Meter Prover – How Flow Meter Prover

System Work
December 5, 2019 Welcome

Hydrocarbon liquid flow through pipelines needs constant monitoring to ensure it is being
transported under the right conditions. Flow meters that help ensure the proper measurement of
pipeline liquids may become faulty with prolonged use and give misleading results used in
performance monitoring and oil and gas measurement.

Effective flow meter calibration can be achieved with the use of a meter prover. These devices
will analyze the readouts from a flow meter and determine their accuracy. In this manner, any
necessary adjustments can be performed and hydrocarbon liquid flow satisfactorily measured,
controlled, and regulated. In this article, we will define the parameters that make a prover
effective as well as consider various systems commercially available for various industrial
applications.

What Is a Prover?
A meter prover is an apparatus that authenticates and calibrates the readings obtained from a
liquid or gas flow meter. While these devices can either be manual or automated, the most
popular and newer prover systems are automatic devices.

How Does a Flow Meter Prover System Work?

A typical flow meter prover device functions to detect changes in the amount of gas or liquid
flowing through a pipeline at various times. Installed in each prover are sensors that detect
changes in fluid flow and ensures flow meter readings remain as accurate as possible.
Types of Meter Provers
Depending on manufacturers’ preferences, various types of meter provers are available for
industrial fluid transport processes. Outlined below are the most effective pipe proving systems
currently in use.

Master Meter Provers

A master meter proving system can either function to calibrate a flow system directly or
indirectly. Direct master meter proving involves the use of a line meter and a master meter
connected in series. This type of proving is done at the site of the carrier pipeline.

Indirect master meter proving will require detachment of the gas meter which will be calibrated
at a site remote from its primary location. This requires prover hookups on the relevant metering
equipment.

Sphere/Pipe Provers

A sphere or pipe prover (which can also be referred to as ball prover) functions on the principle
of constantly replicated displacement of fixed amounts of liquid between two detector devices.

When a spherical ball is passed through a calibrated part of piping, a fixed amount of liquid will
be displaced. Similarly, within the prover system, an equal amount of fluid will be evacuated.
The fluid moved within the ball prover can then be calculated by an attached meter. By this
method, the volumes within the pipeline and the prover device can be compared and any
variations corrected.

Small Volume Piston Provers

Effective meter prover calibration can be done with a small volume piston prover device.
Although the mechanism of operation is like that of the ball prover, it has several advantages.

 A smaller volume of fluid is required for measurement

  Small volume piston provers are portable, saving users significant floor space
 More accurate readings obtained when compared with other bulkier prover systems

The only significant drawback to opting for an SVP is its limited ability to operate with larger
volume pipe systems. In these situations, an SVP will require repeated cycles to manage the
increased flow rates.

Bidirectional Meter Provers

This is a modified form of sphere prover which allows for continuous travel of the displacement
ball. The typical set up involves a four-way valve which allows for the reversal of fluid flow
when the sphere changes direction.

During operation, the liquid or gas entering the system pushes a spherical prover ball through the
proving loop. Gas flow is channeled through a series of sensors and calibrated segments within
the prover system and the number of impulses generated is calculated by a prover counter to
determine the efficiency of gas flow.

Unidirectional Meter Provers

Just like the bidirectional sphere prover, unidirectional prover devices are variants of the sphere
prover. When in operation, opening the main control valve of the prover will release the sphere
into the flow stream displacing the gas contained within the system.

When the sphere passes set points with attached sensors, a prover counter compares the
displaced fluid with pre-determined values. These devices allow the displacement ball to travel
in one direction only and has a separate mechanism for returning it to the starting position.

IFS Modular Process Skids Can Support Your O&G

Metering Needs
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