A Brief Comparison of Thermal Mass Flowmeters and Other Flow Technologies Used in Industry

Engineers and facility managers looking for an air or gas flow measurement solution have a plethora of technological options. 

This video will help you understand differences in technology for industrial gas flow measuring applications.

For more information about Fox Thermal Instruments in the Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri, contact Power Specialties.

(816) 353-6550
https://powerspecialties.com

The Fox Thermal Mass Flow Meter Digital Advantage

Fox Thermal has the only thermal mass flow meters that bring the award-winning DDC sensor. This rugged device is a digitally controlled sensor that speeds up processing by interfacing directly with the flow meter's electronics. The unique digital sensor signal processing provides a technology platform for calculating gas correlations using GAS-SELECTX, a gas selection feature that means users can choose from menus of gases to formulate a unique gas composition in the field and at the push of a button.

This feature allows the user to avoid sending the flow meter back to the factory when the gas composition changes.  Fox is the only manufacturer that offers this feature without risking the loss of accuracy.

Another way to set the gas composition in the meter is by using the FT View software. This free and intuitive software can be downloaded and set up on a pc in a few short minutes. Once the flow meter is connected via the standard usb port, the software allows the user to easily configure metersettings view data charts, run simulations, log data, and test meter accuracy. 

For more information about Fox Thermal Mass Flow Meters, contact Power Specialties. Call them at (816) 353-6550  or visit their website at https://powerspecialties.com.

Case Study on Thermal Flow Meter Calibration for Natural Gas Service

A study of the importance of gas composition and calibration and their effects on flow meter accuracy.

Errors associated with the calibration of flow meters for natural gas service can be costly but can also be mitigated using an advanced flow meter design that allows field-adjustment of the natural gas composition without loss of accuracy.

DOWNLOAD THE FULL 12 PAGE

CASE STUDY HERE

Or, read the embedded document below. For more information, contact Power Specialties, Inc. by calling (816) 353-6550 or visit https://powerspecialties.com.

Case Study on Thermal Flow Meter Calibration for Natural Gas Service from Power Specialties, Inc.

Thermal Mass Flow Meters in Oil & Gas Applications

Fox Thermal Instruments manufacturers highly accurate and repeatable thermal mass flow meters for the oil and gas industry.

The model FT4X was designed for use at oil and gas well sites .

The standard data logger will make record-keeping easy for accuracy compliance with regulations like BLM 3175.

The model FT4X will make reporting for gas lease royalties and allocation easy too.

The model FT4A was also designed for use at oil and gas well sites. The gas Select-X feature is a revolutionary new feature that allows the user to have a meter capable of measuring more than 10 different gases accurately.

Custom flare gas or vent gas mixes can be programmed specifically for your application.

Fox model FT3 is an award-winning and rugged their own mass flow meter that is Quad-O compliant for flares or combustors, and like our other meters, has extensive agency approvals.

For more information on Fox Thermal products, visit:

Power Specialties, Inc.
https://powerspecialties.com
(816) 353-6550

Fox Thermal Model FT4X Flow Meter Features

The Fox Thermal Model FT4X, is the newest Thermal Gas Mass Flow Meter offered from Fox Thermal.

The Model FT4X measures gas flow rate in standard units (MSCFD, SCFM, NM³/hr, LBS/HR, KG/HR & many more) without the need for temperature and pressure compensation.

A free software tool – FT4X View™ - is available for the Model FT4X that allows the user to connect to and configure the FT4X using a PC or laptop.

The complete FT4X Flow Meter Features can be downloaded here. Alternatively, you can review the embedded document below.

Power Specialties, Inc.
https://powerspecialties.com
(816) 353-6550

Fox Thermal Model FT4X Flow Meter Features from Power Specialties, Inc.

Easily Select a Fox Thermal Gas Mass Flow Meter with Help from this Tool

Saving time and being accurate. Two very important elements to every engineer's workday. Anytime a tool comes along to provide both, it needs to be featured.

Fox Thermal, the manufacturer of thermal gas mass flowmeters, has an excellent Web-based configurator that's easy to use and provides accurate, detailed output.

After a quick registration process, anyone interested in applying a thermal gas mass flowmeter will be guided through a meter section process. The app will help you select the correct model, and then begin asking more specific application questions.

Finally, the application presents a summary of your requirements, and then checks if you want to have the Fox Thermal sales department provide a quotation.

Check out this video for a tutorial on how the gas mass flow meter configurator works.

Courtesy of Power Specialties
https://www.powerspecialties.com
(816) 353-6550

Introducing the Fox FT4A Thermal Mass Flow Meter

The Fox Model FT4A is the newest thermal gas mass flow meter offered from Fox Thermal Instruments.

