Official Blog of Sierra--Let's Talk Flow!
The Challenges of Measuring Flare Gas

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
The associated gas generated from oil production has received a lot of attention recently. In many areas, the lack of gas collection infrastructure requires this gas to be flared off. Many jurisdictions now require flare gas monitoring in order to reduce emissions and to allocate taxes, fines, and other fees. Choosing the best tools for […]
Read the StoryStay On Top of Methane Metering and Emissions Regulations

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
As climate concerns continue to dominate the national (and global) conversation, tightening state and federal regulations on methane emissions can pose challenges to new and existing oil and gas producers. While many may be familiar with New Source Performance Standards (NSPS), which regulate emissions at new wells, it’s important to know the EPA is moving […]
Read the StoryRedySmart Mass Flow Controllers for OEMs in Biopharmaceutical and Vaccine Production

Written By:
Jeff Gulla
For years, Sierra Instruments has developed proven gas flow measurement solutions for original equipment manufacturers. Learn how our RedySmart mass flow controllers have been used in the development of vaccines and pharmaceuticals to meet the rising demand on OEMs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Effects of COVID-19 on Biopharmaceuticals OEMS When the COVID-19 pandemic spread […]
Read the StoryUnderstanding Flow Measurement for Emissions Monitoring

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
Take Charge of Your Boiler Efficiency & Avoid Steep EPA Emissions Fines Sounds like an impossible task, but it’s not. Emissions monitoring is a hot topic for plant and facility managers due to the elevating importance of three factors: Global climate-change mitigation efforts Increasing governmental regulations Social pressures Due to this, there is also a […]
Read the StoryHow Do Biopharm Mass Flow Controllers Optimize Bioreactor Performance?

Written By:
Maryadine Washington, Mar-Com Manager
Our new bioreactor application tech note is worth the download. The new tech note focuses on how digital mass flow controllers optimize bioreactor performance and replace manual variable area (VA meters) with an integrated valve to control the gases in their bioprocesses to yield greater results. As you know, in today’s climate it is a […]
Read the StoryDrySense Sensor Technology Is the Key to Thermal Flow Meter Accuracy

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
Why Are Dry Sensors Critical for Flowmeter Lifetime Sensor Warranty, Accuracy, and In-Situ Validation? When it comes to flow meters, what matters to plant managers and engineers alike is if their meter is measuring flow accurately and reliably. They want to know they can depend on the data their meter is providing. However, the answer […]
Read the Story3 Tips for Avoiding Costly Mistakes in Water Measurement

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
Whether you are running a large municipal water facility or one of the over 37,000 rural water utilities in the United States, water usage rates and costs drive your decisions. For any water system, it’s critical to answer key questions like: What’s your water usage and/or production? How much water are you distributing or allocating? […]
Read the StoryComplete Guide to Gas Mixing and Blending | Sierra Instruments

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
Gas mixing sounds simple enough. You simply mix a number of pure gasses to create a new mixture. Unfortunately, it’s not usually as simple as it sounds. There are many variables and factors that play a role. In this post, we’ll dissect this challenging application and discuss how to obtain perfect gas mixing and blending […]
Read the StorySteam Flow Energy Measurement

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
From facilities management to district heating applications, accurate steam flow energy measurement is a critical flow measurement needed to incur substantial savings on energy and maintenance costs. However, steam flow energy measurement is also the most difficult flow measurement to make due to the unknown factors of what type of steam is being produced, various […]
Read the StoryTune Your Boiler: Watch Video for 3 Tips to Improve Energy Efficiency

Written By:
Erica Giannini, Marketing Manager
Improving energy efficiency in facilities, campuses and hospitals is top of mind for most facilities managers and engineers. Government regulations like Boiler MACT and other energy efficiency mandates for government buildings like VA hospitals have put the pressure on facilities engineers to take a hard look at their equipment to optimize for energy efficiency. Optimizing energy efficiency comes in the form of both […]
Read the StoryTame Your Energy Hog with Accurate Compressed Air Measurement

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
How do you tame the compressed air energy hog in your facility? As most facilities managers can attest to, the electricity used to produce compressed air can be one of the most expensive energy costs in your facility. Questions arise such as: How can I verify my compressed air capacity? How do I balance distribution and allocation […]
Read the StoryTurning Science Fiction into Reality

Written By:
Erica Giannini, Marketing Manager
Precision measurement of low flow in gas mixing applications Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on November 28, 2011. Due to its popularity and continued questions on this issue, we updated the post on March 9, 2018. Choosing the right flow controller for laboratory or biomedical research applications is essential to achieving success in […]
Read the StoryFlow Meter Do’s and Don’ts with Ammonia

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published on April 25, 2012. Due to its popularity and continued questions on this issue, we updated the post on 2/2/2018. We often have engineers and researchers ask us about the best way to measure and control ammonia. We’ve got a perfect product for the application, but there are […]
Read the StorySierra’s Top Flow Blogs of 2017

Written By:
Matthew Olin, President
Another year has come and gone, and it certainly was a big one for Sierra and our customers! Let’s look back at the news and top content that we shared with you in 2017. Most Popular Blog Posts from 2017 We love sharing our news and providing useful flow meter information with you through our Let’s Talk […]
Read the StoryStriving For Perfection: Flow Energy Partnership Improves Geothermal Energy Production

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
Since the early twentieth century, geothermal energy has been used to produce electricity. In the 1980’s and 90’s, rapid expansion in the demand for geothermal energy put pressure on suppliers to reduce costs and increase efficiencies. Now geothermal energy production is becoming a common practice around the globe. One of the largest energy companies in […]
Read the StoryHow Does a Flow Meter Work?

