Fluenta TFS Transducer Accuracy and Calibration

Fluenta Solutions Ltd
Unit 8, Gransden Park

Potton Road, Abbotsley
St. Neots, PE19 6TY
United Kingdom
Tel: +(0) 1223 491972
To whom it may concern,
Fluenta claims that our TFS series transducers have a 5% accuracy “out-of-the-box”, that is
without flow calibration or linearization.
This letter clarifies the following
 Tests done during production

 Zero-point calibration done during production
 Evidence for the 5% claim, plus results of a recent audit of data
Introduction
The Transducer Full Size (TFS) range of sensors are ultrasonic sensors for use with the
Fluenta FGM 160 ultrasonic flare gas meter. The sensors comprise a titanium tip which
contains a piezo-ceramic element responsible for the sending and receiving of signals, and a
steel rod.
The meter and sensors operate on a time-of-flight (ToF) concept where ultrasonic signals
are sent across a pipe. Signals sent against the direction of flow are slowed by the flow of
gas whereas signals sent with the direction of flow are accelerated. Gas velocity can be
calculated from the difference in ToF between upstream and downstream directions, and
flow can be calculated from velocity.
Fluenta Solutions Ltd +44 1223 491972

Unit 8, Gransden Park sales@fluenta.com
Potton Road, Abbotsley support@fluenta.com
St. Neots, PE19 6TY www.fluenta.com
United Kingdom
In the context of ToF meters, accuracy refers to errors in ToF measurement compared to a
master meter. These errors translate into errors in flow rate. Accuracy is not to be confused
with total system uncertainty.
TFS Sensor Production Checks
The production process for the TFS sensor tips contains many production tests. These steps
must all be passed for the sensors to be accepted by quality control and made available as
finished goods. These steps and checks are all defined by the Fluenta ISO9001 quality
manufacturing system. As an Ex approved device, these procedures are also controlled by
ISO/IEC 80079-34:2018 (Explosive atmospheres — Part 34: Application of quality
management systems for Ex Product manufacture)
In order, these checks are
1. Capacitance Check #1
2. Visual mounting check
3. Capacitance check #2
4. Admittance test #1
5. Capacitance check #2
6. Admittance test #2 (100% of tips per batch are tested)
7. Lobe plot test (100% of tips per batch are tested)
8. Voltage source sensitivity test
9. Final visual check
Each of these tests has strict and clear pass / fail criteria, which we cannot share for reasons
of commercial confidentiality. Control of non-conforming product is clearly described for each
stage, and a transducer must pass all these tests to be accepted as finished goods.
Fluenta Zero Point Calibration
Once transducers have been fully assembled and have passed all production checks, they
undergo a zero-point check before they are ready for customer dispatch. The zero-point
check is not a full calibration, but it does incorporate a number of other tests designed to
check the functionality of the measurement system.
These checks are
1. CW signal peak-to-peak voltage check

2. Chirp signal peak-to-peak voltage check
3. Correlation envelope peak-to-peak voltage check
4. Zero stability check
5. Velocity of sound correlation
All these tests must be passed in order for the sensors to be assigned to an order and
shipped to a customer.

United Kingdom
Flow / Wet Calibration Process
Fluenta offers two options for flow / wet calibration. Firstly, Fluenta has an air flow line which
can be used. It has the following properties
• Flow medium: air

• Flow velocity: 0.5 to 25 m/s
• Actual volume flow: 280 to 5300 m3/h
• Mass flow: 150 to 8000 kg/h
• Pipe Size: 12 inch
• Data acquisition: Modbus
• Data collected: temperature, pressure, humidity, flow velocity, actual volume flow,
mass flow, density, sound velocity
• Reference meter uncertainty: 0.28%
• Reference meter type: 4-path ultrasonic
• Uncertainty after calibration: <1%
Secondly, Fluenta can arrange for calibration to be performed in an ILAC or other accredited
laboratory of the customer’s choice.
The calibration process can be found appended to this document as Fluenta document
62.120.010. Of importance to this document is the requirement for accuracy tests at 5 points
of flow to be carried out before the sensors are linearized. This part of the process is vital, as
it provides for a quality check that our sensors are meeting the 5% out-of-the-box accuracy
requirement.
Data Audit Process and Results
In the past 5 years, between 10% and 20% of sensors ordered each year have been
calibrated according to customer requirements, either in-house or at a 3rd party laboratory.
The results from these calibrations ensure that the 5% accuracy requirements continue to be
met.
Should the pre-calibration process fail to show errors of below 5%, a non-conformance
would be raised, and the failure would be investigated. Review of the Fluenta non-
conformance system (known as the Fluenta Improvement System or FIS) shows no such
cases in the past 5 years.
In this case, an audit was undertaken for projects shipped from the Fluenta factory in the
past 6 months. 7 of these projects required calibration, and 15 pairs of sensors were
assigned to these projects.
Table 1 gives details on the sensor serial numbers, and the status of production tests.
Project names are shortened to initials. Results of the tests are given as pass / fail. Actual
results are known to Fluenta but not given due to reasons of commercial confidentiality.

