ON-SITE PROVING of GAS TURBINE METERS Edgar B
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ON-SITE PROVING OF GAS TURBINE METERS Edgar B. Bowles, Jr., Southwest Research Institute P.O. Drawer 28510, San Antonio, TX 78228-0510 Daniel J. Rudroff, Invensys Metering Systems 1322 Foxwood, Houston, TX 77008 INTRODUCTION measurements. Examples of primary flow standards include weigh tank systems, swept-volume piston With the present day volatility in the price of natural gas, provers, and bell provers. there is continued emphasis by gas producers, transporters, and distributors on accurate gas Measurement devices based on other techniques or measurement at custody transfer points. Accurate methods are categorized as secondary flow standards. metering ensures that both the buyer and seller are For highest accuracy, a secondary flow standard treated fairly and equitably in each transaction. Some of (sometimes also called a ‘transfer’ standard) is typically the other benefits of accurate measurement include calibrated using a primary flow standard at operating better line balance and minimization of lost and conditions. Examples of secondary flow standards unaccounted for gas volumes, more secure deliverability, include critical flow Venturis (or sonic nozzles), turbine fewer custody transfer disputes, and optimization of meters, and orifice meters. metering equipment maintenance. Two comprehensive reports on the subject of field meter Natural gas flow rate measurement errors at a field meter proving have been produced by Park, et al.1 and station can have many causes. For example, assume a Gallagher.2 In addition, a paper by Rudroff3 provides field meter station utilizes a gas turbine meter to measure guidance on the mechanics of planning and conducting throughput. The turbine meter underwent a complete a field proof of a gas turbine meter. Much of the following check and flow calibration at the factory prior to information is referred to in detail in these reports and installation at the field meter station. However, many technical papers. things can adversely affect the meter performance after it has been installed on site. Causes for meter error may FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES include rotor bearing wear, dirt accumulation on the rotor blades, or mechanical damage to one or more blades. Figure 1 illustrates the control volume associated with Operational parameters stored in the flow computer may two flow meters plumbed in series. Assume that the have been entered incorrectly in introduce errors in the upstream meter (Meter No. 1) represents the field meter flow rate calculations. and that the downstream meter (Meter No. 2) represents the prover being used to check the field meter. The best method for identifying and eliminating these or other sources of meter error is with in-situ (on-site) calibration of the meter. That is, the measurement accuracy of the field meter station should be verified Control-Volume, Steady Flow under actual operating conditions by comparing to a ‘master’ meter or field meter ‘prover.’ Although the Meter #1 Meter #2 following discussion focuses on ways to field prove the (Test) (Prover) flow performance of gas turbine meters, the basic concepts and test methods may be applied to most types FIGURE 1. Control Volume for Two Flow Meters in Series of gas flow meters. Now also assume that there is steady flow through the FIELD PROVER CLASSIFICATIONS two meters. In that case, the mass flow rate through each meter will be the same (i.e., the law of conservation of A field meter prover can be classified as either a ‘primary’ mass applies). That is, for steady-state flow conditions, flow standard or a ‘secondary’ flow standard. A primary at any given instant, the mass flow rate through Meter flow standard is any measurement device that No. 1 will be equal to the mass flow rate through Meter determines gas flow rate from the fundamental physical No. 2. This conservation of mass can be expressed measurements of mass (M), length (L) or volume (V), mathematically by the following equation: temperature (T), and time (t). Since there are national and international standards for these fundamental physical measurements, field meter provers that - (ρV ) dA = (ρV ) dA at time t determine flow rate from such measurements are ∫∫ n ∫∫ n CS CS considered primary flow standards. Primary flow 1 2 standards usually provide the most accurate flow rate 2001 PROCEEDINGS PAGE 151 AMERICAN SCHOOL OF GAS MEASUREMENT TECHNOLOGY where: gas turbine meters is the gas piston prover. Figure 24 ρ = gas density shows one gas piston prover design that has been used Vn = the component of gas velocity normal to the successfully in high pressure natural gas applications. control surface A = cross sectional area of prover The prover configuration shown in Figure 2 was CS = a surface of the control volume where fluid developed by Amoco in the early 1990s. It includes