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LNG workshop

Flow Metering

Peter Lucas and Nikola Pelevic


Physical Properties

Page
Flow metering
Contents of this module

• Flow meter technology


• Fluid properties and measurement
• Calibration methods
• Field comparison tests and calibration
• Regulation
Flow metering applications

LNG allocation metering skid in Qatar LNG Floating Production Storage Offloading LNG custody transfer at regasification terminal

LNG truck fuelling LNG buses LNG bunkering


Flow metering technologies

Requirements flow meters


• Low pressure drop to avoid (local) boiling
• Minimal moving parts
• The ability to function in cryogenic conditions
• Proven performance

Common technologies
• Coriolis flow meters
• (Clamp on) ultrasonic flow meter
Other technologies
• Turbine
• Laser Doppler Velocimetry (Anemometry)
Coriolis
Principle
∆t

Principle Practice
• U – bend excited at natural frequency Ω • Two vibrating tubes
• Coriolis effect: perpendicular deflection of • Phase difference (∆t) is a
moving parts measure for mass flow rate
• Twist angle is a measure for mass flow • Natural frequency is a
rate measure for mass
• Natural frequency is a measure for density
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpX9oX
sbOfw
Coriolis flow meter
General considerations

- Not sensitive to flow profile (although there are discussions


with respect to sensitivity to Re)
- Relative large pressure drop
- Proper mounting and support required (internal stress
impacts zero reading)
- Zero procedure before calibration required
- Water flow calibration reflects a lot of other liquids
- Big and very heavy: limited available pipe sizes
Coriolis flow meter
Application to LNG

- ‘Proven technology’, already used for small and mid scale


- Relative large pressure causing (local) boiling not really an
issue
- Avoid internal stresses (due to contraction)
- Correct for contraction flow meter (density reading)
- Correct for Young’s elasticity modules (density and mass flow
rate reading)
- Meter factor based on calibration with LNG
- Meter factor based on calibration with water and
temperature (extrapolation) model
Ultrasonic flow meter
Principle

Principle Practice
• Travelling sound wave is convected • Various paths to get a ‘good’
(transported) with flow average for the velocity
• Difference between upstream and
downstream sound wave is measure for
velocity
• Flow rate is velocity times surface area
Ultrasonic flow meter
General considerations

- Low pressure drop


- Sensitive to sound wave attenuation (damping),
reflection and deflection (particles/ impurities, boiling)
- Minimal pipe size (3” ~ 4”)
- Sensitive to flow profile
- Enough upstream pipe length
- Multi path flow meter
- Flow conditioner
- Calibration inclusive upstream piping
Ultrasonic flow meter
Application to LNG

- Becoming more common for large scale, however as of yet only to


monitor the process
- Not suitable for small scale LNG custody transfer (< 3” ~ 4”)
- Very sensitive to (local) boiling
- Low pressure drop
- Correct for contraction flow meter
- Meter factor based on actual calibration
- Meter factor based on calibration with water and temperature
(extrapolation) model
Flow metering
Contents of this module

• Flow meter technology


• Fluid properties and measurement
• Calibration methods
• Field comparison tests and calibration
• Regulation
mass m
Density  
Volume V

Density required for


• Mass to volume conversion (or vice versa)
• Line pack corrections
10 bar

NG 20 oC
410 • ~ 100% / bar
kg/m3
• ~ 0.3% / oC
500
Pressure

kg/m3
450 Water at 20 oC
kg/m3 • ~ 0.1% / bar
• ~ 0.1% / oC

LNG at -165 oC
(108 K)
• ~ 1% / bar
• ~ 0.4% / oC
1 bar
100 K 120 K

Temperature
Pressure and temperature

The pressure and temperature are needed to


- Determine the density (together with composition)
- Determine the probability of no boiling, potential local
boiling or boiling
- Correct the flow meter reading in case of a significant
dependency on pressure and/ or temperature
Temperature

Elements
- RTD (Pt-100)
- Thermo well
- Transmitter
- Read out

Challenges
- Heat leakage
- Slow process
- Point measurement
Flow
- Close to the flow meter
Pressure

Elements
- Membrane (fast process)
- Transmitter

Challenges
- Measure close to meter
- No cryogenic membranes available
- The pressure in a liquid column follows from:
p    g h
- Correction required in case pressure sensor and tap
point are not located at the same height
- (Point measurement)
Flow metering
Contents of this module

• Flow meter technology


• Fluid properties
• Calibration methods
• Field comparison tests and calibration
• Regulation
Calibration
Prior considerations

• Type of flow meter (USM, CMF)


• Use of the flow meter in the field (ambient conditions,
installation effects, insulation)
• What can we expect from the calibration facility
• Traceability required
• Required uncertainty
Calibration methods
Methods

• Gravimetric
• Pipe prover method
• Master meter method
• Piston prover tank
Gravimetric method
Principle
Gravimetric method
Application to cryogenic fluids

Open collection tank not possible:


• Fixed connection between scale and world (VSL, NL)
• No connection
• Fast and spill free decoupling mechanism (VSL)
• Road tanker (JV, NK)
• ‘Tank within a tank’ (NIST/ CEESi, USA)
Gravimetric method
Fixed connection

Cooling down by Subcooling


depressurization by pressurization

mMUT  mscale
 MUT 
mscale

Stabilizing
mode
Calibration
mode
Gravimetric method
Fixed connection - considerations

• Permanent set up
• Fixed connection causes additional forces on
balance which are difficult to predict
• Steady and good control of flow conditions
• Continuous signal during calibration
• Small scale Qm = 0.5 - 4 kg/s
• Uncertainty 0.15 ~ 0.2%
Gravimetric method
Road tanker (no connection)