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
A flow meter works by measuring the amount of a gas, liquid or steam that passes through or around the flow meter sensors. While flow meter sensors work in many different ways, the end goal is the same: Deliver the most accurate and repeatable flow measurements for the specific application, whether for general research, process […]
Read the StoryNow Measure All Flow Energy In Your Facility — One Solution — Three Metering Technologies

Written By:
Matthew Olin, President
Facilities managers at large facilities often have the challenging task of managing all the flow energy in their facility with the mandate from upper management to save money on energy costs. To accomplish this goal, it’s critical to get accurate flow measurement data of the flow energy in your facility such as: natural gas, compressed air, steam, chilled […]
Read the StoryOvercoming Natural Gas Sampling Challenges in Oil & Gas Applications

Written By:
Erica Giannini, Marketing Manager
It is a fact that in order to comply with various government rules and regulations, oil and gas companies have to continually take natural gas samples to prove the gas composition and amount of gas flowing in their oil fields. The challenge comes in trying to actually take an adequate gas sample representative of the […]
Read the StorySierra’s Biggest Stories from 2016

Written By:
Erica Giannini, Marketing Manager
2017 is here and this year will bring many new exciting developments at Sierra, but before launching completely into the new year, let’s take a look back at our top stories of 2016. New at Sierra in 2016 We’re always looking for new ways to communicate and interact with our customers and industry. Find out about three […]
Read the StoryFlare Gas Measurement Innovation: Retain Flow Metering Accuracy Even if Gas Composition Changes

Written By:
Matthew Olin, President
It’s a fact oil wells almost always produce natural gas along with the petroleum. Nine times out of ten, the excess gas (typically hydrocarbons) is flared off or simply vented as-is during upset conditions in the process. The environmental impacts of “flaring” this excess gas into our atmosphere has resulted in government regulations like 40 CFR […]
Read the StoryDirect Mass Flow or Volumetric: The Thermal Flow Meter Technology Advantage!

Written By:
Maryadine Washington, Mar-Com Manager
In today’s world where everyone is watching the bottom line, you need high performance, cost-effective instrumentation—and capillary thermal mass flow meters and controllers have been proven to meet this criteria in a wide range of process applications. Thermal mass flow technology is an industry standard for mass flow control of gases because it measures flow directly, […]
Read the StoryReducing Costs of Steam Flow Measurement

Written By:
Matthew Olin, President
Traditionally, steam flow has been measured with a differential pressure device. This is typically an orifice plate. However, such devices are inherently volumetric flow measurements. As we have discussed in previous blog posts, changes in pressure and temperature will change the mass flow rate of steam. Even a “small” change of 10% in steam pressure […]
Read the StoryHow to Achieve Precise Air-Fuel Ratio Control in Burner Control Applications

Written By:
Kam Bansal, Dir. of Engineering
Mass flow control is all around us. One common application for industrial mass flow control is air-fuel ratio control of burners in industrial heating processes for manufacturing and other industries. For burner control in manufacturing, precise mass flow control of the air-fuel ratio to the burner keeps melt temperatures constant which produces quality products including […]
Read the StoryTuning Your Boiler for EPA Boiler MACT Compliance

Written By:
Matthew Olin, President
The EPA’s Boiler MACT (Maximum Achievable Control Technology) regulations are heating up. Boiler MACT is an EPA rule to limit hazardous air pollutants (HAP) from commercial and industrial boilers and process heaters. Originally published in 2011 as a mandate driven by the Clean Air Act, the rules are Area Source Boiler MACT 40 CFR 63, subpart JJJJJJ for smaller […]
Read the StoryProviding Precision Flow Control Solutions for Critical Biomolecular Research

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
When scientists at the University of Nottingham’s Centre for Biomolecular Sciences (CBS) in the United Kingdom needed instrumentation to control the flow of gases in their research, they turned to Litre Meter, a UK distributor for Sierra Instruments, and the SmartTrak 100 series mass flow meters and controllers. The working relationship between Litre Meter and the […]
Read the StoryVideo Series Highlights One-Minute Flow Measurement Tips

