Verabar ®

A P P L I C AT I O N D ATA

Tr u e P e r f o r m a n c e i n F l o w M e a s u r e m e n t

Vo l u m e 1 • 2008
Boiler Feedwater (VB-6026) Fluid: Boiler Feedwater
Industry: Chemical/Power
Application: 1500# PSI
The Verabar® handles a wide range of applications in
the power industry, including steam, condensate, boiler Specifications: Low Permanent Pressure
feedwater, cooling water and combustion air. However, Loss > 2” H2O
these types of applications are not found solely in power
plants. One such example is at Nova Chemicals in
Corruna, Ontario.
Nova’s attention. When they discovered the Verabar could
Application be installed and removed under full line pressure, Nova
decided to purchase three V400 flanged hot tap models.
Measurement was required for feedwater flow through
The photo below shows one of the units installed.
three of Nova’s feedwater pumps. The pumps operate at
a suction pressure of 60 PSIG and a discharge pressure of
1500 PSIG. The water temperature is 300°F. Nova initially
Results
specified vortex meters for this application. Even with a hot tap assembly, access valve and mounting
hardware, the cost of the Verabar was significantly less
Problem than the vortex meter.
The vortex meters were to be installed at the discharge The three units purchased have been in service for over
side of the pump. With a discharge pressure of 1500 PSI three years, and have performed flawlessly to Nova’s
in the 10” line, a 900# ANSI rating would be required for satisfaction.
the meter. Given the high cost of such a meter, the decision
was made to locate the meter on the suction side of the
pump instead.
Installing flowmeters on the inlet of a pump is usually not
recommended because the pressure drop through the
meter reduces the pressure available to the pump.
In a feedwater application, there is another factor to
consider. With an inlet pressure of 60 PSI at 300°F, the
1.8 PSI pressure drop through the vortex meter would
push the pump perilously close to the point where the
water could flash into steam, causing the pump to
cavitate dangerously.

Solution
The vortex meter was judged to be unsuitable for the
application. After getting positive feedback from a Nova
plant in Western Canada with a Verabar in service on
a gas line, Nova agreed to consider the Verabar as an V400 Flanged Hot Tap Verabar
alternative for their feedwater applications.
The differential pressure produced by the Verabar in the
10” line was calculated at 18” H2O. The permanent pres-
sure loss through the Verabar is 3% of the DP or .54”
(.02 PSI) in this case. It was this number that really got

2 Differential Pressure Flow Meters

Compressed Air (VB-6027) Fluid: Compressed Air
Industry: Textile—Utility Measurement
Application: Energy Savings
Compressed air installations account for a significant
portion of Verabar® gas applications. Ease of installation, Specifications: Low Permanent Pressure Loss
documented accuracy, minimal pipe blockage and a low-
maintenance design make the Verabar the best choice for
compressed air flow measurement.
As an example of the diverse potential for compressed air
applications, customers with Verabars in service on com-
pressed air lines include Tampa Electric, Kansas City Power
& Light, Detroit Edison (Power), Eli Lilly (Pharmaceutical),
Air Liquide, Clinton Mills (Textile), Weyerhaueser (Pulp &
Paper), Coors (Brewery), Kaeser Compressors, U.S. Steel
and Ford Motor.

Application
Monitoring compressor efficiency, compressed air auditing,
leak detection, plant distribution, usage, etc. with pressures
ranging from 50 PSI to 300 PSI and pipe sizes 2” to 30”.

