Software for More Accurate Flow Metering

Take a look at these:

• Tank Level Control - predig.com‎
• Micro Motion Flow Meters - EmersonProcess.com‎
  
• Solutions by Industry
• Gravity & Density Meters


Here's How Wireless Measuring Tools Improve Tank ...
Retail Petroleum Inventory Management by Veeder-Root
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SCADA Systems | Tank Level Indicator | Temperature ...
Instrumentation, Control and Automation of Water and ...

• Name of fluid?
• Temperature range?
• Pressure range
• Flowrates?
• Volumes?
• Perceived need for accuracy?
• Style of tank?

One word........ SCADA!

Sorry... Five words.

System

Control

And

Data

Acquisition

Agreed.

Sampling rate may be adjustable with the present system but that's about it.

Time to talk to the supplier.

Thanks for nice feedback. I was playing around with some ideas for my previous field of work. It is more of an academic question than an acute work case, but perhaps there are already existing solutions.

I was thinking of energy efficiency, not control applications. Like IdeaSmith said it, I would just like to see what is going on in the system.

Yes, I forgot to mention that I would like to measure fuel (Marine diesel oil, HFO, or something else). I have some experience with measuring these on ships. The problem with mechanical rotating fuel flow meters is that they easily get stuck or otherwise broken. Coriolis meters are probably a good solution for some solutions but often they have problems with the vibrations that you just can not completely escape while onboard. Sometimes you can not get accurate enough coriolis meter, since the pipe diameter is fixed, and the bigger piped meters are for larger flow rates.

Besides broken meters, the biggest problem seems to be that often there are no meters at all for each pipe that is relevant for consumption. And installation of multiple new meters might be of much bigger hassle compared to a new software. One exception might be clamp-on ultrasonic meters, but I'm not sure how well they perform with the conditions near the engine (the viscosity and temperatures [70-160C] vary. There might be some gases in the pipe).

Since the cost of the clamp-on installation might be one tenth of a coriolismeter, it might be worth it, even if multiple meters are needed to do the job. I'm not sure, but I could imagine that even the second ultra-sonic meter in series might reduce total errors with some proper filtering. The second location could have different pipe size, different turbulance situation, less gas bubbles, or less wall build-up in some system state.

I wonder if similar problems have easy solution in some other field of engineering, since I haven't quite found it on my own searches.

...which leaves most of #2 unanswered, and the forum still guessing. Not that pressing, then?

There are several clamp-on flow meters on the market that would work with some degree of accuracy if installed correctly with the appropriate upstream and downstream pipe diameter spacing.

I have found only one clamp-on meter so far that can be installed within 2 pipe diameters of any flow disturbance device and still maintain accuracy.

I suggest you look closely at FLEXIM offerings for clamp-on meters with a high degree of accuracy.

Though your wit seems logical and practical. Please reflect, if does it comply quality process standards.

Say for example:

You can not calibrate a device if your basis is a less accurate method or basis in any means.

If this violate your plan, then sad to say, it's not acceptable.