Product category:
Oil, Gas, Petrochemical Industry News
News Release from: Katronic Technologies | Subject: KATflow 160
Edited by the Processingtalk Editorial
Team on 05 March 2004
Offshore success of new ultra-sound
flowmeter
The European Offshore Industry has proved to be an ideal testing ground for the new KATflow 160 ultrasonic flowmeter: even on a buoy operating off solar-powered rechargeable cells
The European Offshore Industry has proved to be an ideal testing ground for the new KATflow 160 ultrasonic flowmeter from Katronic Technologies The innovative KATflow 160 is a purpose-built ATEX Zone 1 and 2 certified clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter, designed to meet the stringent industry demands placed on explosion-proof equipment
This article was originally published on Processingtalk on 6 Apr 2004 at 8.00am (UK)
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The new KATflow 160 clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter
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BG Group (British Gas) examined the design of their new Minerva platform, and specified a Katronic ultrasonic clamp-on flowmeter, which has exceeded expectations in operational tests
Since its recent launch, the KATflow 160 has proved to be a success in a variety of sectors, specifically in the offshore industry where frequently the unusual operating conditions mean that a clamp-on meter is the ideal solution to a difficult measurement problem.
One such application was the installation of two KATflow 160 meters on a remote buoy produced by engineering company Ocean Technical Systems.
The flowmeter, which was required to measure the flows of crude and light oil, was tailor-made to meet the demanding specification required by the customer.
Further reading
Clamp-on flowmeter is success in hazardous areas
The KATflow 160 ultrasonic flowmeter from Katronic Technologies is ATEX approved explosion-proof and has proved popular for applications in hazardous areas throughout Europe
Ultrasonic flow for difficult water applications
Obtaining useful flow measurement data is not always easy, though there are some applications in the water industry which are harder than others
How to attach clamp-on ultrasonic sensors
When discussing the relative merits of the operation and installation of a clamp-on ultrasonic flowmeter, one of the most commonly raised questions relates to the physical mounting of the sensors
As the buoy operates autonomously it was essential that all installed equipment be able to operate off the solar-powered rechargeable cells.
In order to meet these requirements, Katronic supplied a flowmeter with a 12 V DC power supply and then trimmed the power consumption of the flowmeter to less than 1 W.
The provision of a clamp-on flowmeter was ideal for the application as the line pressure meant that the installation of an invasive meter would have been difficult and furthermore, as the ultrasonic flow sensors are not in contact with the flowing media, there was no risk of failure or loss of calibration owing to unforeseen changes in the measurement conditions.
It is not only specialised engineering projects where clamp-on technologies have proved invaluable, they are also frequently specified in place of more conventional flowmeters.
Schlumberger Well Services use the new KATflow 160 flowmeter for the measurement of coiled tubing systems on offshore platforms as replacement for turbine flowmeters.
The original meters had problems adjusting to the rapidly changing flow conditions and very high flow rates.
Furthermore, by developing a special clamping arrangement (pictured below) it was possible to transfer the ultrasonic sensor assembly from one pipeline to another in a matter of minutes.
This added a high degree of flexibility to the measurement system, enabling the operators to move the measurement location whenever required without losing time in the changeover.
BG Group (British Gas) have also put the KATflow 160 into operation on their new Minerva Platform.
The meter was retro-fitted to a methanol injection line, as a flowmeter had not been included in the design at the time of construction.
As Gordon Robinson, the commissioning engineer for the Minerva, platform explained: "The platform process system is designed for a normal operating pressure of 90 bar g, but this may reach 280 bar g in certain shutdown conditions".
At these levels of pressure the installation of a different measurement system would have been difficult and could have compromised the integrity of the installation.
The Katronic flowmeter was also chosen for the new platform because of its ability to perform under non-ideal conditions.
"The Katronic system obtained the required accuracy with existing pipe work that seemed unachievable by others".
The advanced sensor and digital processor technology employed within the new KATflow 160 allows the meter to produce reliable flow readings even when subjected to difficult conditions such as high levels of flow disturbance, or solid and gas content.
As well as the measurement of hydrocarbons, the KATflow meters are also in operation measuring other process fluids.
The FPSO Foinaven operated by BP and SGS uses a multi-channel flowmeter to monitor produced water production in pipelines of nearly one metre in diameter.
Under these conditions the installation of a clamp-on flowmeter is an extremely cost effective solution when compared to the purchase and installation of an in-line metering alternative.
There are several areas where a new clamp-on flowmeter could be an ideal solution: Coiled tubing systems, Produced water application in large pipes, High pressure applications, Multi-product pipelines, Replacement of failed existing flowmeters, Portable meters for verification and fault-finding, Large pipelines.
The new KATflow 160 dual-channel flowmeter can be applied to all commonly used pipe materials with a diameter of 10 mm to 6 m.
The flowmeter is extremely quick and easy to install and can be retrofitted to virtually any flow system.
All programming is done using a magnetic pen, which means that there is no need to access the internal surfaces of the housing. Request a free brochure from Katronic Technologies ...
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