a crosses four-way diverter valve that makes it possible for the piston to travel in either direction through the prover. Thus, the performance of the two meters should be compared on a mass flow rate basis. For most turbine A gas piston prover typically consists of a section of pipe flow meters, the measured flow rate is expressed in terms of known inside diameter and a movable piston that of volumetric flow rate. The line pressure (and, probably, travels inside the pipe. The piston is accelerated from the gas temperature) will be different at the two meter rest by the flowing gas until it achieves a constant speed. locations, so the actual volumetric flow rate measured While the piston travels through the pipe at a constant by the two meters will not be equal. As an alternative to velocity, proximity sensors and electronic timing circuits comparing the field turbine meter and the prover on a measure the interval of time it takes the piston to move mass flow rate basis, the volumetric flow rates recorded a predetermined distance. By knowing the amount of by the two meters can be adjusted to ‘standard’ time it takes for the piston to travel a fixed distance and conditions and then compared. Standard volumetric flow by knowing the inside dimensions of the pipe, it is rate is mass flow rate that has been referenced to possible to accurately calculate the volumetric flow rate arbitrary temperature and pressure conditions (e.g., a of the gas at the operating conditions. predetermined pressure and temperature, such as 14.73 psia and 60ºF, respectively) for the flowing gas At present, there are no industry standards for piston- composition. Standard volumetric flow rate is type gas provers. However, several variations of field proportional to mass flow rate through the application piston provers have been devised. Park, et al.,1 has of standard gas density and is, therefore, conserved from summarized the performance limits of several gas piston location 1 to location 2. provers (see Table 1). FIELD PROVER TYPES Advantages of gas piston provers include (1) their compactness as portable primary flow measurement Several different measurement technologies have been standards and (2) their ability to function at high pressure employed for field proving natural gas turbine meters. with any gas composition (thus, allowing meter These are discussed, in general terms, in the following calibrations to be performed under actual operating sections. conditions). PISTON PROVERS The primary disadvantages of gas piston provers are (1) that they must be manufactured to high precision and, Since primary flow standards are typically the most thus, are relatively expensive and (2) they must be large precise, they are the preferred choice for field proving to directly calibrate at high flow rates. Currently, the gas turbine meters. Unfortunately weigh tanks and bell largest turbine meter that can be calibrated with a provers are typically too large and bulky for most natural portable piston prover is an 8-inch (203 mm) diameter gas pipeline applications. At present, the only viable meter. primary flow standard available for field meter proving SONIC NOZZLES Sonic nozzles or critical flow Venturis are flow restrictions that accelerate flow to the speed of sound in the narrowest portion or throat of the nozzle, at which time the maximum flow rate is attained. If the thermodynamic state of the gas at the sonic nozzle throat is known, then the speed of gas at the throat may be calculated from state equations, since the throat speed is equal to the speed of sound at those conditions. For a given nozzle geometry, under sonic or ‘choked’ flow conditions, the flow rate through the nozzle is a function only of the upstream (i.e., plenum) temperature, pressure, and gas composition. Figure 3 shows a typical sonic nozzle installation configuration. FIGURE 2. Three-Dimensional Drawing of Double-Wall Bi-Directional Gas Piston Prover1 PAGE 152 2001 PROCEEDINGS AMERICAN SCHOOL OF GAS MEASUREMENT TECHNOLOGY Location Volume Pressure Flow Rate Uncertainty Reference ft3 (m3) psig (MPa) acfh (m3/h) % Amoco 2.8073 1440 (9.9) 18,000 -- Beaty (1991)4 Houston, TX USA (0.0795) (510) Brooks Instrument -- 870870 (6(6.0) .0) 14,000 ±0.20 Reid & Pursley (1986)5 (396) Gasunie 5.2036 870 (6.0) 8,800 ±0.13 Bellinga, et al. (1985)6 Groningen, NL (0.14735) (250) Gasunie 49.3982 960 (6.6) 71,000 ±0.15 Bellinga & Delhez (1993)7 Groningen, NL (1.3988) (2,000) OGASCO 4.811 1440 (9.9) 18,000 ±0.35 Ting & Halpine (1991)8 Houston, TX USA (0.1362) (510) PTB 5.2337 1300 (9.0) 16,000 ±0.13 Schmitz & Braunschweig, FRG (0.14820) (450) Aschenbrenner (1990)9 TABLE 1. Performance Summary of Gas Piston Provers1 T1 of inertial forces to viscous forces). The ASME nozzle P1 standard provides detailed construction and installation specifications. The ASME discharge coefficient correlation is estimated to have a bias limit of ±0.5% 14 D ≥ 4d (95% confidence).