FLOW, LEVEL & CONTROL FEATURE
GAS FLOW MEASUREMENT: keeping an eye on energy consumption
Ultrasonic technology is increasingly being used to measure gas flow. Ewan Campbell from Morgan Advanced Materials looks into the technology and the benefits of using this approach in both the consumer and industrial sectors
G
as consumption in the UK is rising steadily and, in 2013-14, the British
public consumed the equivalent of 303TWh1
in gas energy. Given the scale of
the UK gas market, failure to ensure that there are measurement systems in place which accurately reflect energy consumption can have sizeable cost and energy efficiency implications, with a potentially very large quantity of gas lost or unaccounted for. The most widely used gas flow measurement technology is the bellow meter. Within these, multiple chambers draw in and release a uniform quantity of air in quick succession. The number of cycles is subsequently used to calculate the volume of gas passing through. While these have been used widely
“By constantly optimising the technologies used in gas
flow measurement, gains in accuracy allow for greater transparency and, therefore, control around energy and cost efficiency”
over time, with up to 99% accuracy. With such levels of precision, consumers benefit from complete transparency around their gas usage, allowing them to manage their energy consumption more effectively. This can help reduce unnecessary gas consumption and associated costs, as consumers are more aware of their usage and how this translates to cost. Whereas many forms of meter only measure the amount of air that passes through, ultrasonic technology can accurately measure the amount of methane
(normally 70%) that passes
through. The implication of this is that customers only pay for the actual gas used. Ultrasonic technology can therefore prove
for a number of decades, with the need for greater measuring accuracy they are being increasingly replaced by sophisticated, more accurate technologies. Initially these perform reasonably well, but with regular usage, friction between gas and moving parts can cause the break-off of particles and the creation of dust which can result in the bellows becoming clogged, reducing the level of performance. In particular, gas flow measurement systems based on thermal mass measurement are highly susceptible to dust, the presence of which can adversely impact on accuracy. Over time, reduced measurement accuracy results in a discrepancy between the gas meter reading and the actual gas consumed. The net impact of this is that energy bills fail to accurately reflect the amount of gas used.
ULTRASONIC SOLUTIONS Ultrasonic technology in gas flow measurement offers a convenient and reliable solution to this problem. The use of solid state technology eliminates the potential for wear and tear, ensuring that meter readings remain precise
instrumental in helping the public become more energy efficient. One of the key advantages of this
technology is that real time meter readings can be taken wirelessly, a benefit for both customers and energy providers as readings can be taken from outside the premises. For gas providers, more readings can be taken within a given timeframe, saving large amounts of time and money. Conversely, customers are no longer required to spend time waiting for a representative from the energy
Ultrasonic technology is offering numerous benefits for gas flow measurement
company to take the meter reading as this can be done quickly, conveniently and without disturbance. This kind of technology is also suitable
for industrial applications in a variety of sectors. For instance, in fracking, where there is a legal requirement to report waste gas production figures, ultrasonic technology can be used to measure flare gas emissions. Similarly, it can be used in manufacturing to quantify steam emissions as the technological principles of measuring steam are essentially the same as for gas.
MEETING FUTURE CHALLENGES The challenge for the ultrasonic measurement industry is to continually explore technologies which will push the boundaries of bandwidth and sensitivity. Specifically, the goal is around increasing the quantity and quality of sound energy transmitted into the air in order to achieve the lowest zero flow offset possible, thereby maximising the measurement accuracy of the system. By constantly optimising the technologies used in gas flow measurement, gains in accuracy allow for greater transparency and, therefore, control around energy and cost efficiency.
Morgan Advanced Materials
www.morgantechnicalceramics.com/ gas-flow-measurement
1
Cornwall Energy, ‘Competition in British household energy supply markets, 2014 INSTRUMENTATION | DEC/JAN 2016 17
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