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FlowTimes – June 2015
Your
Update on Flow, Temperature, and Pressure Measurement from Flow Research
Executive
Editor: Dr. Jesse Yoder; Volume 16, Number 2 - ISSN 1350-7204
1. Letter from the President
These are very exciting times at Flow Research. We are working on the 3rd Edition of our gas flow studies. We are also working on a new multiphase flowmeter study. And we are researching two new flow calibrations studies: one for gas and one for liquid.
I am very pleased that the US Patent Office has approved my application for a new flowmeter design (see #2). And ISA has published the new book I wrote with Dick Morley called The Tao of Measurement.
Please read the rest of FlowTimes for more information on these and other topics. And be sure to contact us if you need any market research, or just to say Hello! Thank you very much for your support over the years.
2.
US
Patent Office Approves Yoder Dual Tube Meter
Wakefield, Massachusetts; May 15, 2015 — Flow Research is pleased to announce that the United States Patent Office has approved the application by founder Jesse Yoder of a new dual tube flowmeter. This flowmeter is designed to provide superior and more accurate measurement of flows in large pipes at a reduced cost. The approved patent application applies to seven different flow technologies, including Coriolis, magnetic, ultrasonic, vortex, thermal, differential pressure, and turbine.
The new Yoder dual tube meter contains two equally sized round tubes placed within a meter body. A sensor within each tube computes the flow within the tube. The total flow through the pipe is then computed from the results of the flow measurement within the two tubes, plus a calculation based on testing. The design works especially well in large pipes. The Yoder dual tube meter uses smaller, less expensive dual sensors to measure flow more economically than larger sensors that have to cover the entire pipe. It is also potentially more accurate because, unlike insertion flowmeters that measure flow at a single point, it makes two flow measurements and computes flowrate for each measurement.
According to Dr. Jesse Yoder, the inventor of the “flowtube” meter:
“The flowtube meter represents a major breakthrough in flow measurement technology for measuring flow through large pipes. Not only does it promise higher accuracy and lower cost, it also opens up the possibility of mixing different flow technologies within a single meter. This is not a completely new concept, but it is one that has not been adequately explored or implemented by flowmeter suppliers. It is easy to assume the idea that each flowmeter has to use only one sensor type (e.g., Coriolis, ultrasonic, etc.), while much can potentially be gained from using multiple technologies within a single meter. This is the path already taken by inventors of multiphase meters. Measuring flow through a pipe by measuring the flow through dual tubes inserted into the pipe is itself a revolutionary idea, and has the potential to change the flowmeter landscape across many flow technologies.”
The geometry underlying the flowtube meter is explained in Chapter Seven of Yoder’s new book, The Tao of Measurement, which was published in March 2015 by the International Society of Automation (ISA). This chapter describes traditional Euclidean geometry, and proposes the round inch as a substitute for the square inch as a fundamental unit of geometric measurement. The design of the flowtube meter follows logically from the use of the round inch as a unit of measurement for circular area. However, the utility of the flowtube meter does not depend on circular geometry, and the geometry of the flowtube meter is completely consistent with traditional Euclidean geometry.
For more information on the flowtube meter, go to http://www.flowtubemeter.com/, or contact Flow Research.
3. Coming Soon from Flow Research
Worldwide
Flowmeter Calibration Facilities and Markets
This study, upcoming in Q3 2015, will include:
·
Core Study: The World
Market for Gas Flow Calibration Facilities
·
Module A: The World
Market for Liquid Flow Calibration Facilities
Flow Research is undertaking completely new studies on worldwide flowmeter calibration facilities. The primary goal is to determine and to describe in detail the capabilities that these facilities offer, and how and why these facilities are of importance to flowmeter instrumentation users.
The studies have multiple purposes:
· To identify independent and manufacturer flow calibration facilities worldwide and by region
· To accurately describe the capabilities of these facilities
· To identify and describe the criteria that indicates when a flowmeter should be recalibrated
· To identify market growth factors for calibration facilities, especially as these apply to gas and oil custody transfer applications
· To describe effective procedures for the recalibration of flowmeters by type
· To describe the major supported standards used in flowmeter recalibration
· To provide in-depth profiles of major calibration companies worldwide
For
more information, visit http://www.flowcalibration.org/
or call us at +1 781-245-3200.
4. Rheonik No Longer Part of GE Measurement and Control
Wakefield, Massachusetts; April 8, 2015 — Rheonik, a supplier of large size Coriolis flowmeters, has undergone a management buyout and is no longer part of GE Measurement and Control.
Background
GE acquired Rheonik in 2008. Since that time, GE has marketed the Rheonik line of Coriolis meters, divided between RHE flow transmitters and RHM flow sensors that feature the Omega flow tube design with an increased signal to noise ratio. This line included Coriolis flowmeters for inline pipe installations ranging from ¼ inch (threaded connection) up to 12 inches (flanged end) in diameter. Rheonik models are approved for use in custody transfer applications, and can measure flowrates from as low as 0.07 lb/hour up to a high of 3,300,000 lb/hour. The entire line is engineered for use in hazardous conditions as it has both ATEX and CSA approvals.
In
1984, Karl Küppers began the design of a new Coriolis flowmeter that
later became the patented Omega tube Coriolis Mass Flowmeter that is
marketed by Rheonik today. This
meter was granted a patent based on its unique operational and
construction features. Karl Küppers
founded Rheonik Messgeräte in 1986. It
was initially located near
Management
Buyout
On October 10, 2014 GE divested itself of Rheonik through a management buyout of Rheonik. This former division of GE Measurement and Control became Rheonik Messtechnik GmbH, and assumed the assets of the former Rheonik division of GE. Rheonik Messtechnik is continuing to offer the same lines of RHE flow transmitters and RHM flow sensors with the Omega flow tube design. This makes it one of four companies in the world that offer large line size Coriolis flowmeters; the other three are Emerson Process Management (Micro Motion), KROHNE, and Endress+Hauser. Large line size Coriolis meters are those for line sizes above six inches.