Written By:
Maryadine Washington, Mar-Com Manager
At Sierra, we get very excited about flow measurement and control as you can imagine, and sometimes we want to spread the information we have quickly without a whole lot of fuss. That’s the spirit behind our video series called “Minute Flow Tips.” In just a minute or so, we discuss a specific flow application […]
Read the StoryFor Vortex Flow Meters, Accuracy Matters in Steam Energy Flow Measurement

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
The heat is on. Most facilities managers are in the hot seat to account for all of the flow energy, going in and out of their facility which is no easy task. This mandate is no different for steam flowmeter measurement. Vortex flow meters continue to be the industry standard selection for accurate steam flow […]
Read the StoryHow to Reduce Methane Emissions with Thermal Mass Flow Meters

Written By:
Glen, Account & Market Manager
The flare gas discussion is heating up again. According to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), U.S. oil production is at an all-time high, and so are the harmful methane emissions from leaks, flaring and venting. U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell has proposed to update 30-year-old regulations in order to reduce the excess release of natural […]
Read the StoryIt Has Apps! Our New Vortex Flow Meter Empowers You

Written By:
Matthew Olin, President
Sierra’s next generation InnovaMass “iSeries” features a new hyper-fast microprocessor, robust software apps, and an automated state-of-the-art manufacturing and flow calibration facility to assure the highest level of quality and delivery. It Has Apps! The InnovaMass iSeries features flow management apps driven by our new Raptor II OS that will empower your process and save you time and money. ValidCal […]
Read the StoryPerfect Beer Foam with Modern Flow Meters

Written By:
Erica Giannini, Marketing Manager
We talk a lot about the use of flow meters in flare gas, waste water and sub-metering applications, but Sierra’s innovative flow meters are utilized by a wide variety of industries. You’ll find our flow measurement and control devices orbiting the earth, assisting with the creation of oceanic atmospheres in research facilities and even improving […]
Read the StoryThermal Mass Flow Meters Offer Oil & Gas Companies Lowest Cost of Ownership

Written By:
Maryadine Washington, Mar-Com Manager
The Wall Street Journal recently reported that oil prices have hit a rock bottom $40 a barrel, the lowest since 2009. How does this affect the oil companies? Well, the consumer gets the benefit of the low pump price which does loosen discretionary spending, but the oil & gas companies are hurting-spending less money on capital investment […]
Read the StoryGet Our New Full Line Flow Meter Product Catalog / Selection Guide

Written By:
Maryadine Washington, Mar-Com Manager
Find the Right Meter for Your Application—Instantly Let’s face it, specifying the best flow instrumentation for your application can be a daunting task. That’s why we created a new Full Line Flow Product Catalog with all Sierra’s products, key specifications, and application benefits in one, easy-to-use brochure. Quickly specify the right flow meter for your […]
Read the StoryEverything You Need to Know About Sub-Metering Natural Gas

Written By:
Erica Giannini, Marketing Manager
We’ve written quite a bit about the benefits of using thermal flow meters to sub-meter natural gas in large facilities. So much so, that we’ve decided to create one post that can be your go-to resource for finding information on the topic. Here you’ll find links to easily digestible content like infographics and SlideShare presentations, […]
Read the StoryPrecision in Formula 1 Testing

Written By:
Erica Giannini, Marketing Manager
Not many of our flow meter customers know we have been active in the automotive test industry since the early 1990s. Like Sierra’s Flowmeter Division, our Automotive Test Division is passionate about precision measurement and control. There is a lot of flow measurement needed in automotive testing, but Sierra’s capabilities in this area spread well […]
Read the StoryTake Charge of Your Facility’s Water Usage…

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
Water is a precious resource! Now, more than ever, businesses and facilities must take charge of their water usage to help with water conservation and lower water bills. Water conservation begins with knowing exactly how much water you are using in your process or facility. When you know how much water you are using, you can adjust […]
Read the StoryUltra-High Pressure 5000 psig (345 barg) Gas Mass Flow Control…No Easy Task!

Written By:
Max Waterstone, Engineer
Overall, Sierra wants better accuracy and control of high pressure gas mass flows across industry in general, leading to better efficiency, and vastly reducing gas losses to save time and money for our customers. But, how is it possible to accurately measure and control gas mass flow rates at pressures up to 5000 psig (345 barg)? This is […]
Read the StoryThe Secret to Slashing Your Facility’s Natural Gas Bills

Written By:
Erica Giannini, Marketing Manager
Psst. We’ve got a secret. One that could save you money. How much, you ask? Thousands. That’s right. You could be saving thousands on your facility’s natural gas bill. Traditional diaphragm flow meters used for natural gas measurement can’t account for changes in gas composition, resulting in a utility bill that can be less than […]
Read the Story4 Keys to Great Portable Ultrasonic Flow Metering

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
The liquid measurement market is an extremely large market with many varied measurement requirements. To get the best bang for your buck, a portable ultrasonic flow meter is a practical solution. With a portable ultrasonic flow meter, you can use one liquid flow meter in several locations throughout your flow process. There are many portable […]
Read the StoryHow to Install Vortex Steam Flow Meters!