The Model FT4A measures gas flow rate in standard units (SCFM, NM³/hr, LBS/HR, KG/HR & many more) without the need for temperature and pressure compensation.

A free software tool – FT4A View™ - is available for the Model FT4A that allows the user to connect to and configure the FT4A using a PC or laptop.

FEATURES:

Direct Mass Measurement

The Fox Model FT4A measures the mass flow of gases directly in Standard Cubic Feet per Minute (SCFM), Normal Cubic Meters per Hour (NM³/hr), Kilograms per Hour (Kg/Hr), and other mass units without the need for pressure or temperature compensation. One isolated 4 to 20mA output programmable for flow or temperature is standard; HART communication optional. A second output is selectable for pulse or RS485 Modbus RTU.

Outstanding Low Flow Capability, Wide Turn-Down Ratio

The Fox flowmeter is capable of providing precise measurement of extremely low velocity gas flows. This results in a wide measurement range and a turn down ratio up to 1000:1; 100:1 typical.

DDC-Sensor^TM

The non-cantilevered design of the DDC-SensorTM is standard on all Model FT4A flowmeters. Instead of using traditional analog circuitry, the DDC-SensorTM is interfaced directly to the FT4A microprocessor for more speed and programmability.

Gas-SelectX^®

The Model FT4A has many common gas calibrations pre-programmed into the meter so that the user can select a gas from a list to fit the application. Three gas menus are available: Pure Gas Menu, Mixed Gas Menu, and Oil & Gas Menu.

Probe and Retractor Sizes

The insertion flow meters have a 3/4" robust probe, are easy to install, and can be installed in pipe diameters of 1 1⁄2" to 70". Probe (I) and Retractor (R) sizes are: 6" (06I), 9" (09I), 12" (12I), 15" (15I/15R), 18" (18I/18R), 24" (24I/24R), 30" (30I/30R), and 36" (36I/36R).

Field-Programmable

The Display and Configuration Panel displays flow rate, flow total, elapsed time (hours since the totalizer was reset), process temperature and alarms. Field configurable variables include flow and temperature engineering units, 4 to 20mA scaling for flow and temperature, standard temperature and pressure (STP), pulse output scaling, zero flow cut off, alarm settings (high flow, low flow, high temp, and low temp), filter setting, and many others.

Digital Communications / FT4A View^TM

Bus options are RS485 Modbus RTU and HART. The FT4A uses a standard USB port to connect to a PC. Fox's free FT4A ViewTM software provides complete configuration and remote process monitoring functions.

NIST Traceable Calibration

The Fox Calibration laboratory uses NIST traceable flow standards to ensure the highest level of accuracy. A calibration certificate is supplied with every meter.

Discrete Output

The discrete output can be set to provide a signal when alarms are generated.

Enclosure and Area Rating

NEMA 4X enclosure approved for FM and FMc Class I, Division 1; ATEX/IECEx Zone 1 approved. CE mark.

Input Power

Input Power: 12 to 28VDC, 20 watts max. Full Input Power Range: 10 to 30VDC, 20 watts max.

For more information on the FT4A contact Power Specialties at (816) 353-6550 or visit this link for the Power Specialties website.

Thermal Mass Flowmeters for "Green Completions" in Oil & Gas Production

Thermal Mass Flowmeter
(Courtesy of Fox ThermalInstruments)

When a natural gas well site is drilled and developed, there is often an excess of natural gas which escapes into the atmosphere or is burned off in a flaring process.  As the EPA continues to tighten regulatory restrictions on gas production emissions, the Oil & Gas Industry is moving to the EPA recommended "Reduced Emissions Completions (RECs)" or “Green Completion” technology.  This technology captures escaping methane and other hydrocarbons at the well head. Instead of releasing or flaring it, green completion introduces equipment that provides a closed-loop systems that captures this gas, separates the gas from oil, water, mud in the flowback stream, and produces a clean ready to use new gas stream that would normally be lost.

Not only is this technology good for the environment, it is also provides economic benefits to the operators. Whereas open pits release a significant amount of combustion emissions and VOCs into the atmosphere, and flaring produces significant amounts of combustion emissions, green completion technology uses closed storage and vapor recovery. The methane and hydrocarbons are recovered and fed back into the system as a product for sale, or are recovered to power equipment and machinery on-site for additional cost savings.

Thermal mass flow meter applications are abundant. Used primarily to measure the flow of gases from the outlet of the separator tanks or to monitor fuel gas usage, there are also additional applications on the various pieces of well-site equipment.