Coriolis meters are prized for their high accuracy and reliability. They play a major role in the downstream market for measuring petroleum liquids, where they mainly compete with positive displacement meters. While they perform best on liquids, recent technology improvements are making them more competitive in the gas measurement market.
5. FMC Technologies and
Technip to launch
Forsys
Subsea
: Revolutionizing subsea field architecture from concept to delivery and
beyond
Houston, TX; March 22, 2015 — FMC Technologies, Inc. and Technip today signed an agreement to form an exclusive alliance and to launch Forsys Subsea, a 50/50 joint venture that will unite the skills and capabilities of two subsea industry leaders. This alliance will redefine the way subsea fields are designed, delivered and maintained.
Bringing the industry's most talented subsea professionals together early in the project concept phase, Forsys Subsea will have the technical capabilities, products and systems to significantly reduce the cost of subsea field development and provide the technology to maximize well performance over the life of the field.
By
combining the industry-leading technologies of the parent companies,
Gathering
the expertise and experience of its parent companies,
· Early involvement in the concept selection phase of front-end engineering and design, when ability to influence cost is greatest.
· Integrated life-of-field well surveillance, monitoring, data interpretation and advisory services.
· Joint R&D to drive technological innovations that will boost efficiency and further reduce development costs.
In addition, the alliance will be uniquely positioned to deliver and install a seamless subsea infrastructure from seabed to topside by eliminating interfaces and by integrating SPS with SURF, attaining the highest reliability and uptime and the lowest total ownership cost available in the industry.
For more information, including “What This Means,” see the Market Barometer, Q1 2015, at http://www.worldflow.com/.
6. The Growing Popularity of LNG and its Importance to the Flow Industry
By Jesse Yoder, PhD, Flow
Research
The world’s demand for energy is continuing to expand. This is true based on population growth alone. However, most countries in the industrialized world are continuing to build new plants and improve their standard of living. All of this takes more energy, and it has many people and companies around the world scrambling to find the energy to power their constantly upgraded economies.
Because
coal, nuclear, and renewables all have their problems as sources of
energy, much of the world has come to rely on oil and gas as their main
energy sources. Since August 2014, the average price of a barrel of oil
has dropped from the $90 to $100 range to about $50. This is due to
increased supply and decreased demand in some countries. The practice of
drilling for oil by fracking has significantly increased oil production in
the
It is not clear to what extent the drop in oil prices will impact natural gas consumption around the world. Natural gas has been viewed as a cleaner and often more economical form of energy than oil. And the motivation to develop renewable energy is reduced with lower oil prices. However, considering the history of oil price fluctuations, and the fact that the worldwide demand for oil is increasing at a rate of about one million barrels per day every year, it seems likely that the drop in oil prices is temporary. And while the price of oil may not return to the $100 per barrel range anytime soon, it seems more likely that the oil price trend over the next year will be up rather than down.
LNG Presents
Opportunities for Flow Measurement
While coal is plentiful in many Asian countries, where oil and gas is scarce, the environmental consequences of burning coal is turning many of these countries toward natural gas. LNG is the most efficient way to transport natural gas to many of these countries. Some companies such as GE Measurement and McCrometer have developed flowmeters specifically for LNG. Others are selling into this market with cryogenic flowmeters. While much of the world’s natural gas is still delivered by pipeline, the use of LNG is growing in popularity, especially in the Asia-Pacific region. This presents an opportunity for flowmeter companies who are in a position to take advantage of it.
For more information, go to http://www.lngflow.com/.
Flow Research is conducting a study called The World Market for Liquefied Natural Gas this year in connection to our series of studies on gas flow measurement (http://www.gasflows.com/).
7. Upcoming studies from Flow Research
The World Market for Flow Calibration Facilities — Q3 2015
http://www.flowcalibration.org
Studies in this series:
· Core Study: The World Market for Gas Flow Calibration Facilities
· Module A: The World Market for Liquid Flow Calibration Facilities
The
World Market for Natural Gas and Gas Flow Measurement, 3rd Edition
Studies in this series:
·
Core Study:
The World Market for Natural Gas and Gas Flow Measurement
·
Module A: Natural Gas
Producers and Measurement Worldwide
·
Module B: Natural Gas
Producers and Measurement in Mideast/Africa
·
Module C:
The World Market for Custody Transfer of Natural Gas
·
Module D: Strategies,
Industries, & Applications
The
World Market for Multiphase Flowmeters, 2nd Edition
— Q2 2015
http://www.flowmultiphase.com/
Study will include:
Module
A: The World Market for Watercut Meters
The
World Market for Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)
For more
information on all Flow Research studies, visit http://www.flowstudies.com.
It lists our studies by category and provides direct links to pages for
the latest editions, where you will find a synopsis, or you can click a
link for the overview with full details.
Of course, there are also easy order forms and our contact links
and information.
Do
you have any topics you would like included in future issues of Flowtimes?
Please send any comments or
suggestions to Jesse Yoder at jesse@flowresearch.com.
FlowTimes
is published by Flow Research, Inc.
Executive
Editor:
Dr. Jesse Yoder
Associate
Editor:
Vicki Tuck
Assistant
Editor:
Leslie Buchanan
Production
Assistant:
Nicole
Riordan
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Flow
Research, Inc.
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