1 - Loading
of LNG road
tanker

mMUT  mscale
3-
 MUT  Unloading of
LNG road
mscale tanker
24 – Weighing
empty
full LNGLNG
road
Unloading Test Coriolis flowtanker
road tanker Storage tank
LNG road meters
tanker

LNG workshop - module 2C


Gravimetric method
Road tanker - considerations

• Temporarily set up
• Mass changes road tanker difficult to predict
• Unsteady flow and no control of flow conditions
• Only start and end mass available
• Uncertainty on mass ≤ 0.2%
Gravimetric method Load cell

‘Tank within tank’ - principle Calibration


weights

Weighing
tank
Gravimetric method
‘Tank within tank’ - considerations

• Permanent setup
• Steady and good control of flow conditions
• Buoyancy force difficult to predict
• Small scale Qm = 0.5 - 5 kg/s
• Uncertainty 0.12 ~ 0.15%
Master meter method
Principle
Master meter method
Considerations

• Permanent set up
• Not a primary standard
• Bootstrapping can be used to get traceability for
larger flow rates
• Good control of flow conditions
• Uncertainty follows from primary standard
LNG flow calibration standard (design schematics)

Front view
Flow metering
Contents of this module

• Flow meter technology


• Fluid properties
• Calibration methods
• Field comparison tests and calibration
• Regulation
Coriolis flow meter
Flow metering accuracy small scale

A
B
C
Right scale D
Field applications
Small scale custody transfer – results

- Good
reproducibility
- Good
agreement

From Mortensen and Kolbjørnsen, Field tests for the comparison of LNG static
and dynamic mass measurement methods, JV, 2013
Field applications
Large scale custody transfer – set up

Comparison volume USM and tank gauging1:


• Ship tank gauging based on GIIGNL
• Terminal tank gauging based on GIIGNL
• Volume measurement using an USM (dual path, 32”)

• Part of ‘Metrology for LNG’


• Location: Enagás Terminal Cartagena
• Date: April 2011 to April 2013

VUSM  Vtank
• Difference defined as:
Vtank
1) Benito et al, presented at LNG conference, Delft, 2013
Field applications
Large scale custody transfer – results

- Poor
reproducibility
- Significant
deviation

USM vs tank terminal USM vs tank ship


Flow metering
Contents of this module

• Flow meter technology


• Fluid properties
• Calibration methods
• Field comparison tests and calibration
• Regulation
Legal requirements for Custody
Transfer B2B or B2C

• Law states that all transactions based on mass


(NAWI) or volume of liquids (MID) must be metered
with approved meters
• B2B transactions regarding gaseous fuels which are
not intended for residential, commercial or light
industrial use do not require MID approved meters
• The definition for light industrial use differs from member
state to member state
• E.g. in the Netherlands, limit is given by the condition that
the amount delivered > 170.000 m3(n)/year or a connection
to the local grid > Qmax 40m3/h

Page
Measuring system
volume/mass of cryogenic liquids, EU

Into the market:


- The MPE on the complete metering system is 2,5%
(incl. the flow meter MPE set at 1,5%)
- The return gas flow should be seen as part of the
metering system and as such should also fit within the
2,5% MPE

In use: MPE for measuring system (National legislation):


- 2,5% with exception of Denmark, Iceland, Romania,
Slovakia, Slovenia and Switzerland. MPE > 2,5%

Page
LNG Custody Transfer Study P 38
LNG Custody Transfer related standards

Large/Mid scale Applicable in general Small scale

GERG 2008 API 521


Equations of State pressure-relieving ISO /DIS 12617
for NG / LNG and vapour- fuelling nozzles and
ISO 18132-1'11 depressuring receptacles
ISO 18132-2'11 AGA Report No.5 constructed
calibration and systems
verification testing NG energy measurement
verification of
of automatic level ISO 12991'12 NFPA 57
automatic tank ISO 6976:1995
gauges construction design,
gauges Natural gas, requirements for installation,
Calculation of refillable fuel operation,
calorific values, tanks for LNG maintenance of
GIIGNL density, etc.
ISO 10976'12 (LNG) engine fuel
Int. Group ISO/DIS 16924 systems and
Procedure for
importers of LNG ISO 6974:2012 designing LNG filling dispensers
custody transfer
custody transfer Natural gas, stations/ dispenser
on board ships
handbook composition , gas systems
chromato graphy.
EU MID
EU Directive 2004/22/ec annex 1&5
ISO 8943'07 23/2009/EG ISO /DIS 12614 Part European Legal Metrology
the continuous Class III type 1 -18
and intermittent approved different issues,
sampling of LNG weighing reqrmnts, Test MID certificate
instruments (non Interpretation by
methods, Safety NOBO OIML testreports
automatic issues, Temperature
weighing sensors etc
Legend instruments:
NAWI
GAP/not ready OIML R81
Dynamic OIML R117
OIML R105
LNG Metrology/ measurement Dynamic
OIML Int. Org. For Massflow meters
custody transfer devices for Measurement
Legal Metrology However non
cryogenic liquids Systems Liquid
cryogenic
NG Metrology/ However: No other than Water
custody transfer Massflow meters

Design metering
Combine Page
systems, test
LNG Custody Transfer Study
R81,105,117&solve P 39
protocols
inconsistencies
VSL
PO Box 654
2600 AR Delft
The Netherlands

T +31 15 269 15 00
F +31 15 261 29 71
E info@vsl.nl
I www.vsl.nl Peter Lucas:
nl.linkedin.com/in/lucaspeter
Erik
PeterSmits
Lucas VSL group:
E fsmits@vsl.nl
E plucas@vsl.nl http://lnkd.in/Bif3Sy
VSL Fluid Flow Metrology group:
http://lnkd.in/DF2zJx

Questions ?

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