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Field performance of the Gallagher flow conditioner

Conference ·
OSTI ID:443584
 [1];  [2]
  1. Shell Oil Co., Houston, TX (United States)
  2. CPL & Associates, Houston, TX (United States)

This paper contains a summary of the current {open_quotes}state of the art{close_quotes} for flow conditioners, the basis for the Gallagher Flow Conditioner (GFC), and experimental results from several evaluations. Experimental results for the GFC indicate a maximum metering uncertainty of approximately plus or minus one-tenth of one percent ({+-} 0.10%) due to upstream flow disturbances for orifice meters and virtually zero for other inferential flowmeters. Experiments have been conducted at five commercial laboratories, seven field laboratories, line sizes form 25 to 460 mm (1 to 18 inch), over a Reynolds number range of 2,000 to 3,000,000, for three inferential flowmeters -orifice, turbine and vortex. The GFC has been tested in a multitude of fluid applications --- natural gas, dry air, nine different crude oils, polymer-grade ethylene, etcetera. In these applications the flowing stream has ranged from clean to very dirty. Based on independently conducted research results, it is the authors` opinions that the GFC {open_quotes}isolates{close_quotes} flowmeters from piping-induced disturbances and, thereby, allows more accurate metering of fluids flowing in pipelines. The device achieves the optimal flow conditioner objectives and maintains pseudofully developed flow in a pipe with respect to the axial position.

OSTI ID:
443584
Report Number(s):
CONF-950391--
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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