A: The best place for this is user forums.
In a good user forum there will be a
range of activities that will help a flow
measurement professional.
There will be training courses, where they
can learn the latest technologies and
how to apply them. There will be user-
presented workshops, where successes
and lessons from practical experience can
be shared.
There will be industry forums, where users
and industry leaders can gain a common
understanding. And in all of these,
the end users can frankly discuss the
issues they have seen in the real world,
understand best practice from each other,
and have the manufacturer acknowledge
product short-comings and commit to
addressing them.
Q8) What is on the prospect in terms
of flow meter technology? How is the
flow meter technology of today more
effective/efficient than the technology of
previous generations?
A: The trend to more intelligence in the
device will continue. This will allow signal
processing to be further enhanced. In
addition we’re seeing devices made of
increasingly exotic materials, like Coriolis
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PECM Issue 30
meters with super duplex stainless steel
measuring tubesl, and in a wider range
of sizes.
Wireless measurement has the ability
to drastically reduce the installation
and maintenance cost of installing a
flow meter and, with four or two-wire
meter technology, Wireless can bring the
intelligence from a meter connected to a
legacy control system to the maintenance
shop.
Q9) From your viewpoint, what are the
high-level best practices you typically
propose?
A: Understand the purpose of the
measurement and its value. Make sure
you know the properties of the fluid
you’re measuring, as well as the physical
installation requirements and how fast,
repeatable and accurate you need the
measurement to be. Take environmental
and safety considerations into account
and make sure that the balance between
capital and lifecycle costs is sensible.
Now choose the right technology, the
right materials of construction, and install
it correctly, away from equipment that will
affect the measurement.
And, if in doubt, ask an expert!