ORIFICE FITTINGS AND METER TUBES Class # 1250 Mitch Gardner Sales Representative Cherokee Measurement & Control

9906-A East 43rd Street Tulsa, Oklahoma USA Introduction The desire for accurate measurement of flowing fluids and methods used to achieve that objective date back many, many centuries to ancient Roman and Chinese civilizations. Equipment and methodology developed over time has brought us a variety of measurement devices with specific capabilities to cover a wide range of fluid flow measurement needs. In many modern applications, the differential or head meter is still the device of choice. Differential meters commonly exist today in the form of venturi, flow nozzle and flat plate orifice meters. For comparison, a brief overview of venturis and flow nozzles will be presented but for the purposes of this presentation our attention is directed primarily to orifice meters and the configurations commonly used today. Regardless of the type, in the overall metering system these devices are typically referred to as the primary element. Theory of Operation Of primary consideration in the principle of differential measurement is understanding the relationship between rate of flow of fluid in a pipe and the pressure loss realized as the fluid flows through a restriction introduced in the pipe. This relation simply stated is pressure loss caused is proportional to the square of the velocity of the fluid. It is this pressure loss, the difference between the pressure upstream and downstream of the restriction that provides the basic metric in determining the volume of flow. Types of Head Meters Figure 1 illustrates the flow path of a venturi meter. The design of the inlet cone or approach along with restriction or throat allows a higher throughput than any other type of differential meter and the lowest permanent pressure loss. It works well in dirty and viscous service such as slurries. The disadvantages of the venturi are that it has a fixed opening, requiring it to be designed for correct flowing conditions as there is no allowance for fluctuations, overall size may not be desirable in certain piping systems, maintenance and inspection can be difficult , and the purchase cost is high because of the machining required to achieve proper approach and smoothness.

Fig. 1

Figure 2 illustrates the flow path of a flow nozzle. It is essentially a venturi with the receding section or tail omitted downstream of the restriction. Shorter than the venturi, flow characteristics are affected in the same manner with regard to approach shape and surface smoothness. Flow nozzles have an advantage over venturis that they can be more easily changed to meet varying flow conditions and higher flow velocities can be accommodated. Flow nozzles are common in industrial applications such as the measurement of high pressure steam.

Fig. 2
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The Flat Plate Orifice The installed base of flat plate orifice meters in production, gathering and transportation measurement systems of natural gas numbers in the tens of thousands. There are also numerous applications of this device in petroleum liquid, water and steam measurement. The simplicity of the device and its adaptability to varying flow conditions makes it a practical choice for a variety of applications. As previously mentioned, simplicity is one of the outstanding features of the flat plat orifice. The manufacturing process of producing a plate with a true concentric bore is well established. The edge formed by the boring process of the plate must be sharp, free from burrs, chips and edge rounding, particularly on the upstream or approach side. These requirements are fairly simple to achieve in comparison with the machining requirements of a venturi. The result is flat plate orifices can be manufactured and duplicated on a massive scale which results in lower cost. One disadvantage of the flat plate orifice is the tendency it has to create significant turbulence if there is a sudden change in flow at the approach. This results in a lower restoration of pressure in the flowing fluid. The restoration of pressure in an orifice meter is in the area of 60% while a venturi produces an eventual restoration of better than 90%. Under most conditions, overall pressure loss of a flat plate orifice is an inconsiderable part of the total pressure involved.

Fig. 3

Figure 3 illustrates the concept of gas flowing through the orifice restriction. The restoration pressure in an orifice meter is slowed as result of energy loss from turbulence immediately downstream of the plate Types Of Orifice Plates Orifice plates are manufactured in two common configurations, the paddle type shown in Figure 4 and the universal shown in Figure 5. Paddle plates are designed to fit between a pair of orifice flanges or orifice flange union have a handle to ease installation and removal and are commonly referred to as an OFU. Universal plates are perfectly round and designed to fit in a plate carrier of an orifice fitting. A more complete discussion of these systems will follow. Plates are typically manufactured out of a corrosion resistant metal, commonly 304 or 316 grades of stainless steel but more exotic materials are available as well. Both designs incorporate a precise calculated bore based on flowing and operating conditions. The bore is typically concentric with the outside diameter of the plate however there are other types of bore configurations for special applications. Other considerations in design and manufacture of orifice plates are thickness, surface finish (smoothness) and bevel angle on the downstream side of the plate if applicable.

Fig. 4

Fig. 5

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Orifice Plate Devices Like orifice plates, devices used to retain an orifice plate are produced by different manufacturers but much of the terminology is common. Our discussion of this topic involves the orifice flange union (OFU) as previously mentioned, the single chamber fitting and the dual chamber fitting. The orifice flange union, of either a weld neck (preferred) or slip-on design is used to hold the orifice plate in line. Provisions must be made for the plate to be aligned concentrically with the pipe internal diameter and the weld bead to be machined, ground or honed to meet tolerances as set forth in AGA Report 3. Weld neck flanges are preferred as alignment, fit-up, welding, and internal finishing are more easily accomplished than with slip-on flanges. Flanges are typically raised face but for higher pressure ratings - ANSI 900 and above ring type joints are commonly used. Caution must be taken with raised face flanges that the flange gaskets do not protrude into the bore thereby inducing measurement error. Plate centering is achieved preferably by the use of alignment pins on the flange mating surfaces. A jackscrew is used to aid in spreading the flanges apart to ease removal of the orifice plate. The OFU is inexpensive and can provide accurate measurement but creates some operating disadvantages in that there is additional labor involved to make a plate change and the meter setting must be blown down prior to insertion or removal of the plate.

