Energy Producer Reduces Flow Meter Installation Costs by 50% With Innova-Mass® Model 240

A large North American cogeneration company produces steam, electricity and other utility services for sale to customers. They are using Sierra's Innova-Mass® Model 240 multiparameter vortex mass flow meter to measure steam consumption for billing purposes and to enhance system diagnostics.

 The Innova-Mass® meter is specified because it reduces the total installed cost of a measurement system by 50%. The engineering team first considered a "traditional" volumetric vortex flow meter because of its inherent reliability, wide turndown and high accuracy measurement capability.

The disadvantage of this compensated system is the high cost of installation. Each system requires four man days to install and commission. The complex electrical and mechanical system requires power and signal wiring between the flow meter, the pressure transmitter, the temperature transmitter and the flow computer. Three process penetrations and mounting adapters for mechanical connection to the pipe are also needed.

Because the Innova-Mass® meter is installed with a single process penetration and only one set of power and signal wires, they save two man days of installation time. The Innova-Mass® meter also delivers all of the process information the company needs for billing and efficiency management. The totalized rate is used for custody transfer and billing operations. The mass flow rate measurement provides information on peak demand usage to ensure consistent steam service. The pressure reading is used as a diagnostic tool to help control the available steam flow capacity. These three measurements are available simultaneously, via 4-20 mA and pulse outputs from the single transmitter.