Litre Meter introduces the VFF FilterPro Filter that maximizes the efficiency of its flow meters by eliminating contaminants that cause reduced flow, damage to internal construction as well as a blockage. As 96% of flow meter failures are associated with contamination issues, the FilterPro protects flow measurement instrumentation, assuring optimal flow in liquid injection, batch processing, and lubrication systems. Sign up for FlowSight, the Litre Meter newsletter.
Featuring a four-layer wire woven mesh filtration design, the FilterPro uses a proven surface filtration principle that filters elements from 10 to 100 microns (depending upon unit option) by trapping particulates between its layers. Available in three key filter sizes, the FilterPro pairs perfectly with the company’s positive displacement, rotary piston, and turbine flow meters with connection sizes from ¼” up to 9/16” in multiple thread types. Offered in 316 stainless steel or exotic materials, the FilterPro is available in the same materials as VFF flow measurement instrumentation to avoid compatibility and performance variances.
Units are suitable for use in low and high viscosity liquids at pressures up to 20,000 psi (1,380 bar) and can withstand a pressure drop of 870 psi (60 bar) with a burst pressure drop of 2,175 psi (150 bar). Simple to install, the FilterPro is easily cleaned by unscrewing 8 bolts and replacing the filter insert. The company is currently developing larger filters to accommodate larger meters while incorporating a filter maintenance indicator and greater resistance to burst pressure. Sign up for FlowSight, the Litre Meter newsletter.
VFF FilterPro pressure drops for viscosity and flow rate values – 30 micronExploded view of VFF FilterPro showing simplicity of design and disassemblyVFF FilterPro with filter cartridges, available in 10, 30 and 100 micron sizesVFF FilterPro Dimensions – threaded body – NPT or Autoclave Medium Pressure. Other connections on request.VFF FilterPro typical materials and pressure ratings
VFF FilterPro typical connections and pressure ratings
Litre Meter have been making meters for higher pressures for over 3 decades. Our first 1,380bar unit was shipped in 1997. We’ve now produced a brochure to cover these ratings.
20,000 psi rated VFF flowmeters – brochure
Litre Meter have been manufacturing flowmeters since 1975. We’ve always concentrated on the harder margins of metering typically at low flows and/or at high pressure. The VFF range has many uses in the oil and gas industry and meets the high specifications required. Outside of oil and gas we have manufactured these to 2,500 bar. We have recently noticed a trend towards 20,000 psi ratings and this brochure is in response to that.
Since 1997 Litre Meter has made numerous VFF meters for 1,380 bar in Oil and Gas applications and a reference list is provided at the end of this article.
The same design can be used on 22.5ksi (1,550 bar) with little modification.
The breakthrough in our design philosophy came in 2005 when we separated the measurement of the fluid from the pressure containment. We designed a measurement chamber that floats in the pressure vessel. This ensures accurate, pressure independent flow metering from 10 psi to 20,000 psi. The Pressure Balance Chamber is explained below.
Suitable for low & high viscosity liquids at pressure ratings up to 4,000 bar (60,000 psi). 20,000 psi designs as standard.
Available materials of construction: 316L (UNS S31603), Duplex F51(UNS S31803), Super Duplex F53(UNS S32750)/F55(UNS S32760), 6Mo F44(UNS S31254), Hastelloy (UNS N10276) & Titanium (UNS R56400).
Connections: Autoclave, Grayloc Hubs, Galperti Hubs, Techlok hubs. More on request.
Communications: 4‐20mA HART, Pulse, MODBUS, Foundation Fieldbus, dependent on electronics and certification requirements.
Compact
Very Low Flow Measurement
Tolerant of particulate up to 100+ microns
Low pressure drop (<0.1 bar typical)
20K Flowmeters ‐ Applications and Rates
The VFF has successfully metered fluids such as oils, hydraulic fluids, corrosion / wax / asphaltene / demulsifier / pour point depressant (PPDs) /scale / hydrate inhibitors, biocides, oxygen scavengers, etc. for over 30 years. Meter bodies are produced in a variety of high grade materials which offer good chemical and environmental resistance.
