Meha Jha described how environmental reporting is being digitally transformed at the 2020 4C HSE conference.
Typical flow measurements for compliance reporting need to be verified every year to every few years based on the local regulations. Traditionally this verification process has required process shutdown and pulling the meter for calibration.
Digital methods for verification have emerge. For Emerson flow measurement instruments including Coriolis and Magnetic flow meters, Smart Meter Verification (SMV) is the method to use while the meter remains in line with the process continuing to operation.
Meha described how Coriolis flow meters work. It produces mass flow-based measurements. The two coils within the meter twist when fluid flows through them. The phase shift of the sine waves between the coils determines the mass flow. See the earlier post, Flow Measurement Solutions for the Refinery Sector Rule Requirements, for Meha’s more detailed description.
SMV generates reports that can be used for environmental reporting such as U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulatory compliance. These reports can be automatically scheduled to provide records over time.
For magnetic meters, also known as magmeters, Smart Meter Verification can also be applied. Here is what SMV checks for:
Mag meters are comprised of a transmitter and sensor that together measure flow. The magnetic flow meter’s sensor is placed inline and measures an induced voltage generated by the fluid as it flows through a pipe. The transmitter takes the voltage generated by the sensor, converts the voltage into a flow measurement and transmits that flow measurement to a control system.
These meters are well suited for a variety of applications across a range of industries including pulp and paper, metals and mining, water and wastewater, food and beverage, chemical and petrochemical and oil and gas.
By providing a time-stamped verification report, an increasing number of international standards and third-party agencies such as ISO, IEC, AGA, API, NMI and others recognize verification technologies such as SMV as a method to confirm instrument calibration and extend recalibration or proving intervals.
For more on these and other flow measurement technologies, visit the Flow Measurement section on Emerson.com. You can also connect and interact with other flow measurement experts in the Measurement Instrumentation group in the Emerson Exchange 365 community.
