| Flowrate Measurements and Standards |
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| Objective: |
Establish and disseminate to U.S. industry and government agencies state-of-the-art measurement standards for fluid flow and related quantities. Establish equivalence of U.S. National standards with those of U.S. trading partners through comparison activities with regional metrology organizations and the CIPM. |
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| Description: |
| NIST develops and disseminates measurement standards for fluid flow rate that set state-of-the-art measurement capabilities for the U.S. and involves the following measurement quantities using the following fluids and ranges:
- Gas flow rate in the range of 0.04 to 77,600 slm (standard liters per minute) ; 2) water flow rate in the range of 8 to 38,140 slm;
- Liquid hydrocarbon flow rate in the range of 0.04 to 1,140 slm;
- Liquid volume in the range of 3.8 to 7,600 L); Liquid density in the range of 600 - 2000 kg/m3; and
- Air speed in the range of 0.2 to 75 m/s.
Research efforts focus on advancing the state-of-the-art in flow measurements through the development of measurement standards that minimize measurement uncertainty and improve the quality of fluid measurements for the custody transfer of fluids in commerce. New approaches and technologies are used to extend and improve measurements and standards. Traceability of measurements of flow and related quantities is enhanced within the U.S. by provision of instrument calibration services and special tests, and through partnerships with flow measurement laboratories in the private sector and in other government agencies. |
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| Area(s) of Application: |
- Industrial and Analytical Instruments
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| Accomplishments: |
Recently the Fluid Flow Group improved the following U.S. National Standards for flow measurements:
Gas Flow Standards:
- New small PVTt system (0.1 slm to ~ 2000 slm) -- Reduced uncertainty (from 0.2% to 0.02 to 0.05%) – NIST leads NMI performance capabilities.
- Large PVTt system (1,000 slm to ~78,000 slm) -- Reduced uncertainty to 0.13% from 0.25%; Forms the basis for NIST cooperation with private sector labs to establish direct NIST standards for high-pressure natural gas flowrate.
Hydrocarbon Flow:
- Reduced uncertainty to 0.01% from 0.12%
High Pressure Natural Gas Flow Metering:
- Concluded the North American NG laboratory comparison resulting in the detected differences between the laboratories that are of the same order of magnitude as their uncertainty claims (0.3%).
- Initiated discussions with U.S. laboratories to establish future NIST metering calibration capabilities for high pressure natural gas.
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| Future Plans: |
- Decrease measurement uncertainty for air speed standards
- Develop partnerships with industry to improve measurement accuracy for high pressure natural gas flows.
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| Principal Investigator: John Wright |
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