Applications for flow‐rates as low 0.00013 litres/min (0.19 litres/day) have been metered within the offshore oil industry. The VFF flow meter provides exceptional rangeability with potential turndowns of up to 3000:1, dependent on operating viscosity.
The meters range in size from the smallest standard stock size, LF03 ‐ 18 L/Hr max, to the largest V270 ‐ 270 L/min max. Higher flow‐rate meters are available to special order.
An extensive range of meter designs and materials offers pressure ratings to 20,000 psi (1,380 bar). Higher pressure rating designs are manufactured up to 4,000 bar (60,000 psi). 20,000 psi designs available, as standard, up to HF60 and special designs can measure higher flow rates.
20K Flowmeters ‐ Meter Sizes
The VFF meter is not just one size, one specification. It’s a comprehensive range of carefully engineered devices to meet today’s standards in the most demanding oil & gas arenas. It’s truly a Versatile Fluids Flowmeter.
In the illustration below the smallest meter is typically housing an LF05 or LF15 rotor and chamber with FlowPod instrument and Autoclave Engineers MP connections.
The middle unit is a medium size meter, say, VFF4 with hub connections and FlowPod display.
The right‐hand meter also has hubbed connection sizes, FlowPod display but is larger to accommodates the HF60 rotor and chamber.
VFF Flowmeter Sizes and Connections.
Pressure Balance Chamber
What Is a Pressure Balance Chamber?
Extensive testing by Litre Meter in 2005 proved that leaks occur over the top of the rotor at higher pressures. This is due to minute distortions of the cap. For example, at 700 bar the cap moves by just 0.02mm in the centre. Increasing the bulk of the cap still produces this movement. The effect on meter performance was the creation of a leak path for fluid that avoided the positive displacement of the rotor. This was equivalent to about a 3% inaccuracy at 700 bar. As a result, of this Litre Meter designed a pressure balance chamber for its VFF flowmeters so it could operate at extreme pressure and at low flow rates. The pressure balance chamber acts as a barrier, protecting the internal measurement components of the instrument from the high pressure conditions, preventing them from expanding and contracting under the immense pressure. NO DISTORTION MEANS ACCURATE MEASUREMENT AT ANY PRESSURE. All VFFs over 414 bar are fitted with this technology. It is identified by the letters PBC in the calibration certificate.
Key Benefits:
No distortion of the chamber at higher pressures.
Enables selection of optimal materials for the chamber to match the rotor i.e. PVD coated stainless steel or titanium.
Enables selection of optimal materials for the pressure vessel.
Enables construction of a duplex bodied flowmeter.
Swappable PBC for simplified sparing.
Flow ranges and references
All VFF flowmeters are custom calibrated across the customer specified min – max flow conditions and working viscosity. The minimum flow rates achievable are dependent on fluid viscosity. To see the achievable calibration ranges for each meter size please consult the table below. We can offer meters that range from 0.005 L/hr to 3,600 L/hr at 20K pressures to best suit your applications and with exceptional turndowns.
Areas of key significance:
Extended experience in measuring 20,000 psi in Oil & Gas applications.
World leaders in low flow and high pressure measurement.
Litre Meter have already provided meters for 2,500bar. Offshore models at 22.5k & 25k are designed and 30k, 40k and 50k will be produced.
Litre Meter continues to innovate in the field of flow measurement. Recent successes include the LF05 and LF03 size meters, a new sensor, the FlowPod instrument and the FlowLabPro calibrator series. In the near term, expect to see lower flow capabilities, more calibrators and a low flow meter for any liquid type.
APPLICATION: Various chemicals are injected into a deep water well to prevent corrosion, paraffins, hydrates, and scale. The flow rates for the injection are generally very low and need to be metered precisely to prevent under or over-dosing a well.
