Ultrasonic Flowmeter Exceeds Industry Standard for Accuracy

Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. (USA) announce that the M-PULSe Multi-Path Ultrasonic Liquid Flow Measurement System exceeds previous measurement standards for liquid petroleum products with an accuracy of better than ±0.10%.
With an unmatched level of accuracy, the Thermo Scientific M-PULSe system surpasses the API required custody transfer specification of ±0.15%, ensuring less lost and unaccounted for product and saving customers thousands of dollars annually. In addition, the solution’s economical fiscal metering system is designed to consume less power and
further reduce overall operating costs.
The Thermo Scientific M-PULSe offers customers many advantages, most notably functionality that does not require recalibration between products of varying viscosities. For example, a customer can easily switch from gasoline to heavy crude with minimal time lost between runs, increasing daily throughput and productivity. By reducing the
need to stop, re-prove or recalibrate between products, customers maximize the efficiency of multi-product pipelines.
“The accuracy specifications we achieved during the M-PULSe certification process indicate that our revolutionary technology offers a clear advantage and will ultimately deliver higher profitability to Thermo Fisher Scientific customers.
This is especially important today as all of our customers are faced with rising petroleum prices,” said Bill Summers, vice president and
general manager with Thermo Fisher Scientific. “The transition from turbine flowmeters to ultrasonic flow measurement systems such as MPULSe
will enable liquid pipeline operators to easily account for more product, and we anticipate that the many advantages of the M-PULSe
will continue to make it an attractive option for our valued customers.”
The compact design of the new Thermo Scientific flowmeter allows customers to use a shorter length of pipe for installation, which is particularly beneficial on offshore platforms where pipe space is at a premium. In fact, strong performance results were achieved with the flow conditioner placed only 5 pipe diameters (5D) upstream of the meter, significantly less than the standard 10 pipe diameters (10D).
The Thermo Scientific M-PULSe recently received both the OIML R117 Class 0.3 certification from NMi, the Nederlands Meetinstitut for international use, and it earned CE markings for European use. Petroleum products tested during OIML certification include gasoline, jet fuel, fuel oil, light crude, heavy crude and heavy oil. Additional tests performed on water at several flow rates confirmed these results.
In addition to the ATEX certification for Explosive Atmospheres it originally received, the M-PULSe also passed all applicable European Community (EC) requirements, including Electro Magnetic Compatibility (EMC), Low Voltage Directive (LVD), Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) and Measuring Instruments Directive (MID). The solution is also certified by CSA/CUS for North American use. Finally, with ATEX Zone 0 Intrinsically Safe certification, the M-PULSe can be used safely in the world’s most hazardous environments.