer coulometric titrator in determining water content in oil. Many clients and organizations have taken the lead as a part of an ongoing effort to eliminate waste and reduce pollution have been looking for a way of extending the operational life of transmission and hydraulic oils, determining fuel quality for engines and reducing the risk of breakdown from water contamination in lubrication systems.

Implementation of an effective oil extension and monitoring program needs some thought. In some cases for e.g with high speed purifying systems, the ability to perform accurate water content analysis in a factory or a fleet would allow purified oil to be returned to service more quickly. The EESIFLO EASZ-1 is a unique and affordable accurate online water in oil detector. It can measure as low as ppm and percentages of water including free water .Some application require more thought and logic. This is because of problems encountered with high water content at start up of the purifier system. This high water content needs to be monitored without total destruction to the moisture sensor. Unfortunately, most moisture sensors cannot be used once they have been contaminated with free water , they simply stop functioning. The EASZ-1 will measure very low ppm levels of moisture contamination (dissolved water in oil) and extremely high water content with no damage possible to its water sensing element.

It is important to address the problems encountered onboard a vessel that has decided to install the EASZ-1 water in oil sensor for e,.g onto a Diesel Generator Lube Oil Purifier Outlet. A robust and reliable Water Content Alarm System for a typical Engine Lubrication System application requires some logic. This logic can be engineered either by ship system integrators or provided as a total water in oil monitoring package supplied by EESIFLO. A typical example would be the a total solution system to solve the problems encountered onboard a vessel after installing the first EASZ-1 onto the Diesel Generator Lube Oil Purifier Outlet. Typically a problem encountered (alarm triggering during startup sequence and purifier desludge cycle) can be resolved confidently using the EASZ-R3, a display and logic device capable of taking on up to 4 EASZ-1 Water-In-Oil Monitors with required functionality. Instead of only one EASZ-1 standard water in oil monitor display for each point monitored ,the more advanced EASZ-R3 can take on both monitoring points in question (Diesel Generator and Main Engine, hydraulics, other lubrication systems and fuel, so only one unit is needed.

EESIFLO recommends continued and periodic oil analysis and the careful observation of oil systems by maintenance personnel. Since it has been identified that water in several forms can be loom its head within a lubricating system, it is of utmost importance to use an instrument for online monitoring that not only measures ppm content of water in oil but in addition, the presence of free water in tiny droplets. To catch these droplets the EASZ-1 was designed to be a fast response monitoring system.
Since all lubricants absorb water from the air, an important question addresses the concentration level at which corrective action is required. Most machinery manufacturers recommend that water concentrations should be maintained at 200 to 500 ppm or less. In most instances, water concentrations above 500 ppm and above indicate that corrective action is necessary. Karl Fischer methods and laboratory testing in many cases are accepted as a practiced standard. The EASZ-1 reports water contamination in ppm or percentage which can be correlated with Karl Fisher analysis, however, it must be taken into account that “spot sampling” no matter how frequent or accurate in no terms can adequately represent the total amount of volume that has passed through the lubrication system. Much care must be taken when correlating lab samples with online analysis to ensure that the sample taken is representative and correlates to the reading observed on the monitor at the sampling time.

A small beaker of sample cannot be taken as completely representative of for example 10,000 litres of lubricating fluid that has passed through a system in time. Any mathematical calculation will show that spot sampling alone is questionable as it assumes that water and oil are evenly and completely mixed throughout the whole volume of oil in the lubrication system. Free water can also exist within a certain section of the lubrication system (immiscible) and it is known that water and oil do not like to mix.

The EASZ-1 does not take away the responsibility of site engineers to keep in line with good practice and maintenance plans but it is an online device, an early and real time warning system that can measure increased water absorption in oil, water oil emulsions and free water breakouts at any time .

EASZ-1 PPM MOISTURE or PERCENT WATER MONITOR

It is very important to detect water contamination when it is happening. The EASZ-1 has a response time of 1 second . It starts measuring in 100 ppm steps or 0.01% and not only measures water content but will detect any presence of free water in your oil system in real time - even if the exposure was for a very short period. It is important to measure moisture content in an oil but it is also just important to catch free water which can go unnoticed .

Why you should measure moisture and free water contamination!