PRODUCTS SUPPLIED: • VFF series LF03, LF05, and LF15 • HM turbines HM-007 and HM-009/TC-AC/S-EX
CHALLENGE: As oil exploration goes into deeper and deeper water and deeper reservoirs, new challenges arise that put current technology to the test. The newest development is reservoirs that are reaching pressures of up to 20,000 psi. The chemicals need to be injected at a pressure that will overcome the force of the oil flowing up the umbilical.
SOLUTION: By utilizing different technologies available through the TASI Flow portfolio, we were able to offer a solution for this unique chemical injection challenge.
Positive displacement meters from Litre Meter were used for their ability to measure ultra-low flows and their flexible materials of construction that allows for high tensile strength steels exceeding the 20,000 psi pressure requirement. For the higher flow methanol and LDHI applications, the high pressure HM turbine line from AW was used for their ability to measure very non-lubricating fluids while also achieving the desired pressures.
The hazardous area location of these meters also require that all electrical components be hazardous area certified. Because of the close cooperation in development between AW and Litre Meter, as well as all other TASI Flow brands, we were able to offer a single type of user interface for all the meters. Using Litre Meter’s FlowPod transmitter in conjunction with the AW HUB-40EX pickup added a uniformity to the installation of all the meters on the chemical skid.
Corrosion Inhibitor measured at 20,000 psi 1380bar
RESULTS: This is simply one of the first projects heading to locations with reservoirs up to 20,000 psi. In the near future equipment manufacturers in this segment of the market are going to need to produce technology that can keep up with industry needs. TASI Flow’s continuing innovations and ability to customize will allow them to keep pace with the constant change in the O&G production environment. Sign up for FlowSight, the Litre Meter newsletter.
APPLICATION: Fuel and fuel additives test system for final testing of gasoline pumps at Parker Hannifin Manufacturing Germany GmbH & Co. KG in Mainz-Kastel. The pumps are used by Formula 1 racing teams. Every single gasoline pump is tested and qualified on the test system under completely different operating parameters before they are delivered to the racing customers.
CHALLENGE: A test system of high technical complexity was being designed and modelled for unlimited final testing of gasoline pumps for Formula 1 racing customers. To meet the very high demands for quality, the test must cover the entire performance spectrum and provide the optimum testing conditions for the final test. In the area of flow measurement, the task was to specify a highly accurate sensor for the most varied operating parameters. The flow conditions comprised a large spread in temperature and process pressure. This resulted in a change in the viscosity of the fuel. In the first design, turbine flow meters and TRICOR Coriolis mass flow meters were considered. The solution with turbine flow meters required a cascading of several devices to cover the required flow measurement range. Furthermore, different calibration curves needed to be used in order to meet the accuracy requirements.
TCM 0650-FA-HGSS-CSDS Tricor Coriolis for fuel measurement
SOLUTION: TRICOR Coriolis mass flow meters, by contrast, provide multiple technical advantages for this test bed. Flow meters using the Coriolis principle are significantly more accurate, faster and are almost completely independent from the medium properties like viscosity, temperature and pressure – in contrast to some other flow meters. The TCM 0650 covers the entire testing measurement range. With the TRICOR Coriolis solution, Parker Hannifin can cover the required temperature and process pressure range on the fuel test bed with one device. There are no restrictions in regards to fluid, viscosity or accuracy of measurement. Additional components for a cascading measurement (such as needed with the turbine flow meter option) and the associated added expense are eliminated.
CUSTOMER ADVANTAGE: All requirements are met by the broad measurement range of a single TCM 0650. It reduces not only the purchasing costs but also the costs for having replacement devices. Using analogue output signals and modbus TRU interfaces, mass flow, volume flow, temperature and medium density can be read out at the same time on the local display – remote optional. The TCM 0650 is the optimal solution for Parker Hannifin in order to master this challenging measuring task.
