Measuring and monitoring gas mass flow
 Sage thermal mass flow meters are ideal for many industrial applications for measuring or monitoring gas mass flow. Whether insertion-style meters or in-line meters with flow conditioners, there is no need for pressure or temperature transmitters, they are accurate and reliable and have no moving parts. The thermal mass flowmeters have negligible pressure drop, wide rangeability (100:1) and resolution (1000:1), which are essential for modern industrial plant processes. Additionally, they are Modbus compliant for communications and in harsh environments a remote style flow meter with up to 1000 feet of lead-length compensation is available to handle the application.
Industrial Plant Applications for Gas Mass Flowmeters
- Aerospace
Whether measuring flow for the heat treatment of aircraft parts, R&D, combustion control, natural gas submetering or compressed airflow, gas mass flow meters have proven successful in various aerospace applications.
- Boiler Controls
Thermal Mass Flow Meters are suitable for combustion control as they have fast response, low pressure drop, and wide turndown.
- Cogeneration
Cogeneration is the process where a fuel is used to produce both electricity and thermal energy. The principal is quite simple, when generating electricity—heat is produced. Special equipment can capture that heat and harness it to supply steam, hot water, space heating or cooling. Whether the fuel source is natural gas, landfill gas, bio gas, digester gas or gases, thermal mass flow is commonly used for flow measurement.
- Combustion Control
A key approach to reducing energy consumption in most manufacturing facilities is to optimize the combustion control on various processes, like: industrial boilers, steam generators, furnaces, ovens, smelters and process heaters. When optimal fuel to air ratio is achieved at the burners, a significant savings in natural gas (or propane) can be achieved. Additionally, process efficiency, product quality and yields can be improved.
Various state and local environmental regulations are now mandating that medium and larger heating units require flow meters to help monitor and reduce plant emissions. ISO 50001, the new energy standard outlines best practices to improve energy performance and fuel line monitoring is considered an integral part. Common applications for combustion control monitoring are found in various industries including: textile, glass manufacturing, automotive, aluminum & steel, food & beverage, pulp & paper, power, chemical, and refining.
The Sage Thermal Mass Flow Meters are easy-to-install with both Insertion and In-Line styles. Built-in flow conditioners help monitor the air and fuel flow to the burner. They have extraordinary rangeability of at least 100 to 1, and the fast response necessary for proper combustion control. For those difficult to reach burner lines, or locations with extreme radiant heat, Sage also offers a remote style flow meter, with up to 1000 feet of lead length compensated cable. Since the probe or flow body has simply a terminal junction box, all electronics and powering is at the transmitter.
- Compressed Air Flow
Compressed air normally accounts for about one third of the electrical usage in an industrial facility. In large industrial applications the thermal mass meter can function as a compressed air flowmeter, and generate significant savings by identifying the optimal number of compressor units required in the application. Additionally, the meter can identify leaks in compressor systems, ascertain overall performance, improve efficiency and reduce consumption.
Sage Metering manufactures an insertion style meter with isolation assembly valve to accommodate easy installation. The Sage meter can detect as low as 5 SFPM making it the perfect tool to detect compressed air leaks and with Modbus compliant communications it’s ideal for complex energy management systems.
- Ethanol Distillation and Refining
Ethanol production is a complex process involving fermentation and distillation tanks. Thermal mass flow meters measure the flow of air and fuel to the distillation tanks to improve the air to fuel ratio. Better combustion control improves boiler efficiency and reduces emissions. Gas mass flowmeters are also used to measure CO2 leaving fermentation tanks, which is essential to assess process inefficiencies or meet environmental compliance requirements.
- Facilities Monitoring
Because of the rising energy costs, along with societal and government pressure to reduce emissions, monitoring natural gas mass flow and consumption within a facility’s individual zones has become desirable. By monitoring a facility’s gas flow it not only encourages conservation, but also process efficiencies can be assessed, unusual flow can be identified and the facility can cost allocate various operating areas. Additionally, by sub-metering process equipment, fuel leaks can be identified and information from the flow meter can spot if equipment needs to be maintained or replaced.