Written By:
Erica Giannini, Marketing Manager
A few weeks back Glen Coblentz, Vice President of North American sales, spent three days in New York City. Unfortunately, he was not able to enjoy the sites of NYC. Instead, he was working 45-feet underground in 120 F degree heat in New York City’s steam tunnels. For over five hours, Glen worked with Sierra Representative, North East Technical, commissioning […]
Read the StoryBest Practices for Mass Flow Controller Manufacturing

Written By:
Erica Giannini, Marketing Manager
In Part 1 of our mass flow controller best practices series, Best Practices for Mass Flow Controller Selection and Installation, Sierra’s Chief Engineer John Smitherman compiled a comprehensive list of best practices for the selection, installation and operation of mass flow meters and controllers. With so many flow measurement products and technologies on the market, […]
Read the StoryHow to Save Time & Money by Calibrating Flow Meters Onsite

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
If you have hundreds of mass flow controllers and meters or just a few in your lab, facility, or manufacturing process, how do you keep up with the demands of annual recalibration? Most flow meters and controllers need to be recalibrated yearly to meet stringent ISO quality standards. This requires technicians to remove the mass flow meters from the […]
Read the StoryBest Practices for Mass Flow Controller Selection & Installation

Written By:
John, Chief Engineer
As scientists, facilities managers and manufacturing engineers, specifying equipment is a part of our daily work life. What product do I need? What’s the best price for the value? How do I install the product once I get it? The more information about best practice principles, the easier the job is of specifying and buying […]
Read the StoryNEW Video Animation: How Do Thermal Mass Flowmeters Work?

Written By:
Erica Giannini, Marketing Manager
As if your were actor Dennis Quaid in the popular 1987 movie Innerspace, journey inside the pipe to learn the operational principle of thermal mass flow technology and see, from a molecules perspective, why thermal flow meters have become extremely popular due to high accuracy, no moving parts, negligible pressure drop, sensitive direct mass flow measurement with high […]
Read the StoryPart 3: Accurately Measuring Flare Gas — Managing Gas Mix Changes, Retaining Accuracy, Reducing Cost of Ownership

Written By:
Matthew Olin, President
In my last post, I compared the pros and cons of the various flow meters available for measurement of flare gas. Ultimately, all but one has limitations that will impede your ability to accurately measure excess burn off from the hydraulic fracturing process. In this week’s post, I’ll share a new generation thermal mass flow […]
Read the StoryPart 2: Accurately Measuring Flare Gas — Innovations Promise More Economical Choices

Written By:
Matthew Olin, President
In my last post on flare gas flow measurement, I shared how the rise in hydraulic fracturing has led to more stringent state and national mandates to regulate the measurement of waste and excess gases that are produced as a result of this process. If you’re affiliated with an oil or gas company, you know […]
Read the StoryPart 1: Accurately Measuring Flare Gas — Challenges, Solutions, and Opportunities

Written By:
Matthew Olin, President
If your company is involved with hydraulic fracturing to increase oil and gas production, you’re familiar with the fact that state and national regulations are becoming increasingly stringent. In particular, flare gas now requires the installation of mass flow measurement instruments to measure waste and excess gases burned off as a result of the hydraulic […]
Read the StoryChemical Engineering Magazine Article By Sierra’s Founder

Written By:
Maryadine Washington, Mar-Com Manager
Sierra’s Founder, Dr. John G. Olin, looks at the Principles of Operation, Installation, Calibration and Best Applications for Thermal Mass Flow Meters… Read the full article in Chemical Engineering Magazine.
Read the StoryAmmonia Gas Flow Measurement Challenges & Solutions

Written By:
Jim Oswald, Technical Support Manager
Measuring and controlling ammonia can be tricky. One mistake during the transition from gas to liquid and your instrumentation is ruined. In the video below, Glen Coblentz, Vice President of North American Sales, gives some tips for successful mass flow measurement and control of ammonia. It could mean the difference between success and a costly mistake! […]
Read the StorySmartTrak MFC Highlighed on NOVA TV Program

Written By:
Maryadine Washington, Mar-Com Manager
It’s alive! No, I’m not talking about Dr. Frankenstein’s monster. But you’d be surprised by what researchers have discovered in the area of therapeutic hypothermia, or using hydrogen sulfide to slow the body’s demand for oxygen. A recent episode of NOVA, “Making Stuff Colder,” highlights research being conducted by Mark Roth, a biochemist for the […]
Read the StoryInsertion Flow Meter Straight Run Requirements

Written By:
Jim Oswald, Technical Support Manager
You have specified the correct industrial Thermal insertion mass flow meter and received your brand new meter. Now what? Where do you install the meter for optimal performance? This is where technical expertise comes in, along with a mixture of science and tribal knowledge. In fact, Sierra has talked for years about a flowmeter being only as good as how it was […]
Read the StoryVoice of the Customer: Flow Meter Solution for Air Pollutant Measurement