Paper manufacturing processes are very water intensive and paper machine lubricants frequently become contaminated with water in paper mills. Water contamination is a serious problem and can cause considerable losses in revenue due to its life shortening effects on bearings and metallic parts as well as degrading lubricants.

Alot of energy and time has been spent by engineers to rid oil of water contamination and its effect on equipment life. Preventing water ingression into lubricating equipment has become a full time occupation for specialist designers. Lubricating oil suppliers also place a high premium on the ability of their products to demulsify or shed water rapidly, one of the major features of oils designed for paper mill service. Even though these efforts to incorporate protection from the detrimental impacts of water on paper machinery into product design, the quick and cost-effective removal of water from lubricating oils remains a major maintenance challenge.

Probably the best way to combat water contamination is to prevent it from occurring at all, complete elimination of water contamination in paper mill lubricants is an extremely difficult task for paper mill maintenance engineers. However, preventive maintenance practices, beginning with an understanding of how water is entering the oil system, and the timely deployment of the appropriate corrective actions, can reduce the number and intensity of such occurrences. Together, these practices minimize the exposure of critical machinery components to the damaging impact of water and result in longer equipment life and lower maintenance costs.

Limiting Water Contamination - Water finds its way into lubricating oil systems in many ways. Some examples could be lube oil return line vents, leaking heat exchanger coils,leaking rotary steam joints, reservoir hatches, covers and tops, bearing labyrinth seals , condensation from moist paper mill air, condensation on the lube reservoir and possibly improperly installed make up oil.

It is important to minimize the sources of water contamination and to analyze and rapid or long term change in content with online monitoring of moisture/water . Water contamination can affect your profits in several ways. Here are some:

* Water contamination can decrease bearing life
* Water contamination can increase the rate of machine metallic corrosion
* Water contamination can increase the rate of oil oxidation
* Water contamination can shorten oil filter life
* Water contamination can deplete oil additives.

Having said all of this, whatever preventative action is diligently practiced, occurances of water contamination will always occur. A keen program to detect and address these instances should be part of every mill maintenance program.

x
ABSTRACT
Multipath ultrasonic meters are growing in popularity throughout North America as a costeffective means of custody transfer measurement for high pressure natural gas. NOVA Gas Transmission (NGT) has been evaluating multipath ultrasonic meters for custody transfer measurement since 1995, and is now realizing the benefits of this. new technology.

NGT recently implemented multipath ultrasonic flow meters as the primary measurement device at a custody transfer meter station. The January Creek meter station (MIS) is a bi-directional facility, consisting of a NPS 20 multipath meter in parallel with a NPS 8 multipath meter measuring gas for a new natural gas storage facility. This paper will outline the benefits and' decisions involved in the implementation of multipath ultrasonic meters for custody transfer measurement, including a design comparison with a multi-run turbine
facility.

Additionally, the use of a data acquisition system (DAS) to build a reliable, historical performance database for the meters will be discussed. The implementation of a comprehensive data acquisition and monitoring system allows NGT to monitor the meter performance and collect long-term performance information. This information is then used to characterize each . meter's performance, and assist in ensuring continued system integrity for NOT customers.


INTRODUCTION
NGT's 13,500-mile system transports natural gas for use within Alberta and to provincial boundary points for connection with pipelines serving markets elsewhere in Canada and the United States. The system moves over 18 percent (4.4 trillion cubic feet) of the natural gas produced annually in North America and more than 80 percent of Canadian natural gas production. NGT's system consists of 49 compressor stations, 938 receipt metering points, and 166 major delivery points.

NGT has gained significant knowledge and learnings about the benefits and concerns in using single-path and multipath ultrasonic meters through it's evaluation work over the past few years (Rogi et all, 1996; Karnik et all, 1997; and Rogi et all, 1997). As a result, NGT is moving forward with a controlled implementation of this new metering technology for custody transfer meter stations. The first opportunity to implement custody transfer ultrasonic meters was the January Creek WS. The January Creek MIS meters the gas for a new natural gas storage facility in central Alberta.

The meter station design was based on NGT's' learnings and those of others in the industry (Lygre et all, 1995; Grimley, 1996). A conservative approach was taken in areas of the facility design that NGT felt had not yet been thoroughly researched, while still achieving significant capital and operational savings.

