An in - Situ Verification Technology for Coriolis Flowmeters

Structural Integrity Meter Verification is a robust new Coriolis verification technology which uses the onboard electronics to very accurately measure the stiffness of the flowtubes. The flow tube stiffness is directly related to the flow calibration factor and is uninfluenced by process conditions. Meter Verification compares the measured stiffness to the factory baseline stiffness to confirm that the flow calibration factor is unchanged from the factory value. Structural Integrity Meter Verification also performs additional electronics and software checks to ensure accurate measurement. This new technology allows users to save money and reduce downtime by verifying Coriolis meters in situ. Sometimes Coriolis meters are used with corrosive fluids that can etch away the tube or with erosive fluids that can cause localized thinning of the tubes. In these applications the precision and accuracy of the Coriolis flowmeter outweighs the replacement costs. A Coriolis meter has been deliberately corroded while tracking the flow calibration factor and the stiffness. Finite element analysis was used to analyze the relationship between stiffness and flow calibration factor for erosive applications. Meter Verification results for these cases are compared to the experimental and analytical data.