Written By:
Erica Giannini, Marketing Manager
We’re always looking for solutions here at Sierra-ones that always give customers precise, accurate data. It’s what drove Dr. John G. Olin to found Sierra in 1973, with a goal of providing the marketplace with accurate flow meter measurement. It’s what drives our engineering team to continue to advance flow meter design. It’s also what […]
Read the StoryPart 2: Challenges with Submetering Natural Gas

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
I previously shared a post on how mid-to-large size facilities can save money by taking the initiative to submeter natural gas usage, titled Part 1: Challenges with Submetering Natural Gas. The traditional diaphragm meters used by utility companies rely on fixed compensation variables that can lead to inaccuracies and overcharging. While this can affect residential customers, it […]
Read the StoryPart 1: Challenges with Submetering Natural Gas

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
In an article for Gases & Instrumentation magazine, I explored energy management as it relates to the natural gas industry. Natural gas exists in abundance in this country, with production expected to increase 44 percent by 2040. With such unprecedented growth in production of this natural resource, utility companies must focus on providing the most accurate gas […]
Read the StoryHow to Measure Air Flow Rate–Not As Easy As it Appears

Written By:
Morgan Zealear, Engineer
If we look at what is considered low flow measurement of air mass flow rate, those applications ranging from 0 to 10 sccm up to 0 to 1000 slpm ranges, there is a right way and a wrong way to measure. It’s an inherent problem many of our customers face before they find the right […]
Read the StoryBreak from the Shackles-Mid-to-Large Size Facilities Verify Utility Company Billing

Written By:
Erica Giannini, Marketing Manager
As we have all been hearing in the news, natural gas is becoming a very valuable and abundant natural resource. Almost all of this increase is due to the projected growth in shale gas production which will grow to 16.7 trillion cubic feet in 2040. Now comes the big question: how are utility companies going […]
Read the StoryPart 3: Biogas Flow Meter Measurement-The Solution

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
In recent weeks, I’ve shared some exciting advancements in the biogas industry in regards to renewable energy management. From harnessing biogas energy from landfills to the digester gas produced at wastewater treatment plants, one thing is paramount: Adjusting for changing gas composition is critical to obtaining accurate flow meter measurement for optimal biogas energy collection. […]
Read the StoryPart 2: Biogas Mass Flow Measurement–The Challenge

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
In my previous posts, I shared the focus on the growing need for renewable energy sources in the United States, with biogas becoming a hot commodity. Common sources include harnessing biogas from landfills, as well as digester gas produced at wastewater treatment plants. One of the major flow measurement challenges in biogas applications is the fact […]
Read the StoryBiogas Flow Meter Measurement: The Flooded Market

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
In my recently published article in Biomass Products & Technology , Precise Biogas Flow Measurement: Overcoming the Challenges of Changing Gas Composition, I highlight the nationwide search for alternative energy sources. In the article, I note that this search has led to increased interest in sources of biogas energy specifically. Many flow meter companies have jumped into […]
Read the StoryBiogas Energy Production: Why Accurate Flow Measurement Is Critical

Written By:
Erica Giannini, Marketing Manager
The buzz around biogas continues to grow and with good reason. Efforts to find renewable sources of energy are in full swing, and harnessing energy from landfill gas or digester gas into biogas is a promising solution to the problem of high oil prices. In the July 2013 issue of Biomass Products & Technology, Sierra’s […]
Read the StoryNew Video: Best Practices for Leak Testing Inlet & Outlet Fittings for Your MFC

Written By:
Erica Giannini, Marketing Manager
Have questions about your mass flow controller or flow meter? We’ve got answers. We’re excited to unveil a brand new series of “how-to” videos answering your most frequently asked questions about mass flow controllers and flow meters on Sierra Instruments’ YouTube Channel and in our video section on our website. It is industry best practice to always leak […]
Read the StoryPart 2: Cold Weather and Mass Air Flow Meter Accuracy (Stem Conduction)

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
In Part One, we looked at the effects of cold weather on mass air flow meters like Sierra’s Steel-Mass® Model 640S and our new QuadraTherm™ Model 640i. As discussed, cold weather typically doesn’t cause any physical damage to the flow meter, but it can affect the meter accuracy. Let’s look at how. Flowmeters That Are […]
Read the StoryCold Weather and Your Mass Flow Sensor

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
Baby It’s Cold Outside Sierra is a global company, so we sell our mass air flow sensors into some pretty extreme cold weather environments. Indeed, we are seeing more and more applications in the far North, where immersible thermal flow meters like Sierra’s Steel-Mass® Model 640S and our new QuadraTherm™ Model 640i are used in […]
Read the StoryFlare Gas Metering Solutions

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
Waste gases must be flared in numerous industries ranging from oil refineries and well drilling operations (like shale gas fracking) to wastewater treatment plants and landfills. Due to government regulations, flares are subject to stringent regulations requiring accurate measurement. Requirements to monitor the flow rate and consumption of flare gas involves measurement at points within a […]
Read the StoryFit for the King: Flow Meters & CO2 at Budweiser

