Hydrocarbon Liquid Flow Calibration Service

Published

November 25, 2009

Author(s)

Tsyh Tyan Yeh, Jesus J. Aguilera, John D. Wright

Abstract

This document provides a description of the NIST s new hydrocarbon liquid flow calibration system (HLFS) operated by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Fluid Flow Group. The calibrator is used to provide hydrocarbon liquid flowmeter calibration services. This facility uses a passive piston prover technique where fluid is driven by pumps while the measuring piston is passively stroked through the calibration interval. This facility is typically operated using MIL-C-7024C fluid, but using a variety of other fluids offers a wider range of measurements. The range of flows for this facility is 0.19 L/min to 5.7 L/min (0.05 gal/min to 1.5 gal/min). Over this range, the expanded uncertainty claim for this facility is 0.01 %, at 95 % confidence level. NIST is working to incorporate additional piston provers so that the flow for hydrocarbon liquids calibration service will reach 700 L/min (180 gal/min). We provide an overview of the hydrocarbon liquid flow calibration service and the procedures for customers to submit their flowmeters to NIST for calibration. We describe the significant and novel features of the standard and analyze its uncertainty.

Citation

Special Publication (NIST SP) - 250-1039

Report Number

250-1039

NIST Pub Series

Special Publication (NIST SP)

Pub Type

NIST Pubs

Keywords

calibration, flow, flow standards, flowmeter, hydrocarbon liquid, inventory volume, uncertainty

Citation

, T. , Aguilera, J. and Wright, J. (2009), Hydrocarbon Liquid Flow Calibration Service, Special Publication (NIST SP), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD (Accessed September 17, 2025)