The facility has been operational since April 1997, and has been a success story for NGT. NGT is now continuing to evaluate the use of this technology at new large volume receipt and delivery meter stations (typically NPS 10 and larger) on a facility-by-facility basis. This controlled implementation is based on maintaining the measurement integrity of NGT's pipeline system, while providing quality measurement facilities and achieving capital and operational savings.
STATION DESIGN DETAILS
The measurement capacity for the January Creek WS is 500 mmscf/d of natural gas bidirectionally. One NPS 20 ultrasonic meter would be able to handle this volume of gas, but could not accurately measure the lower flow rates expected from the producer. Therefore, a NPS 8 ultrasonic meter was placed in parallel with the NPS 20 and run-switching was provided to accommodate for the changes in flow rate.

Meter Runs
Without having substantial research work completed on installation effects at the time of the station design, a conservative approach to upstream piping was used. The upstream and downstream NPS 20 meter run lengths were set at 30 diameters (D) (Figure 1) with a perforated plate flow conditioner (NOVA 50E; Measurement Canada, 1997). The NPS 20 meter run was designed to allow the replacement of the meter tube and meter with a NPS 24 meter and meter run. This added very little cost to the station, and allows for cost effective station expansion in the future.

The NPS 8 meter run was made the same length as the NPS 20 meter run, and therefore had several diameters (approx. 130 D) of straight upstream and downstream piping, and did not require any flow conditioning.

Being a bi-directional facility, the ultrasonic meters would have the thermowells located upstream in one of the two flowing directions. Not having significant research data on how thermowells impact the performance of ultrasonic meters, NGT decided to locate the thermowells 10D away from the meters. This would help reduce any thermowell effects from influencing the meters performance, yet provide proper temperature measurement for the meters.

Instrumentation
The ultrasonic flow meters were connected to the flow computers via a frequency output. The meters also communicated, via a serial link, with a remote telemetry unit (RTU) to provide diagnostic information about the meter performance.

NGT's standard static pressure (smart transmitters) and temperature equipment (platinum RTDs) was used at this facility. Due to the harsh climatic conditions that can occur at this location, the meters and all related instrumentation, including pressure and temperature transmitters, were located in the temperature controlled meter run building.


COMPARISON TO TYPICAL DESIGN
The January Creek MJS measurement requirements were similar to those of another NGT meter station built for a storage facility in 1994. The 1994 meter station design consisted of four NPS 12 turbine meters and the appropriate yard valves to allow for the changing of flow direction through the station.

The major differences between the design of these two facilities are shown in Table 1. The estimated total capital savings for the January Creek M/S is $300k CAD. The operation and maintenance costs are also a significant factor for the design of this facility. Firstly, the number of transmitter calibrations is reduced.

January Creek M/S	Typical Turbine M/S
1-NPS 20 & 1 - NPS 8 Multipath Ultrasonic Meter	4-NPS 12 Turbine meters
2-NPS 24 and 3 - NPS 8 Run Valves	8-NPS 12 Run Valves and 4 - NPS 12 Check Valves
Simpler Operating Philosophy	More Complex Operating Philosophy
Less Regular Maintenance	More Regular Maintenance
Estimated Total Measurement Uncertainty = 0.5%	Estimated Total Measurement Uncertainty = 0.4%

Table 1- Ultrasonic versus Turbine Meter Station Design Comparison

Also, automated monitoring of ultrasonic meter diagnostics eliminates the need for routine meter inspections such as the turbine meter spin test.

METER INFORMATION
In addition to the NPS 8 and NPS 20 ultrasonic flow meters at this location, the producer operating the storage facility is also operating a NPS 24 multipath ultrasonic meter in series with the NGT January Creek WS. The information from all of the meters is shared between NGT and the producer.

