One of the problems with tankers is that they carry a lot of liquid. It is therefore important to know how much is being loaded or unloaded. Bulk flow meters will measure petroleum, oils, chemicals and even waste water and a multitude of other liquids. There many types of meters available so it’s a matter of choosing the right one to do the job whether it’s marine, mining, motor or rail.
Details of Bulk Flow Meters
All meters claim to be highly accurate with accuracy rates as good as ±0.15%. It’s not 100% but it’s as close as mechanically possible. Problems with working temperatures can largely be ignored as the range they work at vary between -40 degrees up to + 85 degrees centigrade. This range covers all European weather systems together with the polar and tropical regions. All bulk flow meters have a large mechanical counter, with an electronic counter as an option. Most models will eliminate air and have a strainer.
The meters can be extremely flexible as they come in three parts, the large mechanical meter, a second counter which is resettable and a non resettable totaliser. This allows for a great deal of control in relation to how much liquid is being loaded or unloaded, and into which part of the tanker. It also deters fraud and shrinkage.
For road, rail and marine tankers the standard intake meter will do the job nicely. There is a built in air eliminator and air check value to ensure accurate meter readings. The low rate can be under 100 liters a minute or as fast as 1100 liters a minute. The meters that are controlled by the Measuring Instruments Directive (MID), issued by the European Union in Brussels cater for large scale users such as terminals and the pipe dimensions vary from two inches to four. The specification of the terminal MID can handle 2500 liter per minute whilst its aluminum counterpart can handle between 500 and 1700 liters a minute, depending on pipe size.
Compatible with these meters are the high speed dispensers and the flow control valves.