Written By:
Erica Giannini, Marketing Manager
When the King of Beers calls, we listen. As the #1 imported beer in China, Budweiser needed better control of its carbon dioxide (CO2) gas mass flow measurement at its Fujian Province plant. After trying several other, non-direct mass flow measurement technologies, engineers chose Sierra’s immersible SteelMass® 640S thermal mass flow meter. The reason behind their choice was that […]
Read the StoryQuadraTherm Flowmeter Puts New Spin on Fiberglass [Case Study]

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
What a waste! That’s what I thought when I learned how much material is rejected and how much gas is consumed during the fiberglass insulation manufacturing process. The biggest losses occur during the melting, spinning and subsequent cooling of silica, a key ingredient in fiberglass. For those who work in this industry, it’s a never-ending […]
Read the StoryHow Biogas Generators Work with Air Flow Meters

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
For several years, Sierra has been working with the Santa Cruz Wastewater Treatment Facility near Monterey, Calif., to improve the rate of biogas cogeneration. Santa Cruz produces energy – enough to power 3,000 homes – by blending digester gas (a by-product of its sewage decontamination) with natural gas. This type of biomass helps create electricity using […]
Read the StoryFlowmeter Reliability and Service Win with Wastewater Biogas Plant

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
The old maxim – waste not, want not – has taken on a whole new meaning in places like the Santa Cruz Wastewater Treatment Facility, located near Monterey Bay in Northern California. At the plant, digester gas, a by-product of sewage decontamination, is captured and mixed with natural gas to form a type of biomass, one […]
Read the StoryPrecise PVD with Mass Flow Meters

Written By:
Erica Giannini, Marketing Manager
Developers and manufacturers of solar photovoltaic installations have seen a dramatic increase in business in recent years. If you’re part of this industry, you know that solar energy now generates power in more than 100 countries and continues to be the fastest growing type of electricity generation in the world. Due to the growing demand, manufacturing […]
Read the StoryAccurate Fuel Flow Meters from Sierra-CP

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
In addition to our Flow Measurement & Control Division, Sierra has a thriving Automotive Test Division called Sierra-CP that designs and manufactures a complete range of solutions for automotive test applications including engine, vehicle, powertrain, transmission, emissions, analytical and component testing. In engine and vehicle testing, extremely accurate fuel flow measurement is often a critical factor. Our FuelTrak […]
Read the StorySmartTrak® 140 Ultra-Low ΔP Mass Flow Controllers

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
Get Incredible 4.5 psid (310 mBard) at Flows up to 500 slpm. When you need precision gas mass flow control of expensive process gases, where minimal pressure drop is a key consideration for cost savings and efficiency, the SmartTrak® 140 flow meter controls up to 500 slpm with an ultra-low ΔP of 4.5 psid (310 […]
Read the StoryOut in the Cold: Mass Vortex Flowmeter Conquers Cryogenic Fluid

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
Cryogenic fluids are key in a variety of industries with very low temperature applications, including medical, large-scale frozen food processing and electric power transmission. However, these fluids must be handled – and measured – with great care, which can be a challenge if you’re using a traditional turbine meter or other tools to assess various fluid […]
Read the StoryStop Getting Steamed (Part 2): Easy Vortex Flowmeter Retrofit

Written By:
John, Chief Engineer
In my last post, I outlined problems you may be facing if you need to measure superheated steam accurately, and I promised to share a success story about our Innova-Mass multivariable vortex flow meter. A district energy provider for a Midwest city had hot air problems. Their old shunt meters were wearing out and leading […]
Read the StoryEconomic OEM Mass Flow Controller for PVD Applications

Written By:
Mark Blackbourn, Engineer
Those of you who work in the solar energy and semiconductor industry will be familiar with physical vapor deposition (PVD) or sputtering that is commonly used for creating films of material on a substrate in the solar energy and semiconductor industry. In the PVD process, a negatively charged electrode is slowly disintegrated by molecular bombardment. […]
Read the StoryUltrasonic Flow Meter Reduces Water Company’s Drain [Case Study]

Written By:
John, Chief Engineer
The Carmel Riviera Mutual Water Company believed it was losing big. Historical estimates indicated that more than 30% of this small, independent water company’s production was going down the drain through leaks, waste, evaporation and other types of loss. The company budgeted almost $60,000 per year in initiatives to reduce these leaks, including labor and materials […]
Read the StoryStop Getting Steamed (part 1): Vortex Flow Meters Make Cents

Written By:
John, Chief Engineer
If you’re a provider of superheated steam – commonly used to heat water and buildings in large cities in the northeastern United States – then you may be watching your revenue go up in smoke. As you know, steam is not free. Normally, it’s produced at a central facility and piped to customers. Like all other forms […]
Read the StoryPart 2: For Steam Flow, Mass Vortex Flow Meters Are Ideal!

