Vortex Technology Improves Custody Transfer of Saturated Steam

A major manufacturer was looking to optimize plant productivity. Each department operates as an independent profit or loss center. Steam was used for each department for process heat and house heat. Steam production at the power house is carefully measured and totalized and the departments are billed accordingly.

CHALLENGE

Accurate measurement of steam use is important, since each department wants to minimize energy costs. The manufacturer was using mechanical flowmeters that didn’t provide totalized steam flow on demand and required frequent maintenance.

SOLUTION

The customer replaced their old mechanical meters with Pro-V™ multivariable vortex flowmeters on the steam line for the house heat. The vortex flowmeter provided a cost-effective, reliable, low maintenance solution; with its rugged all welded design utilizing no moving parts. The old meter remained in service during the transition to the Pro-V™ multivariable vortex flowmeter. In comparison to the readings of the vortex flowmeter, the customer discovered that the old meter was off 3-5% due to steam density changes. The Pro-V™ multivariable flowmeter was able to provide significantly higher accuracy in steam flow measurement, since it has an integrated temperature and pressure sensor which compensates for these changes in steam applications, with an output of pressure, temperature, and compensated mass flow. The customer was also able to reduce their tax burden, since house heat is taxed differently than process steam. The Pro-V™ multivariable vortex flowmeter significantly improved accounting for the steam usage and lowered their maintenance costs.

BENEFITS

• Reduced maintenance costs

• Delivered higher accuracy (3-5% reduction in error of custody transfer of steam)

• Reduced tax burden