Problem
1. Pressure loss created by flow meters with a large pipe
blockage equates to high operating costs and reduced
efficiency. In many cases, orifice plates are being used to
monitor compressor efficiency. There is a problem with Verabar installed on 10” compressed
monitoring compressor efficiency when the monitoring air main header (27,500 SCFM, 95 PSI, 85°F);
device itself creates a 3 PSI pressure loss. one of 18 sensors in service at Clinton Mills,
a large textile plant in Clinton, South Carolina
2. Rust in pipes, residual oil particulate from compressor
lubricant, moisture and bits of pipe thread sealant from
threaded connections can contaminate the air and create 3. The Verabar’s non-clog design with no moving parts
maintenance problems for other types of meters (turbine, means no down time or maintenance concerns.
vortex, paddle wheel, thermal dispersion, etc.).
4. The Verabar has been thoroughly tested and field proven
3. Often, it is not practical to shut down and depressurize in compressed air applications throughout the world.
a compressed air system to install a flow meter. In addition, the Verabar Flow Test Report (VED-100)
documents accuracy of the Verabar, which tests were
Solution verified by C.E.E.S.I., the largest independent air flow
1. Since the Verabar creates virtually no pressure loss test and calibration facility in the world.
(typically 3% of the measured DP), compressor efficiency
is not compromised and operating costs are minimal.

2. A Verabar with a DP transmitter is a simple installation

with technology that is easily understood by plant
personnel. Hot tap models can be installed on lines
that cannot be shut down and depressurized.

Differential Pressure Flow Meters 3

Combustion Air with Particulate (VB-6028) Fluid: Combustion Air with Particulate
Industry: Mineral Processing
Application: Bauxite/Calcium Carbonate Blocks
The mineral processing industry has its share of challenging
flow measurement applications. The processes often have Specifications: No Excessive Downtime
a high particulate content that can render certain types Due to Clogging
of flow measurement devices inoperable in a short period
of time. So, when System C Industrie recommended the
Verabar® for a particularly demanding application at
Lafarge Aluminate near Marseille, France, it was no
Results
surprise when plant personnel were skeptical. After the original Verabar performed trouble-free for two
months, Verabars were purchased for the remaining ovens.
Application The Verabar was removed after seven months for inspec-
Accurate measurement of combustion air is required to tion. No cleaning was required. Only 1 cm3 of particulate
control combustion efficiency of six ovens. Powered was found inside the sensor. The last report stated that the
bauxite & calcium carbonate are fed into an oven along Verabars had been operating for over a year in continuous
with combustion air. Bauxite/Calcium Carbonate blocks service with no purging or cleaning.
(kinkers) are formed in the ovens, then shipped to Alumi-
num producers. The temperature ranges from 20°C
(68°F) at start-up to 300°C (572°F) during operation.

Problem
1. Because the combustion air is recycled from the oven in
a 400mm (16”) pipe, it contains a high concentration of
dry bauxite and calcium carbonate particulate.

2. Shutdown of the oven was required every two weeks

to remove and clean a plugged Annubar sensor.

Solution
Because the Verabar is far less likely to plug than any other
sensor, it can often be applied where other sensors fail.
However, due to the high maintenance required for previous
sensors, Lafarge would only install a Verabar on a trial
(delayed billing) basis. If the sensor outperformed the
previous Annubar in a two-month trial, the original Verabar
would be purchased along with others for the remaining
ovens.

Powered Bauxite
and Calcium Carbonate
Verabar Model V100 installed
in a combustion air line

Low pressure
ports of the
Verabar are
located on the
sides of the sensor,
away from the clogging
zone (partial vacuum)
to the rear

4 Differential Pressure Flow Meters

Steam—Soot Blower Flow (VB-6030) Fluid: Steam
Industry: Power Utility—Soot Blower Flow
Application: Removal of Combustion Residue
Verabar® flow sensors are the measurement of choice in
many fluidized bed coal combustion power plant applica- Specifications: 10:1 Turndown,
tions. Fluidized beds suspend solid fuels on upward jets Handles Water Hammer
of air during the combustion process. The result is a turbu-
lent mixing of gas and solids. The turbulent action, much
like a bubbling fluid, provides more effective chemical 2. The Verabar produced accurate readings over the entire
reactions, heat transfer and lowers emissions. 10:1 flow range.
Verabar applications include Air (primary, secondary, 3. Multivariable transmitters were incorporated to output
combustion, undergrate, seal, FGD’s and OFA), Water a dynamically compensated flow rate.
(condenser, boiler feedwater and cooling) and Steam
(LP, IP, HP, SBF).