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
In my last post, I discussed the problem of density errors creeping into steam flow measurements. When steam is superheated, you can determine density by the steam tables. But, as the vapor cools in a pipe, things aren’t so simple. I said the answer to the conundrum is actually “blowing in the wind” – that a […]
Read the StoryCustomize Your Flow Meters

Written By:
Kam Bansal, Dir. of Engineering
Did you know Sierra has a special team called OEM & Custom Solutions Group? This team of engineers and technicians is dedicated to meeting the need for custom products. By utilizing nearly 40 years of flow meter design experience, we modify any existing product to meet original equipment manufacturer (OEM), private label or general customer special […]
Read the StoryChoosing a Flow Meter as Tough as Corrosive Gas

Written By:
Matthew Olin, President
One of the interesting trends we have seen in the Bio/Pharm and general scientific research markets is the many people who want to measure and control corrosive gases. This has always been a tough application, but there are a few ways that we can help you be successful. The ideal flowmeter is the SideTrak 840, built […]
Read the StoryRiding the Waves of Climate Change, Part 3: Only Durable, Reliable Flowmeters Survive

Written By:
Erica Giannini, Marketing Manager
This month I’ve been blogging about field researcher David Mucciarone, a Stanford University science and engineering associate. He’s part of a team that’s changing the way research about global warming is done, moving from discrete sampling to continuous, real-time monitoring. A key component of that shift is the flow meter in his chromatography-based flow-through sampling […]
Read the StoryRiding the Waves of Climate Change, Part 2: Flowmeter Precision is Essential

Written By:
Erica Giannini, Marketing Manager
Recently, I wrote about how Stanford researcher David Mucciarone is helping redefine the way climate-change research is conducted Riding Waves of Climate Change, Part 1. In making a break from traditional discrete sampling, which provides only a tiny snapshot of water conditions, Mucciarone has created his own chromatography-based, flow-through device that can sample a variety […]
Read the StoryRiding the Waves of Climate Change, Part 1: Flowmeters Help Change the Way Research is Done

Written By:
Erica Giannini, Marketing Manager
Back in December, I shared how the Sierra Smart-Trak flowmeter traveled to Antarctica in 2006 with Stanford University researcher David Mucciarone. As a critical component of his data collection efforts, the flow meter helped him measure the breakdown of inorganic carbon during the Antarctic summer bloom. This important R&D work directly correlated with studies on global […]
Read the StoryWireless Flow Metering: More Than Just No Wires

Written By:
Kam Bansal, Dir. of Engineering
In my last post, I described having your meters connected to a wired network, and the “remote” console wirelessly communicating with said meters. This time, I want to expand on this with introducing wireless meters into the mix. So, you now have 6 meters communicating on a wired network; and their data is being introspected by […]
Read the StoryNatural Gas Measurement: 3 Reasons Thermal Mass Flow Meters Are Ideal

Written By:
John, Chief Engineer
When it comes to metering natural gas, you’ve got several flow meter options. However, thermal mass flow meters offer three distinct advantages over more traditional flow meters: No moving parts. As you can probably guess, moving parts can cause problems over time due to wear, lubrication and coating sensitivity. For example, turbine meters offer excellent […]
Read the StoryA Thermal Mass Flow Meter in Outer Space

Written By:
Matthew Olin, President
North America’s #1 selling thermal mass flow meter offering (Flow Research, Yoder), our heavy-industrial thermal mass flow meters are designed for the most demanding industrial gas mass or air flow measurement applications. Early developments in the evolution of mass flow meters in the 1950’s were largely driven by the need for highly accurate gas mass flow […]
Read the StoryHow to Achieve Vapor Mass Flow Control with a Thermal Mass Flow Controller

Written By:
Mark Blackbourn, Engineer
I often get asked to describe the most challenging flow meter applications that Sierra has successfully handled. One that comes to mind is how we used a capillary thermal mass flow controller (designed to measure gas) to accurately control a liquid used in the semiconductor industry at extremely low pressure differentials of about 10 Torr. […]
Read the StoryBreaking the Ice: Antarctica Researcher Meets Sierra’s ‘Smart’ Mass Flow Meter

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
Working here along California’s Central Coast in Monterey, I don’t often get to experience a White Christmas or snowball fights or even the excitement of schussing down the slopes (unless I travel 4 hours to Lake Tahoe, Northern California). So, it’s really tough for me to imagine the frigid, barren conditions of the coldest place […]
Read the StoryMeasure Natural Gas Energy Accurately with Thermal Flowmeters

Written By:
John, Chief Engineer
It is well known that thermal mass flow meters are effected by gas composition. Because thermal mass flow meters are effected by gas composition, many customers are concerned about how composition changes effect overall system accuracy. Through many years of experience with gas mixtures, we have seen that in many cases, a thermal mass flow […]
Read the StoryAre You a Mango? Three Big Advantages of Buying Flow Meters Online