- Flare Gas
There are many operations or applications where waste gas is flared to atmosphere. Flare stacks are typically seen at oil and gas wells, refineries, well drilling rigs, natural gas plants, waste water treatment plants, chemical plants and landfills. Strict regulations require the operation to measure and record the consumption of flare gas, and often at various points within the process.
Sage Metering flare gas flow meters are the preferred choice to measure flare gas because of the instrument’s wide turndown, which can accommodate extreme flow conditions typical in an upset condition.
- Food and Beverage
There are numerous applications where gas mass flowmeters are used within the food and beverage industry, whether a manufacturer is using industrial dryers, assessing boiler inlet flow, measuring exhaust flow, process control, or compressed air flow measurement. Thermal mass flow meters are used to measure carbon dioxide in the CO2 injection process in the beer industry. Additionally, these meters are used for energy management in smoking processes, sub-metering natural gas for plant efficiency, and combustion control in bakeries.
- Gas Distribution
Thermal Mass Flowmeters are ideal to measure gas flow of nitrogen, argon, chlorine, hydrogen and oxygen. Because they have wide turndown and low pressure drop they are perfect for gas distribution and since temperature and pressure corrections are not required costly installation and additional wiring is eliminated. They also provide leak detection of distribution lines.
- Mining
In coal mine methane recovery, methane (CH4) is ventilated from the mines, captured and used as an energy source. The thermal gas meter is used to measure methane flow to comply with environmental regulations or greenhouse gas reduction credits. Additionally, the thermal mass flow meter is used is some mines which require extensive processing where flow measurement is required for compressed air and natural gas.
- Natural Gas Sub-Metering
Thermal mass gas flowmeters monitor source emissions at the compressor of compressor sub stations and detect leaks. Their wide turndown permits the measurement of very small natural gas leaks as well as large flows associated with upset situations.
- Oil and Gas
Oil refineries and well drilling operations have numerous flare stacks. Strict regulations require the operation to measure and record the consumption of flare gas, and often at various points within the process. Additionally, monitoring flare output provides important information for process control and measuring the flow of hydrocarbon vapors from storage tanks is also an environmental requirement. Thermal mass flowmeters provide the wide turndown needed to measure the extremely low flows associated with normal venting, as well as the extremely high flows typical of upset conditions. They respond quickly to flow changes, have low pressure drop and are reproducible. In addition to measuring flare gas, gas mass flowmeters measure nitrogen flow rate in tank blanketing systems to maintain the proper blanket of gas, an important safety concern.
- Vent Air Flow
Thermal mass flow meters are ideal to measure supply air, exhaust air or flue gas in incineration, vent air for environmental compliance, exhaust flow in stacks, test pumps for leaks, air flow for heat treating furnaces, or drying air, because of their turndown and sensitivity. They are easy to install, have negligible pressure drop, and provide direct mass flow so there’s no need for temperature and pressure instrumentation, all beneficial to air flow applications.
- Other Industries or Applications
Other industries or applications where thermal mass flowmeters are used:
- Aluminum
- Aluminum Smelting
- Automotive
- Blower Manufacturing
- Boiler Inlet Flow
- Burner Manufacturing
- Chemical Industry
- Compressor Manufacturers
- Fuel Cell Manufacturing
- Glass Manufacturing
- Heat Treating
- Natural Gas Flow Monitoring-- Boiler, Steam Generator or Heater
- Natural Gas Flow Rate of the Main Gas Line into the Plant
- Natural Gas Odorizing
- Natural Gas Transmission Stations
- Performance Contractors
- Petrochemical
- Pharmaceutical
- Plastics
- Polysilicon Manufacturing (Solar Cells)
- Power Generation
- Pulp & Paper
- Specialty Gas Suppliers
- Steel Fabrication
- Textile
- Valve Testing
- Waste Processing
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