Litre Meter are now the exclusive UK distributors of the KEM Küppers range of flowmeters. These include the ZHM, SRZ positive displacement, HM turbine and the Tricor coriolis series. Sign up for FlowSight, the Litre Meter newsletter.
KEM ZHM01/3 gear meter
ZHM: Positive displacement gear meter with wide range and in a variety of materials including aluminium and 316 stainless steel.
HM series turbine meters
HM: Axial turbine flowmeter, also in range of materials, from 0.03 to 25,000 litres per minute and up to 350°C.
SRZ helical screw positive displacement flowmeter
SRZ: Helical screw positive displacement flowmeter combining exceptional accuracy and viscosity rangeability. Flows from 0.01 to 400 litres per minute. Low pressure drop.
Tricor coriolis mass flowmeters
Tricor: Coriolis mass flow meter for gases and liquids. Smallest size available in very high pressure rating (1550bar). Range measures from 3 to 230,000 kg per hour, and higher.
APPLICATION: A bayonet-style heat exchanger is used by this customer to heat and vaporise dry liquid Chlorine, to supply multiple reactors at various flow rates with Chlorine gas, at 54°C (130°F) and 180 psig. Pure liquid Chlorine is fed to the vaporizer from a pressurized railcar. The heat source was low pressure steam. The existing system did not control the liquid level in the vaporizer nor the flow of the liquid Cl2, and the vapourizer’s liquid level was limited by equilibrium.
TRICOR PRODUCT SUPPLIED: TCM-28K Hastelloy Coriolis Mass Flow Meter with Integral Transmitter
Using Tricor Coriolis meter for the transfer of chlorine. Hastelloy selected.
CHALLENGE: Chlorine has a high coefficient of thermal expansion. Process upsets or momentary shutdowns sometimes resulted in excessive liquid levels, which rapidly led to undesired pressure excursions. There were also cases of low liquid levels, which led to super-heating of the gas. This problem was compounded by the over-sized tube bundle in the vaporiser.
SOLUTION: Since a very small amount of liquid CL2 can lead to serious swings in level, and therefore over-pressure excursions, a highly accurate and repeatable flow meter was required. The customer chose the TRICOR TCM-28K Hastelloy C-22 flow meter. The C-22 alloy features excellent corrosion resistance to Chlorine, and has proven to be superior to C276 for these applications.
RESULT: The new system uses re-circulating hot water as a heat source, rather than steam, and the CL2 liquid level is now controlled via a cascade master and a mass flow control loop.
Tricor coriolis meter selected in Hastelloy for Chlorine measurement
APPLICATION DESCRIPTION: This lubricant manufacturer now uses two TRICOR Coriolis meters: one measures the individual petrochemical products as they are offloaded into their tank farm, and the second is for batch control as they create products using components from various tanks. The Coriolis meter for batching is used with a Precision Digital Batch Controller and a pneumatic control valve for precise batching.
TRICOR PRODUCT SUPPLIED: TCM-65K Coriolis Mass Flow Meter with Integral Transmitter
CHALLENGE: This customer used multiple hydrocarbon components to create their products, and some components are measured using a manual weight scale. The display was hard to read and the weight scale was unreliable. Additionally, hydrocarbon components were not being measured upon delivery by the customer.
The Tricor Coriolis installed on the hydrocarbon line
SOLUTION: One 2-inch Coriolis flow meter was placed in the receiving pipeline for measurement of the individual components as they are off-loaded from delivery trucks to the individual storage tanks which provided accurate measurement and billing. Also, by using the batch controller, control valve and Coriolis meter for the batching process, the customer can now dial in the desired amount of individual components and then walk away. These flow meters were also integrated into a local display, a Precision Digital Consolidator which displays values of tank levels and flow rate.
Tricor Coriolis used for blending
RESULT: The new batching system is set to control the flow rate, totalize the flow, and shut off the flow when the setpoint is reached. The customer is pleased with the accuracy achieved.
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