Fig. 6

Fig. 7

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The single chamber fitting as shown in Figure 7 commonly referred to as the simplex offers significant advantages over an OFU. The use of a machined-from-casting housing provides precise locations and tolerances for pressure taps, internal smoothness and concentricity, precise location and retention of the orifice plate and effective sealing. Methods of sealing and ensuring exact centering of the orifice plate differ by manufacturer but all must achieve the tolerances specified by industry standards. Elastomer seal materials differ with applications but various grades of nitrile rubber, Teflon and Viton are common. Metallic seals may also be used in extreme flow and pressure applications. End configurations are available in flange by flange, weld by flange and weld by weld for low and high pressure applications. The single chamber fitting has the same limitation as the OFU in that the line must be de-pressurized to make a plate change. However, the design of the single chamber fitting permits a faster plate change by using a clamping bar with a sealing bar and integral plate carrier pulled from the top of the fitting instead dealing with studs, nuts, flange gaskets and spreading flanges. Ease of use, inherent accuracy and relative cost make it a widely installed device. The dual chamber fitting illustrated in Figure 8 offers the same plate centering, sealing and end configuration benefits as the single chamber fitting but with the added feature of being able to make a plate change without depressurizing the line. This is achieved by using a valve internally in the fitting that separates the chambers and requires an operating sequence simplified as follows: 1) equalize pressure between the upper and lower chambers, 2) mechanically raise the plate into the upper chamber from the lower chamber by means of a rack & pinion gear arrangment, 3) close off the lower chamber, 4) de-pressurize the upper chamber and 5) removing the sealing bar and clamping bar, gaining access to the plate carrier and plate. The dual chamber fitting is the most

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expensive of the three styles and is typically used where flow rates fluctuate and frequent plate changes are necessary or where blowing down a line is not practical for operational or fiscal reasons such as fuel gas to a power plant, city gate or manufacturing plant. It may also be a site where it is economically and environmentally undesirable to vent gas to the atmosphere.

Fig. 8

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Meter Tubes In order for the orifice metering system to measure accurately, straight sections of pipe are required upstream and downstream of the orifice fitting to develop a sufficient and consistent flow profile going in to the restriction and to aid in recovery of the flow coming out. The meter tube or meter run is basically the welded assembly of pipe, orifice plate holder, flanges and other welded fittings through which the gas flows and is measured. In natural gas custody transfer measurement, it is the cash register for buyer and seller. AGA Report #3 (2000) provides recommendations for selection of meter tube lengths based on line size, piping configurations upstream of the inlet of the meter tube and the ration of the orifice plate bore to the line size referred to as the beta ratio. Where cost effective and design permits, long runs of straight upstream pipe can be used to facilitate the removal of swirl and establish smooth flow. Meter tubing is manufactured to specific requirements for roundness, consistent internal diameter and internal roughness. Where a shorter length of upstream pipe is desired, flow conditioners are used to develop the proper flow profile prior to entering the orifice. Common types of flow conditioners include the straightening vane or tube bundle and the profiler. The straightening vane for 3 and larger pipe as shown in Figure 9 consists of a concentric arrangement of 19 small tubes welded together, sized to fit the internal diameter of the meter tube and held in place by either a set screw or between two flanges. Another device is the profile plate or profiler as illustrated in Figure 10. This consists of a thick machined stainless steel plate with a series of holes bored in a specific pattern to smooth out the flow as it passes through. The device is typically retained in the meter tube between flanges.

Fig. 9
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Fig. 10

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The upstream connection between the meter tube and the orifice fittings is typically welded and must comply with strict tolerances as specified in AGA Report #3 (2000). There may be additional connections on the upstream meter tube for blow down or process instrumentation but they should be outside of the minimum required length to meet AGA 3. The downstream meter tube also must meet minimum tolerances and typically includes sufficient space for process connections that provide for sampling of the stream, temperature and venting. Outer ends of the meter tubes can be finished with flanges, threaded or beveled for welding. The complete meter run assembly is typically checked for operational integrity by hydrostatic testing and x-ray of girth welds. Magnetic particle or dye penetrant testing of couplings may or may not be required. Other functional and dimensional checks include plate eccentricity, plate seal leak testing, tap hole testing and examination of material test reports on the materials of construction. Testing falls under the various ASME, ANSI, AGA and API applicable specifications. The extent of testing and documentation is the perogative of the end user. Conclusion All differential or head meters operate on the same principal but the variety of configurations allows the end user to choose the best meter for the application. With regard to operational and accuracy requirements in the field of natural gas measurement, orifice meter settings provide a well-founded method to meet those requirements. Flexibility in the types of orifice fittings, meter setting design, inherent reliability, relative cost and accuracy will assure the continued extensive use of this technology in the industry.

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