Application
Alabama Power operates a coal fired, fluidized bed power
plant in Burks, Alabama. They requested assistance in
solving a problem in the measurement of Soot Blower Flow
(SBF) where superheated steam is used to remove the
combustion residue for disposal. The Flowing Conditions
are: 4” pipe — 50,000 (max.), 5,000 (min.) lbs/hr,
609 psig @ 700°F.

Problem
Initially, two vortex meters were installed, proving to Photo 1
be unreliable: (left)
Verabar
1. First the vortex meters became inoperable during start-
with RTDs
up due to water hammer from residual condensate.
2. After repair, they were inaccurate below 50% of flow Photo 2
and could not measure the minimum flow rate. (below)
3. Additionally, the vortex meter could not output a Verabar
temperature and pressure compensated flow rate. with RTDs
installed
Solution
Veris designed two special 600# flanged spool sections
with integral V510 flanged Verabar flow sensors and sepa-
rate flanged RTD’s in a Thermowell (Photo 1). The spool
piece had to fit the existing dimensions of the Vortex
meters. The DP at max flow was 175.288” H2O (50,000
lbs/hr). At minimum flow (5,000 lbs/hr), the DP was 1.75”
H2O. This represents a 100:1 turndown in DP and a
10:1 turndown in flow.

Results
Alabama Power reported complete satisfaction with the
performance of the Verabar spool sections (Photo 2).
1. Problems associated with water hammer from residual
condensate during start-up were eliminated.

Differential Pressure Flow Meters 5

Blast Furnace Gas (VB-6035) Fluid: Blast Furnace Gas
Industry: Steel
Application: Pitot Traverse 50” and 77”
Application
Blast furnace gas to utility and flare Specifications: Calibration of Verabar to
Verify Accuracy
Pressure/Temp: 5 PSI/100°F
Flow Rate: 25,000 to 250,000 SCFM
Pipe Sizes: 50”, 77”
Focus: 50” Flare Results
A true representation of the flow profile provided the
Problem necessary documentation, accuracy and error analysis
Internal structural supports of the existing flare stack for the customer’s billing requirements.
created a non-standard flow profile. The “L” shaped circular
brackets protruded into the flow stream five (5) inches
causing an eddy region at the Verabar’s installation.

Solution
• Easy and Adaptable Installation: Sensors custom
made per customer requirements; hand insertable for
easy removal/inspection
• High Accuracy: Mathematically verified flow coefficients
and multiple sensing ports spanning the large diameter
ducts
• Field Service/Engineering: Veris Engineers performed
in-line calibration and data reduction to verify Verabar
flow coefficients and accuracy required for custody
transfer (utility) and flare (EPA) measurement
Veris performed an on-site pitot traverse at the Verabar
locations in two planes 80 feet high on the customer’s
flare stack. The data produced from the traverse was
normalized and reduced to create a customized flow
coefficient representing the actual flowing conditions.

Verabar Model V550

Verabar Model V550 installed

6 Differential Pressure Flow Meters

District Cooling—Chilled Water (VB-6037) Fluid: Chilled Water
Industry: District Cooling
Application: Energy Billing
Application
A major U.S. University is monitoring the flow of their Specifications: Turndown 10:1
chilled water lines with Verabar Hot Tap models with integral
RTD’s. Increased energy costs have made the measure-
ment of flow to individual buildings around the campus
an important priority. In addition to determining individual
building usage, they are also trending peak hours of
consumption. The lines vary in size from 6” to 12”.

Problem
In various locations around the campus, no measure-
ment existed. Other applications had old meters installed
that were providing inaccurate readings. The University
requested units that could be inserted and removed with-
out shutting the system down or draining the pipe. Another
request was a way to monitor the temperature change in
the water from supply to return.

