Turbine flow meters are commonly used to measure natural gas in industrial and commercial billing flow applications. There are many turbine flow meter applications in the industry, including boiler/burner control, fuel to air ratio, and custody transfer applications.

Custody transfer may be for billing purposes between two or more parties. Custody transfer can also be for allocation measurement in a facility environment with
multiple natural gas users.

Another natural gas flowmeter industrial application can be found in the power generation industry. Turbine generators are used in that industry by power plants to gain additional power generating capacity during periods of peak demand.

For those natural gas flow applications, regulatory requirements are invoked under 40 CFR (Code of Federal Regulations for environmental protection) Part 75, Appendix D. This regulation invokes flow meter performance guidelines and calibration requirements.

HO Series of Gas turbine flow meters

Because natural gas has a value associated with it, most users interested in metering the gas are very concerned with flow meter accuracy.

Although many flow meter technologies can measure natural gas, Hoffer turbine flow meters are often selected for this application. The reasons for using the HO Series of Gas turbine flow meters for this application include high accuracy, wide rangeability, and cost considerations.

In addition to these advantages, Hoffer offers a unique feature on our HO Series of gas flow meters. Meter sizes range from ¼” through 12”. Each size we offer is available with four (4) different blade angles on the rotor assembly.

Various Blade Angles Provides Different Flow Ranges

For example, all meter sizes are available with a 15, 20, 25, or 30-degree blade angle on the rotor assembly. The use of various blade angles enables Hoffer to offer several different flow ranges for any given size flow meter.

Steep blade angles shift the flow meter range to cover lower flow rates. Shallow blade angles shift the flow range to higher flow rates. Shallow blade angles also minimize the pressure drop through the flow meter.

Offering multiple blade angles on our flow meter rotor assemblies is a feature that is unique to our turbine meter product line.

Hoffer offers flow computers that include mass flow calculations compliant to AGA 7 and AGA 8. These flow computers offer compensation for temperature, pressure, and compressibility.

In addition, flow meter linearization is a standard feature to provide enhanced accuracy.

Natural Gas Flowmeters from Hoffer Flow Controls

Hoffer Flow Controls has been designing and manufacturing quality turbine flowmeters and related process instrumentation for more than fifty years. Our initial experience was in the field of natural gas flow measurement. Please be sure to follow Hoffer Flow Control on Linked In

Also, see
Natural Gas in Venezuela
Gas Transmission Auxiliary
Gas and Liquid Measurement in Power Plants