NPS 20 Meter
The NPS 20 meter was flow calibrated at the NM Westerbork facility in January, 1997. The meter was flow calibrated from I m/s to 25 mls in both directions. The calibration results were (see A.G.A. Report No. 9 for definitions):

* Repeatability: ± 0.1 % for qmin to qmax
* Maximum Error: 0.6%
* Peak-to-Peak Error: ± 0.18% for qt to qmax
* Flow Weighted Mean Error(FWME): -0.3%

The calibration data was entered into the flow computer in the form of a multiple K-factor table. This table helped to remove the ± 0.2% non-linearity,

NPS 8 Meter
The NPS 8 meter was initially flow calibrated at the Rurhgas PIGSAR facility in January, 1997. The results of this testing did not meet NGT's performance requirements, and therefore the meter was rejected. The transducers were replaced, liquid drain-holes were plugged, and the meter was then recalibrated at both the Gas Research Institute Metering Research Facility (GRI MRF) and PIGSAR. The results from these two facilities were similar, and indicated that the meter still did not meet NGTs linearity specification of t 0.2%. A decision was made to use this meter temporarily, correcting for the non-linearities in the flow computer. A replacement meter was to be provided at a later date.

To date, the NPS 8 meter has operated very little due to the manner the facility is operated. The producer at this facility is usually flowing above the range of the NPS 8 meter, and therefore the meter is usually only operated when the storage facility is starting up or shutting down.


DATA ACQUISITION AND TRENDING
The January Creek WS data acquisition system (DAS) consists of a dedicated personal computer running a human-machine-interface (HMI) software package, an RTU, and flow computers. The HMG system collects meter station information from the RTU, monitors and logs data. The primary function is to collect supplemental diagnostic information not captured through the custody transfer flow computer system.

Meter flow and diagnostic information is polled from the RTU and logged to a file once every fifteen seconds. Gas composition data is polled every two minutes and written to the file once every four minutes. Data is also displayed for the field operators to monitor station information. The information logged to the file includes: total volumes, total energies, pressures, temperatures, frequencies, flow velocity for the meter and each individual chord, meter and chord status codes, upstream and downstream transit times, velocity of sound for the meter and each chord, and information from the producer's meter.

The files generated from this acquisition system are remotely retrieved, and postprocessed. The post-processing performs three main functions:

1. Validate meter calculations for chordal velocity (Eq.l) and velocity of sound (Eq. 2), as well as the meter velocity and velocity of sound.
2. Average the data into daily averages. Data is also averaged into separate 'buckets' depending on the average meter velocity for each record. These buckets are recorded for velocities between 0 and 25 m/s, in 1 m/s increments. One bucket average is calculated for each day, and for each velocity range encountered. For example, if the meter flows between 4 and 6 m/s during the period of one day, one bucket average would be created for the 4-5 m/s data, one for the 5-6 nits data, and one for the entire day. This data is stored in an Oracle database for future analysis.

3. Suspect meter diagnostic information is also flagged during the processing. This helps to catch diagnostic codes which may occur periodically, that are not significant to the daily operation of the meter, but may be in the long term.

Chordal Velocity Analysis
One of the key parameters monitored is the individual chord velocities. The ratio of chord velocity to meter velocity is monitored over time (Figure 2.a), and for various velocity ranges (Figure 2.b).
From the daily average values shown in Figure 2.a, the chordal velocity ratios are stable. In Figure 2.b, the ratios for chords B and D are somewhat dependant on velocity. From this trend, the long-term performance can be monitored. Each velocity bucket can also be displayed over time to better determine if a drift is occurring (Figure 2.d). This information will also be valuable should the replacement of transducers be necessary.
The positive flow direction chordal velocity ratios are shown in Figure 2.c. In this flow direction the meter was operated over a wider velocity range than in the reverse flow direction (Figure 2.b). From this data the dependance on flow velocity becomes more apparent. The lower velocity characteristics for forward and reverse flow directions are opposite for each of the chords. This may indicate that these characteristics may be caused by a low velocity differences between each of the chords.

Velocity of Sound Analysis

The velocity of sound (VOS) is calculated within the ultrasonic meter for the each of the chords of the meter and averaged. The VOS is also determined in the post-processing program using the A.G.A. Report No. 8 Equation of State, gas composition, pressure and temperature. These values for VOS can be monitored, and used as a means of monitoring the performance of the meter prior to and after the replacement of electronic components.

