2.

18 Positive-Displacement Gas Flowmeters FQI

Flow Sheet Symbol

R. SIEV (1969) G. M. CRABTREE (1982, 1995) JESSE YODER (2003)

Type of Design A. Positive-displacement

B. High-precision

Design Pressures Low-pressure designs available from 5 to 100 PSIG (0.34 to 6.9 bars); high-pressure
units available up to 1440 PSIG (100 bars)

Design Temperatures Standard units can be used from −30 to 140°F (–34 to 60°C)

Materials of Construction Aluminum, steel, plastics, and synthetic elastomers

Inaccuracy A. 0.5 to 1% of registration

B. 0.5% of actual flow over 50:1 range

Costs A household gas meter for 250 SCFH (7 SCMH) capacity costs about $150. A 50,000
SCFH (1416 SCMH) capacity, diaphragm-type, displacement-type flowmeter in cast
aluminum for natural gas service costs about $5000. For natural gas service a 70,000
SCFH (1983 SCMH) rotary positive-displacement meter in cast aluminum costs about
$3000.

Partial List of Suppliers American Meter Co. (A)

Actaris Metering System (A)
Bopp & Reuther (www.burhm.de) (A)
Dresser Instrument (Root Meter) (www.dresserinstruments.com) (A)
Elster-AMCO (Germany) (A)
Invensys Process Systems (www.invensysips.com) (A)
Instromet (A)
Kimmon Mfg. (Japan) (A)
Liqua-Tech Controls
Pierburg Instruments Inc. (www.pierburginstruments.com) (B)
Ritter (Germany)
RMG (Germany)
Romet Ltd. (Canada) (A)
Schlumberger Measurement Div. (www.slb.com/rms/measurement) (A)

Positive-displacement gas meters measure by internally pass-

ing isolated volumes of gas that successively fill and empty
compartments with a fixed quantity of gas. The filling-and- Outlet
emptying process is controlled by suitable valving and is
translated into rotary motion to operate a calibrated register Liquid Rotation
or index that indicates the total volume of gas passed through Level
the meter.
The liquid sealed drum meter is the oldest commercial Inlet
positive-displacement gas meter (see Figure 2.18a). Developed
in the early 1800s, it was used for many years during the
gaslight era. This type of meter is still available today and
remains one of the most accurate of the displacement-type FIG. 2.18a
meters. Applications of the liquid sealed drum meter today The liquid sealed drum meter.

294
© 2003 by Béla Lipták
 2.18 Positive-Displacement Gas Flowmeters 295

Inlet Outlet Inlet Outlet Inlet Outlet Inlet Outlet

FC FC BC
BC BC
FC FC
BC
FDC
FDC 4 BDC
1 BDC FDC BDC FDC
2 1 BDC 4 4
3 4 1
2 1 2
2 3 3 3

a b c d

a b c d
Chamber 1 is emptying, Chamber 1 is now empty, Chamber 1 is filling, 2 Chamber 1 is now
2 is filling, 3 is empty, 2 is full, 3 is filling, and is emptying, 3 has filled, completely filled, 2 is
and 4 has just filled. 4 is emptying. and 4 has emptied. empty, 3 is emptying, and
4 is filling.

FIG. 2.18b
The four-chamber diaphragm meter; FC = front chamber; BC = back chamber; FDC = front diaphragm; BDC = back diaphragm chamber.

