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| 1. | What makes Blancett a step above the competition? |
| 2. | What type of delivery can I expect? |
| 3. | What signal outputs are available? |
| 4. | What is the life expectancy of the turbine flow meter? |
| 5. | Are the meter and monitor field-repairable, or do they need to come back to the factory for service? |
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| 1. | What is the "Calibration Factor"? |
| 2. | What method is used to calibrate Blancett's turbine flow meters and replacement rotor and vane kits? |
| 3. | What happens if the meter's calibration tag is lost? |
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| 1. | Can liquid turbine meters measure gas flow, and vice versa? |
| 2. | How does the liquid meter work in viscous fluids? |
| 3. | Can the flow meter be used with propane, butane, or CO2? |
| 4. | How will corrosive media affect these meters? |
| 5. | Should the meter model be selected based on pipe size? |
| 6. | How do you size a meter for certain applications? |
| 7. | What size meter is needed when using a snap acting pump/dump? |
| 8. | What happens when the flow goes in the reverse direction of the meter? |
| 9. | What happens when you are above or below the meter's range? |
| 10. | What is the difference between dump rate and production rate? |
| 11. | Can meters be used with piston type pumps? |
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| 1. | How do I install the flow meter? |
| 2. | I have a 3" line flowing 100 BPD of water. Can I install a 3" meter? |
| 3. | Should I use a strainer before the meter? |
| 4. | Can the meter be installed vertically? |
| 5. | What is the proper way to install magnetic pick-ups? |
| 6. | How far from the monitor can I install the meter? |
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| 1. | What is the most common problem with the meters? |
| 2. | What problems will cause the meter to have inaccurate readings? |
| 3. | The meter's flow rate seems to be increasing but my pressure hasn't changed. Why? |
| 4. | The meter has suddenly started reading very high. Why? |
| 5. | The monitor isn't reading a signal from the meter. Why? |
| 6. | When should rotor and vane kits be replaced due to bearing wear? |
| 7. | How do you check magnetic pick-ups? |
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| 1. | What are the benefits of a Blancett turbine flow meter over the competition?
Blancett meters are constructed of the highest quality stainless steel and metal alloys available and offer years of proven field performance. As has long been their tradition, the Blancett team continues to provide product availability that is second to none. With the added benefits of our experienced, accessible technical support staff, now available toll-free at 1-877-722-4631, and highly competitive prices, Blancett sets itself apart from the competition. |
| 2. | What type of delivery can I expect?
Blancett ships standard products in 3-5 business days. All products ship from Racine, Wisconsin, USA. |
| 3. | What signal outputs are available?
Low-level zero crossing sine wave (30mV-3V), standard
Pre-amplified pulsed square wave
Analog looped 4-20mA
Analog 0-5VDC
Open-collector, open-emitter transistor |
| 4. | What is the life expectancy of the turbine flow meter?
The turbine meter body is constructed of high quality stainless steel and will provide many years of service. The internal components, while designed to withstand aggressive industrial applications, may need to be repaired or replaced dependent upon your specific application. Major factors determining their length of service include: pressure, RPM, and amount of particulate in the flow media. |
| 5. | Are the meter and monitor field-repairable, or do they need to come back to the factory for service?
Yes, they are both field-serviceable. By keeping some spare parts on hand, most repairs can be accomplished in 30 minutes or less. Contact your Blancett Sales Representative for more details. |
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| 1. | What is the "Calibration Factor"?
The calibration factor (also "cal factor", "k-factor") is the number of pulses per standard U.S. gallon of water that a meter produces. Each meter is individually calibrated at the Blancett factory by flowing a known volume of water through the meter at 5 different flow rates. The k-factor is the straight mathematical average of the minimum and maximum of these flow rates. Every flow meter has a slightly different k-factor - the k-factor is attached to the meter's conduit hub using a plastic tag. |
| 2. | What method is used to calibrate Blancett's turbine flow meters and replacement rotor and vane kits?
Blancett flow meters and repair kits are calibrated using standards traceable to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The equipment and calibration complies with ISO 9001 / ANSI Z540-1 and MIL-STD 45662A. The calibration process consists of capturing flow data points across the range of the meter and comparing against an NIST traceable "master meter" to ensure +/-1% of Rate Accuracy. |
| 3. | What happens if the meter's calibration tag is lost?
If the tag is lost and the original rotor or vane is inside the flow meter, then the original k-factor may be obtained by contacting Blancett with the flow meter's serial number. If the serial number is unavailable, each meter also has a nominal (generic) k-factor that should provide good performance. Contact Blancett for details. |
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| 1. | Can liquid turbine meters measure gas flow, and vice versa?
No! Gas in a liquid meter will cause the meter to read too high and possibly cause meter failure. Liquid in a gas meter will cause erroneous readings as well. |
| 2. | How does the liquid meter work in viscous fluids?
A liquid flow meter's performance with viscous fluids is predictable and repeatable. Some knowledge about the fluid is necessary - please contact Blancett for application assistance. As a general rule, increases in viscosity will decrease the turndown ratio of the meter and cause the k-factor to stray further away from the water calibration. |
| 3. | Can the flow meter be used with propane, butane, or CO2?