The latest version of 'Leak-Master' from Witt Gas Techniques, the gas safety, control, analyser and mixing equipment supplier, is available with a touch screen interface and a higher memory capacity
The latest version of 'Leak-Master' from Witt Gas Techniques, the gas safety, control, analyser and mixing equipment supplier, is available with a touch screen interface and a higher memory capacity. Leak-Master is used to find micro leaks in individual flexible and rigid, food and pharmaceutical packaging, including bottles. The increased memory capability is able to store the settings for up to 1,200 different products as well as names and passwords for 60 users.

Using operator friendly data entry by means of the touch screen, Leak-Master uses ceramic sensors for CO2 detection to find out if the protective atmosphere (MAP) used in the packaging is escaping.

As well as being non-destructive, the use of Helium, an expensive tracer gas, is not necessary.

No special skills are needed to operate 'Leak-Master' and depending on the set test parameters, it is possible to determine micro leaks.

The durable stainless steel housing with a plexiglass lid is designed for use in high production environments.

The measurement chamber comes in various sizes from 85mm x 160mm x 365mm up to 225mm x 775mm x 665mm to meet the individual requirements of packaging companies.

With the lid closed, Leak-Master creates a vacuum and the test results are displayed on a monitor after the defined measurement time has elapsed.

Being compact, Leak-Master can be set up easily and quickly anywhere.

The operator defines the relevant product parameters, including leak level, measurement time and vacuum level using the touch screen.

An optional barcode reader is also available, using laser optics to read barcodes on packaging.

It then transmits the data to the Leak-Master.

This means there is no requirement to manually recall saved product data or test parameters.

The barcode reader can also identify users and log them on automatically.

Administration and analysis of data is simple through integration with pharmaceutical and food production quality management systems.

Leak-Master can be interfaced to a PC or PDA via Ethernet or Wireless LAN, eliminating manual data recording.

Whitehouse Scientific is welcoming back Jamie Storey who has worked for the company as Laboratory Manager
Whitehouse Scientific is welcoming back Jamie Storey who has worked for the company as Laboratory Manager since graduating from Newcastle University in 1999. As a member of the Territorial Army, Jamie was called up in 2004 to serve overseas with the Royal Fusiliers of Tynemouth. Following this posting, he spent a number of months fulfilling some of his lifetime ambitions, including trekking to an Everest base camp and following the Machu Picchu Inca trail in Peru.

Jamie returns to Whitehouse Scientific in January 2006, where he will not only continue to manage the laboratory, but will also have a prominent role at conferences and exhibitions.

He will also be involved in generating technical materials for the company.

Pipe Flow Conditions

The most important-and most difficult to measure-aspects of flow measurement are flow conditions within a pipe upstream of a meter. Flow conditions refer to: the gas velocity profile, irregularities in the profile, varying turbulence levels within the velocity or turbulence intensity profile, swirl and any other fluid flow characteristics which will cause the meter to register flow different than that expected. This will cause the meter to differ from the original Calibration State referred to as reference conditions that are free of installation effects.

Installation effects which cause flow conditions within the pipe to vary from reference conditions are: insufficient straight pipe, exceptional pipe roughness or smoothness, elbows, valves, tees and reducers, just to name a few. Certainly, a common understanding of how these installation effects impact the meter is important since devices which create upstream installation effects are common components of any standard metering design. Flow Conditioning refers to the process of artificially generating a reference, fully-developed flow profile and is essential to enable accurate measurement while maintaining a cost-competitive meter standard design.

Industry-accepted nomenclature and discussions are presented which explain commonly referred to flow conditions.

The most commonly used description of flow conditions within the pipe is the velocity flow profile. For general fluid dynamic background Miller (1996) offers a thorough textbook description of velocity profiles and distortions of the profile due to upstream piping effects.
Equation 1 describes the shape of the velocity flow profile. The value of n determines the shape of the velocity flow profile. Karnik (1993) and others use Equation I to determine the flow profile's shape within the pipe by fitting a curve to experimentally measured velocity data. Karnik (1993) was the first to actually measure transverse velocities within the high-pressure natural gas environment using hot wire technology to accomplish the data fit.
A fully developed flow profile is used as the Reference State for meter calibration and determination of Coefficient of Discharge (Cd). For Reynolds Number 105 to 106 n is approximately 7.5; for Re of 106, n is
approximately 10.0 where a fully developed profile in a smooth pipe is assumed.