include laboratory work, appliance testing, pilot plant mea-
surements, and as a calibration standard for other meter types.
Some of the inherent difficulties with the liquid sealed
meter, such as changes in liquid level and freezing, were over-
come in the 1840s with the development of the diaphragm-type
positive-displacement meter. Thomas Glover is credited with
inventing the first two-diaphragm, sliding-vane meters in
1843, in England. The early meters were constructed with
sheepskin diaphragms and sheet metal enclosures. Today,
meters are made of cast aluminum with synthetic rubber-on-
cloth diaphragms. The principle of operation, however, has
remained the same for almost 150 years. However, many
material, product design, manufacturing, and calibration
changes have occurred during that time.
THE DIAPHRAGM METER
The operating principle of the four-chamber diaphragm meter
is illustrated in Figure 2.18b. The measurement section con-
sists of four chambers formed by the volumes between the
diaphragms and the center partition and between the dia-
phragms and the meter casing. Differential pressure across the
diaphragms extends one diaphragm and contracts the other,
alternately filling and emptying the four compartments. The
control for the process is through the “D” slide valves that are
synchronized with the diaphragm motion and timed to produce
a smooth flow of gas by means of a crank mechanism. The
crank and valve mechanism is designed and adjusted with no
top-dead-center to prevent the meter from stalling. The rotating
crank mechanism is connected through suitable gearing to the
index, which registers the total volume passed by the meter.
The rating of small diaphragm meters is usually specified
3
in cubic feet per hour (0.03 m /h) of 0.6 specific gravity gas
that results in a pressure drop of 0.5-in. water column (0.13 kPa).
Larger meters are often rated for flow at 2 in. water column
(0.5 kPa) differential.
Since most meters are sold to gas utility companies that
sell natural gas with a specific gravity of approximately 0.6,
it may be necessary to determine the flow rating of a dia-
phragm for other gases. This is accomplished by the follow-
ing equation:
( SG)c
Qn = Qc 2.18(1)
( SG)n
where
3
Qn = new flow rating (ft /h)*
3
Qc = meter rating (ft /h)
(SG)c = specific gravity for which meter is rated (usually 0.6)
(SG)n = specific gravity of new gas
The inaccuracy of diaphragm positive-displacement meters
is typically ±1% of registration over a range in excess of
200:1. This accuracy is maintained over many years of ser-
vice. Deterioration of meter accuracy is rare unless unusual
conditions of dirt, wear, or moisture in the gas are present.
ROTARY METERS
Rotary meters have one or more rotating parts that implement
their measurement operation. Meter design enables them to
operate at higher rates of speed than diaphragm meters. For
this reason, they can meter higher gas volumes than dia-
phragm meters. In many cases, rotary meters have built-in
temperature compensation to avoid measurement errors
based on temperature variations.
* For SI units, refer to Appendix.

© 2003 by Béla Lipták

296 Flow Measurement

There are three types of rotary positive-displacement Displacement

meters in use today for gas flow measurement:
• Lobed impeller
• Sliding vane
• Rotating vane
The Lobed Impeller
The lobed-impeller meter (described in Section 2.19, “Positive-
Displacement Liquid Meters and Provers”) is used for high-
3 3
volume measurement up to 100,000 ft /h (up to 3000 m /h).
This meter has a housing upon which two figure-eight impellers
are mounted. The rotation is caused by a pressure differential
that is set up across the meter. In this meter, the close clearance
of moving parts requires the use of upstream filters to prevent
deterioration of accuracy performance. Typically, the inaccu-
racy of lobed-impeller meters is ±1% over a 10:1 flow range
at pressure drops of approximately 0.1 PSI (0.7 kPa).
Sliding-Vane Meters
A sliding-vane meter has four radial vanes in a single rotating
drum that is eccentrically mounted. The rotation of the drum
is caused by differential pressure against the vanes. When
the drum revolves a single time, four volumes of gas are
passed. The meter counts the number of revolutions to pro-
vide a readout of total volume.
Rotating-Vane Meters
The rotating-vane meter, as illustrated in Figure 2.18c, is an
improvement on the lobed-impeller meter. Here, four com-
partments formed by the vanes rotate in the same direction
as a rotating gate. The fixed volumes of gas are swept through
Gate
Recess V2
Inlet Outlet
Port A Port B
Flowmeter
M
Gas Flow
Low
Sensitivity
Leaf
Displacement
Transducers High
Sensitivity
Leaf
Zeroing Solenoids
FIG. 2.18d
High-precision displacement flowmeter for gas service. (Courtesy
of Pierburg Instruments.)
the meter by the vanes, which are passed from inlet side to
outlet side through the gate. Gears synchronize the motion
of the vanes and gate. Typical inaccuracy for the rotating
vane meter is ±1% over a 25:1 range at pressure drops of
0.05 in. of water column (0.013 kPa).
HIGH-PRECISION GAS FLOWMETER
For the high-precision measurement of airflows in engine test
rigs, positive-displacement flowmeters are used. High precision
and high rangeability are achieved by eliminating the pressure
drop and thereby eliminating the slip or leakage flows. This is
achieved by providing a motor drive for the displacement ele-
ment and using it to introduce only as much driving energy
as is needed to keep the pressures at the inlet and outlet of the
meter equal (Figure 2.18d). This flowmeter uses high-sensitivity
leaves to detect the pressure differential and displacement trans-
ducers to detect the deflection of the leaves. The flowmeter is
also provided with automatic rezeroing capability through peri-
odic solenoid isolation of the high-sensitivity leaves.
This flowmeter is claimed to provide a reading with only
a 0.25% error over a 50:1 range and a 0.5% error over a 100:1
range. The meter is designed for ambient operating temper-
atures and 30 PSIG (2 bars) operating pressures. The different
models of this flowmeter can detect air or gas flows from 0.3
to 1500 ACFM (0.6 to 2500 ACMH).

