Improved flow conditioners for orifice metering

A comprehensive research program on orifice meter performance is ongoing at the Gas Research Institute (GRI) Metering Research Facility (MRF). The objective is to determine the flow conditioning specifications necessary for acceptable orifice metering performance in installations built to conform with existing standards. Previous research results focused on conventional tube-bundle flow conditioners or straighteners in piping configurations that are typical of field installations. While this has resulted in recommandations for better use of tube-bundle flow conditioners for orifice metering applications, their proper use is contingent on parameters such as the flow Reynolds number, orifice beta (β) ratio, pressure tap orientation, and inlet piping configuration. Therefore, the GRI program and other international flow research organizations are rigorously pursuing the test and development of alternate flow conditioners. This paper presents recent MRF results on the performance of flow conditioners used to minimize flow rate measurements errors in field installations of orifice meters.