What does natural gas mean?
A natural gas fuel is one of the most efficient and clean forms of energy available to mankind. It is combustible, burns more cleanly than other energy sources and is therefore one of the most widely used energy sources in the world today. Due to the fact that natural gas is one of the cheapest and most effective forms of energy available in today’s world, it is easy to see why it is so widely used as an energy source in most industrial sectors. As a colorless, odorless gas, it contains mostly methane and a small amount of other hydrocarbons. It is obtained from oil and gas wells and transported across the country by pipelines.
What is the need for natural gas flow measurement in industry?
Natural gas is a combustible gas mixture extracted from nature that contains hydrocarbons as its main component. Most natural gas is composed of gaseous low-molecular hydrocarbons and non-hydrocarbon gases, with methane accounting for 85%, ethane accounting for 9%, propane accounting for 3%, nitrogen accounting for 2%, and butane accounting for 1%.
In addition to serving as fuel, it is used to produce raw materials for chemicals such as acetaldehyde, acetylene, ammonia, carbon black, ethanol, formaldehyde, hydrocarbon fuels, hydrogenated oil, methanol, nitric acid, synthesis gas, and vinyl chloride.
A natural gas flow meter is needed in coal mining, power plants, nitric acid plants, organic chemical synthesis plants, and petroleum refining plants. Natural gas is compressed into liquid for storage and transportation.
You must always remember that when you choose a gas flow meter , it is crucial to choose the correct technology. Here are some of the things you should look for when choosing a natural gas flow meter. Several types of industrial natural gas flow meters can be used to monitor the flow of gas to gas burners, boilers, ovens, furnaces, etc.
How does the industrial natural gas flow meter application work?
Before you choose one natural gas flow measurement device, it is essential that you understand the application of flowmeter technology. We recently posted a few tips for you to keep in mind when choosing the appropriate gas flow meter. Understanding is fundamental to making the right decision.
1. What type of gas is it measuring?
Is it a mixture of gases or just a single gas? How large is the flow range, what is the process temperature, how accurate does the process have to be, and how much pressure is required? Is it clean and dry? Or dirty, corrosive, and damp?
2. What purpose will this meter serve?
Is it for submetering, industrial gas processing, custody transfer, or monitoring? Do you need a volumetric natural gas flow meter or a mass flow meter? How much will you spend on the natural gas flow meter? Would you like an inline or an insertion natural gas flow meter?
3. What do you need it to do?
What kind of display do you need? What calibrations are needed? Are you going to need advanced electronics or upgrades? Do you need a natural gas flow meter totalizer? Will it need to be maintained? Do you need a digital natural gas flow meter?
4. Where is the intended installation?
Do you know what kind of conditions it will be working under? Will it be exposed to extreme temperatures? Will there be enough straight run? Will it have to comply with any regulations? Does the machine suffer from vibrations or noise?
As soon as you have gathered all this information, you can make a more educated choice when it comes to choosing the right gas flow sensor.