For refineries that are looking to innovate and bring new possibilities into their plants, Micro Motion Coriolis ELITE® flowmeters increase opportunities for success in several ways. And in the in the very critical operation of gasoline or diesel blending, these flowmeters have particular benefits.
Low Maintenance
Coriolis flowmeters do not have moving parts or damage prone pieces that are inherent in more traditional turbine flow meters. This streamlined design comes with a huge decrease in associated maintenance costs, not to mention the increased productivity and plant time while able to remain online.
Flexibility
If the blending configuration is set up so that different components could flow through one meter, the fact that meter accuracy is not dependent on composition offers significant benefits. Meter calibration factors do not need to be adjusted when different products are metered, simplifying operations.
Consistency
Every blended recipe is optimized to meet a primary objective, whether related to profit or inventory, while meeting product specifications. After the optimum recipe is run and all further adjustments to the blend cause the recipe to deviate from the planned recipe which have economic consequences as well as possible logistical issues related to planning and scheduling.
Compliance
Another risk associated with uncertainty levels is the potential to incur fines and penalties for non-compliance of government fuel quality requirements. Refiners can face enormous fees for selling and distributing products that do not meet sulfur or volatility standards, including loss of sulfur credits in some cases.
Deviation Alert
Changing fluid properties can be tracked and managed via simultaneous flow and online density measurement from Coriolis meters. A refiner can set up gravity ranges for each component, and receive an alarm that will notify the operator of any deviation. This alarm may also indicate cross contamination or stratification in the tanks, allowing operators to take action before too much damage is done.
Smart Meter Verification
The uncertainty of uncertainty can be a never ending cycle of calibrating and checking for meter zero, that wastes as much time as it saves. Coriolis meters, in general, do not lose accuracy over time, but the ability to confirm accurate measurement gives operators a transparency to focus on other variables of the process, trusting in the precision of their flowmeters to deliver precise measurements when blending product.
Improvements in measurement are long overdue necessities, particularly when facing increased governmental restrictions and higher expectations for reliability and profitability of operations. In order to avoid the cost and efficiency problems of inaccurate measurement, refineries have shifted away from outdated turbine meters and towards mass flowmeters, with all the accuracy and reliability needed to excel in this upgraded age.
To check out more information on Coriolis flow meter benefits in product blending, read this white paper.
