Different types of natural gas flow meters are used to measure the amount of gas passing through a point, depending on the location and amount of gas. Mechanical meters are used for constant flow, while thermal mass meters are used for varying flow and can send information via radio or internet. They are used to accurately account for gas in transactions and monitor efficiency.
A natural gas flow meter measures the amount of natural gas passing through a given point at any given time or over a period of time. Different types of meters are used to measure gas flow. The best natural gas flowmeter for a specific measurement location depends on the amount of gas flowing through the location, as well as the availability of electricity, radio or internet access, and other utilities at the location.
Flowmeters are used as natural gas leaves the control of one company and passes into the control of another company. Their purpose is to accurately account for the amount of natural gas that has changed control in a given transaction. As natural gas moves from a production platform to a pipeline for transportation to a utility company at the other end of the pipeline, it is metered at each of these locations.
An appropriate type of natural gas flow meter is determined based on the intended application. Mechanical flow meters are used when the meter needs to run on a daily basis, but a business doesn’t need to know how much is flowing on a daily basis. These types of meters are usually used in places where the amount of gas flowing is constant and doesn’t change much from day to day. A mechanical natural gas flow meter can create paper graphs that are physically captured and read by a special machine to know the actual gas flow over a specific period of time.
Thermal mass flow meters are used in locations where the flow of natural gas can change dramatically on a daily basis. If a specific production platform has the capability to move natural gas between a variety of pipelines and the amount changes on a daily basis, this type of meter is needed to monitor how much gas is moving at any given time in each pipeline. This type of natural gas flow meter is used because it can send information to control facilities in a different location via radio or internet frequency.
These thermal mass flow meters are available in different price ranges with a variety of features. Some end user companies use these tools to see how much gas a particular part of their plant is using and monitor the efficiency of their processes. Other companies use these meters to measure the amount of natural gas as a check against what the pipeline or utility company bills the natural gas company.
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