Since n is a function of Reynolds Number and friction factor, more accurate values of n can be estimated by using
where f is the friction factor. It is not the intent here to provide detailed instructions for determining friction factors. The Colebrook (1939) equation or Moody (1944) diagram can be utilized as illustrated and detailed by Karnik (1993).

A good estimate of a fully developed velocity flow profile can be used for those without adequate equipment to actually measure the velocities within the pipe. White (1986) and Karnik (1993) utilize the following straightpipe-equivalent length to ensure a fully developed flow profile exists.

The Model SADPmini automatic dewpoint hygrometer from Alpha Moisture Systems sets new industry standards for portable dew point measurement equipment
The Model SADPmini automatic dewpoint hygrometer from Alpha Moisture Systems sets new industry standards for portable dew point measurement equipment. Weighing in at less than 1.2kg this innovative, compact unit is truly portable and has been designed to fit neatly in the hand. Powerful microelectronics also provide automatic calibration with on-board logging for the capture and display of up to 8000 data points, with 20 user-definable TAG references.

Password protection is provided for maximum security of all data.

Designed for the measurement of trace moisture in gases and dry compressed air, the units have applications in the power utilities, natural gas exploration and production, air treatment plants, processing of chemical and pharmaceutical products, general engineering, electrical and electronics industries, together with both plastics and metal manufacture and a wide range of research and laboratory projects.

The robust, ergonomically designed housing incorporates the moisture sensor, signal conditioning circuitry, memory management, 128x64 dot graphics diplay, 5 key membrane keyboard plus on-board rechargeable lithium ion battery, This self contained digital unit is user friendly and eliminates the problems experienced by operators and technicians with the bulky size, weight and even analogue readouts associated with the previous generation of traditional dew-point meters.

The Vaisala Humicap Hand-held Humidity and Temperature Meter HM70 is a user-friendly meter for demanding spot-checking humidity measurements
The Vaisala HM70 is a user-friendly meter for demanding spot-checking humidity measurements. The HM70 features the Vaisala advanced Humicap Technology, which is known for its accuracy, reliability and stability in industrial humidity measurement. It also supports field checking and calibration of Vaisala fixed humidity instruments.

Depending on the choice of probe, the HM70 measures relative humidity from 0 to 100 %, and temperature between -70 to +180 C.

The probe options include a long, stainless steel probe, ideal for spot-checking in ducts.

A small probe head with a 5-metre cable is available for use in difficult-to-reach areas, and for on-site calibration of Vaisala process transmitters.

Two probes can be used concurrently, including the Vaisala dewpoint and carbon dioxide probes.

The HM70 has a multilingual, user interface and a graphical LCD display with data logging capability.

The optional Windows software provides an easy-to-use interface to a PC.

An analogue output is also available.

Low power consumption provides long operation in the field.

These features make the HM70 a versatile humidity test instrument.

The Drycap DMT340 Series of dewpoint transmitters has been developed for demanding industrial applications where accurate and stable dewpoint measurement is important
The Vaisala Drycap DMT340 Series of dewpoint transmitters has been developed for demanding industrial applications where accurate and stable dewpoint measurement and wide variety of options are important. As a totally new feature in this product class, the DMT340 has a large numerical and graphical display with multilingual user interface. The display allows the user to easily monitor measurement trends and up to 1-year history.

The new DMT340 series consists of four models with different installation options and covering industrial dewpoint measurements down to -60C with an accuracy of +/-2C.

The transmitter series incorporates the latest generation of Vaisala Drycap sensor, which provides accurate, reliable measurement with best long-term stability and fastest response time available in the market.

The sensor withstands condensation, which makes measurement performance unmatched for low dewpoint applications that experience water spikes in the process.

The DMT340 has a low maintenance need due to the patented auto-calibration feature.

The auto-calibration detects possible measurement inaccuracies online and automatically corrects dry-end drift in the calibration curve.

The DMT340 has a wide variety of options, including a choice of analogue outputs, serial interfaces, and alarm relays.

A choice of mains or DC power and several optional mounting accessories make the instrument easy to install.