V1 APPLICATION NOTES

Annular All displacement gas meters can be used to measure any

Measuring
clean, dry gas that is compatible with the meters’ construction
Chamber
materials and flow and pressure ratings. Dirt and moisture
FIG. 2.18c are the worst enemies of good meter performance; inlet fil-
The rotating-vane meter. tering should be used when indicated. Since all gases change

© 2003 by Béla Lipták

 2.18 Positive-Displacement Gas Flowmeters 297

Steel Cable Turnbuckle for

Aligning Bell
Thermometer-Air Adjustable
Temperature in Bell Roller Guides
at Top and
Bottom of Bell
Gas
Trip
Flow
for Operating
Magnified Scale
Magnified Scale
Room for Close
Temperature Reading
Thermometer
Fits in this Prover
Bracket Pressure Scale
Oil Prover Scale
Temperature
Quick Acting
Thermometer
Outlet Valve
Air Valve

FIG. 2.18e
The construction of a meter prover.

volume with pressure and temperature changes, these sources
of possible error should be controlled or compensated. The
national standard cubic foot of fuel gas is at 14.73 PSIA and
60°F; significant deviation from these values should be
accounted for in measuring standard gas volumes. At elevated
pressures and lower temperatures, a deviation from the ideal
gas laws occurs, requiring the application of a compressibility
factor to the measured volumes.
pare rates of flow rather than fixed volumes and typically
have inaccuracy ratings from ±0.15 to ± 0.5%.
ADVANTAGES
The chief advantages of positive-displacement flowmeters for
gas applications are their high accuracy and wide rangeabil-
ity. The chief disadvantages of these meters are maintenance
costs and the fact that wear can degrade their performance.

TESTING AND CALIBRATION

The testing (or proving, as it is called in the gas utility
industry) of gas meters is usually done using a special type
of gasometer referred to as a prover. The construction of a
meter prover is shown in Figure 2.18e. An accurately cali-
brated “bell” of cylindrical shape is sealed over a tank by a
suitable liquid. The lowering of the bell discharges a known
volume of air through the meter under test to compare the
volumes indicated. Meter provers are typically supplied to
3 3
discharge volumes of 2, 5, and 10 ft (0.06, 0.15, and 0.3 m ),
and larger provers of several hundred cubic foot capacity are
in use by meter manufacturers and gas utility companies. The
volumetric inaccuracy of meter provers is on the order of
±0.1% as determined by physical measurement and compar-
ison with more accurate volumetric standards.
Other standards used to calibrate gas meters are cali-
brated orifices and critical flow nozzles. These devices com-
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