For more information on applying thermal mass flowmeters in oil and gas applications, contact:

Power Specialties, Inc.
9118 E. 72nd Terrace
Raytown, MO 64133
Toll Free: (800) 432-6550
Phone: (816) 353-6550
www.powerspecialties.com

Thermal Flowmeters with Constant Temperature Differential (∆T) Technology to Measure Mass Flow Rate of Air and Gases

Thermal flowmeters use a constant temperature differential (∆T) technology to measure mass flow rate of air and gases. The thermal mass flow sensor consists of two Resistance Temperature Detectors (RTD’s). The sensor elements are constructed of a reference grade platinum wire wound around ceramic mandrels that are inserted into stainless steel or Hastelloy tubes.

The reference RTD measures the gas temperature. The instrument electronics heat the mass flow sensor, or heated element, to a constant temperature and measures the cooling effect of the gas flow. The electrical power required to maintain a constant temperature differential is directly proportional to the gas mass flow rate. The microprocessor then linearizes this signal to deliver a linear 4 to 20mA signal.

One manufacturer, Fox Thermal Instruments, implements a technology they call the Power Pro^TM Sensor. Their sensor operates at a higher power level than other competitive thermal technologies, providing better response time and wider turndown. When compared to a typical differential pressure type flowmeter, as shown to the right, the Power Pro^TM sensor offers better low flow or low end sensitivity. The Power Pro^TM sensor also provides exceptional accuracy at high velocities - up to 50,000 SFPM air.

The Fox DDC-Sensor^TM is a new state of the art sensor technology used in the Fox Model FT1 Thermal Gas Flow Meter. The DDC-Sensor^TM, a direct digitally controlled sensor that is interfaced directly to the FT1 microprocessor for more speed and programmability.

Like the PowerPro^TM Sensor, the DDC-Sensor^TM accurately responds to changes in process variables (gas flow rate, pressure, and temperature) which are used by the microprocessor to determine mass flow rate, totalized flow, and temperature.

In addition to measuring flow, the DDC-Sensor^TM provides a technology platform for calculating accurate gas correlations. The FT1 correlation algorithms allow the meter to be calibrated on a single gas in the factory while providing the user the ability to select other gases in the Gas-SelectX^TM gas menu. Fox’s Model FT1 with its DDC-Sensor^TM and state-of-the-art correlation algorithms provide an accurate, multi-gas-capable thermal gas flow meter.

For more information on thermal flowmeters, contact:
Power Specialties, Inc.
9118 E. 72nd Terrace
Raytown, MO 64133
Toll Free: (800) 432-6550
Phone: (816) 353-6550
Fax: (816) 353-1740

www.powerspecialties.com

Thermal Mass Flow Meters

Various styles of thermal mass flow meters
(courtesy of Fox Thermal Instruments)

Thermal mass flow meters measure flow by introducing heat into a flow stream and measuring the dissipation of heat between temperature measurement points. They are very popular because they provide a fairly unrestricted flow path, have no moving parts, are accurate over a wide range of flow rates, work well on large or small pipes, don’t require temperature or pressure compensation, and actually calculate mass flow rather than volume. In most cases, thermal flow meters are used to measure and monitor flowing gases, but in some cases they are used to measure the flow of liquids.

Fox Thermal Instruments, located in Marina, CA, manufacturers some of the most innovative and reliable thermal mass flow meters today. Their products are used in a wide variety of industrial gas flow and emissions monitoring applications.

Fox provides three basic models:

Model FT1:
Winner of the 2015 Flow Control Innovation Awards, is the newest Thermal Gas Mass Flow Meter offered from Fox Thermal Instruments.  The Model FT1 was nominated for this award because of its innovative design elements such as the DDC-Sensor™ technology platform that allows it to operate using the Gas-SelectX® gas menu selection tool.

Model FT2A:
The Model FT2A continues to accurately measure gas flow rate in standard units without the need for temperature and pressure compensation. Some additional features available on the FT2A include a standard display, a standard USB port to connect to a PC, and the option of BACnet MS/TP communication protocol.

Model FT3:
The Model FT3 measures gas flow rate in standard units without the need for temperature and pressure compensation.  Calibration Validation, using the CAL-V™ and Zero CAL-CHECK® features, is an in-situ calibration routine that validates the flow meter’s accuracy by testing the functionality of the sensor and it associated signal processing circuitry.

This following brief video quickly presents the specifications and features for each model.

For more information, contact:

Power Specialties, Inc.

9118 E. 72nd Terrace

Raytown, MO 64133

Toll Free: (800) 432-6550

Phone: (816) 353-6550

Fax: (816) 353-1740

www.powerspecialties.com