Natural Gas Meter Types Including Residential Gas Meters
There are eight natural gas meter types, four use traditional, while four use new gas technology. Each has benefits. The meters are used in industrial applications and natural gas distribution. While we mention some industrial purposes in other posts, this post’s focus regards natural gas distribution from residential gas meters to high-pressure applications.
In the market for a gas meter?
What are the four traditional gas technology meters?
- Positive displacement (diaphragm meter, rotary meter)
- Turbine meter
- Differential pressure (∆P) (orifice plates, venturi tubes)
- Rotameter (variable area (VA))
Positive Displacement Meters
Diaphragm Meters
Pictured is the Itron Metris 250 diaphragm gas meter for residential gas measurement.
The gas or fluid flows into the meter inlet in a diaphragm meter with an oscillating diaphragm. The compartment fills and displaces to the outlet; each revolution of the diaphragm determines the flow rate. Diaphragm meters are used as residential gas meters and in commercial and light industrial applications.
Rotary Gas Meter
Turbine (Velocity-Type)
Honeywell Elster TRZ2 turbine meters are measure gas in gas distribution and transmission, industrial plants, and business operations.
In a turbine meter, the volumetric flow rate is calculated based on a rotor’s angular velocity. This meter, at times, is also referred to as a velocity-type meter. A turbine meter has high turndown and good accuracy. It also has moving parts, so the user must consider gas cleanliness, and it requires pressure and temperature compensation. This meter type is limited to measuring low flow rates.
Differential Pressure
Orifice Meter
As the turbine meter, the orifice plate is an inferential meter, as it infers the volumetric flow rate by measuring a property of the flow stream. An orifice meter is a differential pressure meter and infers the flow by measuring the pressure drop over an obstruction inserted in the flow. Orifice meters are a commonly accepted method of flow measurement for industrial applications; they have no moving parts and are easy to service. Unfortunately, they have limited turndown and do not handle a wide range of flow rates. They also have reduced low-flow sensitivity and require gas static pressure, differential pressure, viscosity, density, and temperature to measure gas flow accurately.
Rotameter Meter
The rotameter is an industrial flow meter that measures the volumetric flow rate of fluids in a closed tube. It is a variable area meter and provides a simple, precise, and inexpensive indication of flow rates.
What are the New Technology Gas Meters?
Click the image to see Tom’s Flowmeter selection guide.
Other newer gas meters that measure volume for residential, commercial, or industrial applications are:
Ultrasonic flowmeters measure the difference in pulses transit time that travels from a downstream transducer to the upstream transducer, compared to the upstream sensor back to the downstream transducer. This meter style is exceptionally accurate, has a high turndown ratio and excellent rangeability, but it is costly. Ultrasonic meters are usually used at pipeline meter stations in high-flow and high-pressure applications where the slightest inaccuracy can negatively impact the bottom line.
Coriolis meters provide a direct mass flow measurement based upon the fluid’s deflection force moving through a vibrating tube. These meters are very accurate with high turndown capabilities and are independent of fluid properties. They are also very expensive to purchase and install and are not suitable for larger pipe sizes.
A thermal mass flow meteris an instrument that measures gas mass flow in many industrial applications. The meters can have wide turndown.
Vortex meters are a latecomer to API approval for custody transfer of natural gas. This late approval has made it difficult for the meter to catch up to other custody transfer meters. Consequently, vortex meters are primarily in industrial markets with very little custody transfer of natural gas usage.
What are the six custody transfer meter types for natural gas?
- Differential pressure meters
- Turbine meters
- Positive displacement meters
- Coriolis flowmeters
- Ultrasonic meters
- Vortex flowmeters
Gas meters measure gas volume, though they do not consider the gas quality, which impacts the heat value and is subsequently adjusted in the billing cycle, known as the therm value. Pressure and temperature compensation are required to convert gas volume to thermal energy. At times electronic correction is also needed.
Need a Natural Gas Meter?
There are four things to consider when selecting a natural gas flowmeter technology. Do you know what they are? Read More >
Linc Energy Systems is the stocking distributor for Itron gas meters and regulators. Not familiar with Itron? Itron was formerly Actaris and Schlumberger. We also represent Honeywell Elster rotary and turbine meters and Honeywell Mercury electronic correctors.
We also sell thermal mass flow meters and gas analyzers.
Image by Renee Gaudet from Pixabay
Good morning
A very nice but very accurate description offlow meters in general and gas measurement in perticular.
we “Techsol Engineering Services” are from India and at present we are associated in CGD market.
would like more and indepth inputs like provers used for these meters, you being represented in India, your manufacturing facelity and other
we will be interested in representing you.
all the best and Thanks