Solution
Veris supplied a Retractable V200 with integral RTD (see
photo) to monitor the flow rate and temperature of the
water being supplied to the buildings. On the return side,
a retractable RTD designed by Veris was used to monitor
the temperature of the water. The signals are imported to
an energy monitoring system that tracks and trends the
data for future planning. With the V200 retractable flow
and temperature sensors, supply of chilled water to the
campus buildings was not interrupted for installation. V200 Hot Tap installed
Future inspection and maintenance of the meters can be
conducted without having to shut down, depressurize
or drain the pipe.

Results
The Verabar systems are accurately monitoring flow and Verabar
Model V200
temperature. Veris continues to supply retractable systems
for additional monitoring.

Note
The Verabar V200 Hot Tap model averages the velocity
profile by using several sensing ports for more accurate flow
measurement.
Other insertion type meters (magnetic, vortex, turbine, etc.)
assume a “textbook” velocity profile and only sense a single
point in the flow stream. They are extremely sensitive to
inaccuracies caused by flow profile distortions caused by
elbows, tees, valves, etc. and require a significant amount
of pipe straight-run (see illustration).

Differential Pressure Flow Meters 7

 ISO 9001
Fill in the form below, complete sections 1 through 7 and fax to: 303-652-8552 Certified
Date: ___________________________ Tag#: ___________________________________ E-mail: ___________________________________
From: __________________________ Phone: (_______) __________________________ Fax: (_______) _____________________________
Company: ______________________ Address: _________________________________ City, State, Zip: ___________________________

1. Enter Pipe Dimensions or Duct Dimensions 2. Pipe or Duct Orientation

(Check one box)
Pipe Size _____ Sch _____ Height (H) _____
ID Pipe ID _____ and H Width (W) _____
~ ~ ~
W
Wall _____ Pipe Mat’l _____ Wall _____
Dimension Short
Wall (H) Horizontal (V) Vertical Straight Run
Verabar spans Duct Mat’l _____
(H) or (W) Consult Factory

3. Fluid Name: Maximum Normal Minimum Units Special

Instructions
Flow Rate
Enter
Flow All Pressure @ Flow ____________
Conditions Fluids Temperature @ Flow ____________
Specific Gravity, or ____________
Gas
Molecular Weight ____________
Liquid Specific Gravity ____________
Steam Veracalc Program can calculate Density from Temperature and Pressure ____________

4. Select Model
(Check one box) V200 Hot Tap
V400 Hot Tap
~
V450 Hot Tap
~ ~ V550
Spring Lock
~ V150 ~ V250 Hot Tap
Spring Lock ~ ~ V500 V510
Regular
~ V100 V110
Regular

5. Instrument Connections (Select Remote or Direct Mount. Transmitter sold separately.)

Remote Mount Transmitter (1/2” NPT) Direct Mount Transmitter (Flanged 450°F/232°C Max.)
Select
Instrument Parallel Regular RTD Valve Transmount Mass Transmount Manifold
Head P R D T F G E M

Explsn. Integral Remote

Proof Integral RTD RTD Integral

6. Instrument Valves (Opt.)

Remote Mount
Manifolds (Optional)
Direct Mount
7. Transmitter
Select Needle Gate 3-Valve 5-Valve Supplied By
Instrument ~ C2NC(CS) ~ C2GC(CS) ~ F3SC(CS) ~ F3HC(CS) ~ F5SC(CS) ~ F5HC(CS)
Valves or ~ C2NS (SS) ~ C2GS (SS) ~ F3SS (SS) ~ F3HS (SS) ~ F5SS (SS) ~ F5HS (SS)
~ Veris ~ Others
Manifold
(Optional)
1/2” NPT 1/2” NPT Soft Seat Hard Seat Soft Seat Hard Seat

True Performance in Flow Measurement

6315 Monarch Park Place • Niwot, CO 80503 USA • Phone: 303-652-8550 • Fax: 303-652-8552 VB-6000-1 (1/08)
E-Mail: contact@veris-inc.com • Website: www.veris-inc.com Printed in USA