Space/Weight Saving V-Cone Flow Meter Is Ideal for Mounted Module Systems

Designers of mounted module systems for a wide variety of oil/gas applications will find that the rugged McCrometer V-Cone Flow Meter from McCrometer (USA) fits into tight places, saving space and reducing weight while providing the highest levels of performance and accuracy.

Designed for portability, mounted module equipment requires a small footprint for easy shipment, quick installation in tight spaces and minimal environmental impact. The V-Cone Flow Meter is ideal for mounted
module systems in the oil/gas industry, meeting the technical and space requirements for multiple applications in offshore and land-based production and refining operations.

The V-Cone provides the ideal solution for flow measurement in tight spaces such as mounted modules because it dramatically reduces the need for required flow meter straight pipe runs while meeting or exceeding necessary technical specifications. Mounted module systems require compact minimal pipe runs, and the V-Cone reduces installation real estate, allows for flexible layouts and cuts overall pipe weight.

The precision V-Cone’s unique no-moving parts design provides built-in flow conditioning, which nearly eliminates the upstream/downstream straight pipe runs required by nearly all other flow meter technologies. Other Typical flow meter installations may require 10 to 40 straight pipe diameters upstream from the meter and 5 or more straight pipe diameters downstream to eliminate the effects of swirl and other pipeline disturbances caused by valves or elbows that negatively affect measurement accuracy.

The space-saving V-Cone reduces typical flow meter straight pipe run requirements by up to 70 percent or more and needs only 0-3 straight pipe diameters upstream and 0-1 downstream to operate effectively. It easily fits into mounted module systems in crowded deep water subsea production units, FPSO vessels and refineries, while also reducing pipe material costs and installation labor costs.

The versatile V-Cone operates over a wide flow range of 10:1 and supports line sizes from 0.5 to greater than 120 inches. Engineers in the oil/gas industry can rely on the V-Cone Flow Meter for low cost of ownership because it requires virtually no recalibration or maintenance over an exceptionally long life.

Unlike traditional DP instruments such as orifice plates and Venturi tubes, the V-Cone Flow Meter’s design is inherently more accurate because the flow conditioning function is built-into the basic flow sensor design. The V-Cone conditions fluid flow to provide a stable flow profile, resulting in a stable signal that increases accuracy. The flow sensor‘s design features a centrally-located cone inside a tube. The cone interacts with the fluid flow and reshapes the velocity profile to create a lower pressure region immediately downstream.

The pressure difference, which is exhibited between the static line pressure and the low pressure created downstream of the cone, can be measured via two pressure sensing taps. One tap is placed slightly upstream of the cone and the other is located in the downstream face of the cone itself. The pressure difference can then be incorporated into a derivation of the Bernoulli equation to determine the fluid flow rate.

McCrometer’s versatile V-Cone Flow Meter is compatible with the demanding standards set by the oil/gas production and refining industry. The testing of the V-Cone Flow Meter conforms to the American Petroleum Institute’s API 22.2 Testing Protocol for Differential Pressure Flow Measurement Devices for standard measurement requirements, and other international certifications such as Measurement Canada and Brazilian INMETRO when allocation and even custody transfer measurements are required.