Written By:
Erica Giannini, Marketing Manager
If you’ve ever been up late at night – perhaps even on a weekend – trying to figure out how to get a gas mass or ultrasonic flow meter STAT, you’re a mango. A Frank Mango, to be precise. CEO & founder of Petroleum Habitats, an R&D start-up, Frank Mango needed a mass flowmeter, and […]
Read the StoryThree Easy Steps to Leak Testing with a Gas Mass Flow Meter

Written By:
Mark Blackbourn, Engineer
Leak detection can be easy, but in the “good old days” (which some of us may still be living in today), leaks were time-consuming to find and fix. Let’s compare how to find a leak the hard way, and then I’ll show you how easy it can be to automate the process with a mass flow meter. Detecting a Gas […]
Read the StoryPrecision Gas Flow Control is Key to R&D Instrumentation

Written By:
Erica Giannini, Marketing Manager
If you’re a scientific researcher, few things are as important as your ability to accurately control experimental research variables. Data – more specifically, precise data – is king! When you need gas flow rate measurement and control instrumentation, the ability to derive statistically sound and repeatable data is the key driver. Over the past several […]
Read the StoryUpgrades to Food Processing Boilers Worth Their Salt: a Steam Flowmeter Case Study

Written By:
John, Chief Engineer
When the operations staff at a large food processing plant wanted to reduce utility costs and better analyze boiler performance, they chose to retrofit their 35-year-old boilers with new electronic controls, as well as several of our Innova-Mass® Model 241 immersible multivariable mass vortex flow meters to accurately measure steam discharge. Previously run by old pneumatic […]
Read the StoryGas Mixing & Blending: A Focus on Dilution

Written By:
Paul de Waal, Managing Dir., Sierra Europe
Dilution is a special application in the world of gas mixing. Basically, you are diluting a concentration of gas in an already existing gas mixture. Let’s say you have a gas mixture of 10% Ar/90% N2 and you really need 5 Ar/95% N2 for your application. The solution is to add more N2 to the the mix, […]
Read the StoryGas Mixing & Blending: ‘Kwik Kalucations’ with K-Factors

Written By:
Paul de Waal, Managing Dir., Sierra Europe
‘Kwik Kalucations’ with K-factors make gas mixing with a single gas mass flow meter simple. If you’re looking to improve flexibility and save money when it comes to gas mixing and blending applications, consider applying a “K-Factor.” A dimensionless numerical relation of a specific gas vs. air or nitrogen, a gas K-factor never changes. If K-factors will work in […]
Read the StoryTransit-Time Ultrasonic Flow Meters Don’t Need to be Expensive

Written By:
Mark Blackbourn, Engineer
When you think about clamp-on, transit-time ultrasonic flowmeters, the first thought that usually comes to mind is the value that stems from the convienence and accuracy for liquid flow measurment–no pipe cutting, very high accuracy and reliability, no hassles. But, that value does come at a price, and it is worth it if you take into account […]
Read the StoryAccuracy in Gas Mixing & Blending

Written By:
Paul de Waal, Managing Dir., Sierra Europe
In my last post, I discussed the important question of Mass or Volume flow measurement. Today, I will discuss accuracy and the need to size your mass flow controller properly to assure the highest quality gas mixing and blending. Mass flow controllers are devices that have an accuracy of % of full scale (%FS). That means […]
Read the StoryUltrasonics, Water Flow Measurement: Part 2

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
In my last post, I discussed Sierra’s decision to enter the giant water flow measurement market due to our intimate and successful history in the waste water treatment industry measuring air flow with our thermal mass flow meters. At that time, almost a decade ago, we looked at ways to measure water flow and narrowed it […]
Read the StoryUltrasonics, Water Flow Measurement: Part 1

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
Since Sierra is a leading supplier of immersible thermal mass flow meters, I find myself heavily involved in the waste water treatment industry, where Sierra’s model 640S Steel-Trak® is the instrument of choice for measuring the low pressure air fed to the flocculation tanks, where oxygen-loving (aerobic) bacteria happily munch on the wastes. Over time, […]
Read the StoryGas Mixing & Blending: Mass or Volume?

Written By:
Paul de Waal, Managing Dir., Sierra Europe
Mass or Volume: Important question! In my first blog post on gas mixing and blending, we saw that combustion is an important gas mix application. Combustion or burning is a chemical process, a reaction between molecules. To quantify the gas used we should count these gas molecules and not the space between these gas molecules. […]
Read the StoryAir May Be Free, But Compressed Air Isn’t! (Part 2 of 2)

Written By:
Scott Rouse, Product Line Director
In my last post early last month (June 9th), Mr. Carlisle of Air Compressor Supply was looking for compressed air flow meters to measure compressed air. As I explained to him, our Steel-Trak® Model 640S is ideal for compressed air applications. The 640S immersible thermal mass flow meter delivers the 1.0% accuracy and highly repeatable direct mass […]
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