United Kingdom
Table 1 gives details on the sensor serial numbers, and the status of production tests. Project names are shortened to initials. Test numbers
refer to the list on pages 1 & 2 of this report. Results of the tests are given as pass / fail. Actual results are known to Fluenta but not given due
to reasons of commercial confidentiality.
Sensor
Year Project Serial
Shipped Initials Project # Numbers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
2021 BM 20.5586.19 149U/D-20        
2021 SS 20.5810.19 162U/D-19        
2021 TT 20.5999.19 182U/D-20        
2021 NF 20.7155.21 217UD-20        
218UD-20        
2020 IG 20.5183.18 240UD-19        
241UD-19        
2020 RP 20.5540.19 517 UD-20        
518 UD-20        
2020 AH 20.5559.19 124 UD-20        
138 UD-20        
157 UD-20        
158 UD-20        
526 UD-20        
527 UD-20        
Table 1: Sensors Production Tests

United Kingdom
Table 2 gives results of the zero-point calibrations carried out. In these cases, actual results are provided and cell colour indicates a pass or
fail. Actual pass/fail criteria are not shown for reasons of commercial confidentiality. Where tests are carried out to both sensors or in two
directions (i.e. upstream and downstream), the worst value is taken. Zero-point certificates as issued are also included in the appendix. Some
small redactions are necessary to remove client identifying information.
Sensor
Year Project Serial CW Chirp Correlation Zero VoS
Shipped Initials Project # Numbers signal signal peak stability deviation
2021 BM 20.5586.19 149U/D-20 59.6V 27.6V 5.04V  0.06 m/s
2021 SS 20.5810.19 162U/D-19 39.2V 21.2V 4.92V  0.43 m/s
2021 TT 20.5999.19 182U/D-20 31.6V 19.6V 5.64V  0.07 m/s
2021 NF 20.7155.21 217UD-20 53.6V 24.0V 5.52V  0.25 m/s
218UD-20 55.2V 30.0V 5.64V  0.01 m/s
2020 IG 20.5183.18 240UD-19 57.2V 22.0V 5.56V  0.18 m/s
241UD-19 36.4V 23.2V 5.60V  0.18 m/s
2020 RP 20.5540.19 517 UD-20 49.6V 27.6V 5.64V  0.35 m/s
518 UD-20 41.6V 22.4V 5.64V  0.25 m/s
2020 AH 20.5559.19 124 UD-20 48.0V 26.4V 3.68V  0.34 m/s
138 UD-20 31.2V 17.4V 5.56V  0.17 m/s
157 UD-20 34.6V 13.6V 5.44V  0.23 m/s
158 UD-20 61.6V 27.2V 5.32V  0.28 m/s
526 UD-20 33.6V 20.4V 5.28V  0.78 m/s
527 UD-20 30.4V 15.2V 5.64V  0.20 m/s
Table 2: Sensors Zero Calibration Results

United Kingdom
Table 3 gives results of the wet calibration, both pre and post. In each case the worst result from the run is chosen.
Calibration certificates as issued are also included in the appendix. Some small redactions are necessary to remove client identifying
information.
Sensor
Year Project Serial
Shipped Initials Project # Numbers Max pre-cal error Max Post-cal error
2021 BM 20.5586.19 149U/D-20 -3.83% -0.64%
2021 SS 20.5810.19 162U/D-19 -3.47% -0.70%
2021 TT 20.5999.19 182U/D-20 -3.87% 0.75%
2021 NF 20.7155.21 217UD-20 -1.02% -0.23%
218UD-20 n/a (dual path) n/a (dual path)
2020 IG 20.5183.18 240UD-19 -4.92% 0.49%
241UD-19 n/a (dual path) n/a (dual path)
2020 RP 20.5540.19 517 UD-20 -3.06% -0.11%
518 UD-20 n/a (dual path) n/a (dual path)
2020 AH 20.5559.19 124 UD-20 -4.22% -0.76%
138 UD-20 -4.08% -0.58%
157 UD-20 -4.64% -0.45%
158 UD-20 -4.94% 0.56%
526 UD-20 -4.02% -0.33%
527 UD-20 -3.3% -0.58%
Table 3: Flow Calibration Results

United Kingdom
Conclusions
With 35 years’ experience of manufacturing ultrasonic flare gas meters, Fluenta is well
positioned to understand the technical requirements for delivering accurate transducers.
Our production processes have been honed to deliver reliable and repeatable
measurements within a tight range of tolerances, and multiple layers of tests combined with
vast amounts of data helps us to understand which product will meet our minimum
requirements.
Typically, customers who want primary evidence of meter accuracy will request a full wet
calibration process, either at Fluenta factory or by an independent laboratory. In cases
where this does not happen, we believe our production and pre-dispatch testing reliably
delivers a maximum of 5% error in measurement.

United Kingdom

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Fluenta Solutions Ltd

Unit 8, Gransden Park

To whom it may concern,

This letter clarifies the following

 Tests done during production

Fluenta Solutions Ltd +44 1223 491972

TFS Sensor Production Checks

In order, these checks are

Fluenta Zero Point Calibration

These checks are

1. CW signal peak-to-peak voltage check

Fluenta Solutions Ltd +44 1223 491972

• Flow medium: air

Data Audit Process and Results

Fluenta Solutions Ltd +44 1223 491972

Fluenta Solutions Ltd +44 1223 491972

Table 2: Sensors Zero Calibration Results

Fluenta Solutions Ltd +44 1223 491972

Fluenta Solutions Ltd +44 1223 491972

Fluenta Solutions Ltd +44 1223 491972

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