Yes, as long as the product is in a liquid state. Further, the flow meter model should be selected such that the actual flow rate is in the lower 60% of the flow meter measuring range. |
| 4. | How will corrosive media affect these meters?
The metallurgy of the meter determines its corrosive resistance. The effect of the liquid on the materials establishes service life. Refer to chemical compatibility charts for specific media. |
| 5. | Should the meter model be selected based on pipe size?
No! The flow rate is the most important factor. The meter must be sized based on flow rate for best performance and highest accuracy. For example, most oilfield applications oversize the pipe to reduce line loss. So, in these cases, the meter will need to be smaller than the pipe. |
| 6. | How do you size a meter for certain applications?
Injection Wells - Flow rates, working pressures, end connections
Separators - Recommended snap dumps (see item No. 7)
Oil Meter - Viscosity of the oil, gas in the fluid
General Applications - Keep flows in the mid-range of the meter
Meter for CO2 (liquid only) - Run in lower 60% of meter's range
Non-lubricating Liquid (solvent, gasoline, acetone, alcohol) - Run in lower 60% of meter's range |
| 7. | What size meter is needed when using a snap acting pump/dump?
The meter must be sized to the instantaneous flow rate of the dump as well as the flow rate at the end of the dump cycle regardless of the daily production. The minimum and maximum flow rate of the meter must be maintained in order for the meter to measure flow accurately. |
| 8. | What happens when the flow goes in the reverse direction of the meter?
The meter will not be damaged, but the counter (totalizer) will add both the flow in the forward and the flow in the reverse directions. For example, if 5 barrels flow through the meter in the forward direction and then 4 barrels flow back through the meter in the reverse direction, the totalizer will show 9 barrels, not 1. |
| 9. | What happens when you are above or below the meter's range?
The bottom end of the flow range is the critical point. Below the minimum working range of the meter, the factors change non-linearly with the flow rate. Each meter performs differently, so it is not possible to predict performance. The top end of the flow range is based more on wear than accuracy. The meter will remain accurate above this point but the internals will be subjected to excessive stress that will lead to premature failure. |
| 10. | What is the difference between dump rate and production rate?
The production rate is how much the well makes in one day's time. The dump rate is the instantaneous flow rate from the separator. |
| 11. | Can meters be used with piston type pumps?
The Model 1100 turbine meter works well in this application compared to other invasive measurement devices. However, due to constant pulsation of the fluid, the QuikSert meter may be a better choice due to its design. Depending on the back pressure and how close the Model 1100 meter is to the pump, the snap rings can wear and cause loss of components downstream. In all cases for invasive style meters, pulsation should be kept to a minimum. |
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| 1. | How do I install the flow meter?
Refer to the installation drawings in the installation manuals. Also note that you must have 10 pipe diameters of straight pipe upstream and 5 pipe diameters downstream of the meter. The pipe should be the same size as the end connection of the flow meter. And, do not install a throttling valve upstream of the meter. |
| 2. | I have a 3" line flowing 100 BPD of water. Can I install a 3" meter?
No! The meter's flow range must be matched to your flow range. |
| 6. | Should I use a strainer before the meter?
Yes, a strainer should be used upstream of the flow meter. Refer to Table 1 of the Model 1100 operations manual for recommended strainer mesh size. |
| 3. | Can the meter be installed vertically?
Yes, as long as the flow is moving in the direction of the arrow etched on the flow meter. |
| 4. | What is the proper way to install magnetic pick-ups?
On 3/8" to 3/4" size meters, hand tighten the pick-up, and then tighten the jam nut. On all other meters, simply hand-tighten the pick-up. |
| 5. | How far from the monitor can I install the meter?
Monitors may be mounted up to 100 feet (30.5 meters) without a pre-amplifier, depending on the amount of electrical noise in the area. Electrical noise may cause stray counts on the totalizer if a pre-amp is not used. |
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| 1. | What is the most common problem with the meters?
Debris. Debris getting into the meter body may cause readings to be too high, too low, or result in no readings at all. This problem may be solved with the use of a filter or strainer upstream of the meter. |
| 2. | What problems will cause the meter to have inaccurate readings?
Debris in the meter; viscous fluids; gas in the line; improperly sized/improperly installed meter |
| 3. | The meter's flow rate seems to be increasing but my pressure hasn't changed. Why?
Check for a build-up in the meter body or in the upstream piping. For example, paraffin build-up is very common in the oil industry. |
| 4. | The meter as suddenly started reading very high - why?
Possible causes are: gas or air in the line, possibly due to change in fluid conditions; debris lodged in the upstream end of the turbine; valve mounted upstream of the meter; leaking check valve. |
| 5. | The monitor isn't reading a signal from the meter. Why?
Check for debris in the meter that prevents the turbine from turning.
Check pick-up/cable/monitor by removing the pick-up from the meter and reattaching the monitor to the pick-up. Then pass or tap a metallic object on the end of pick-up. If the monitor records a rate, then the problem lies with the meter. |
| 6. | When should rotor and vane kits be replaced due to bearing wear?
Bearing wear on the shaft will appear as a dimple at the end of the shaft or as a grooved cut around the shaft ends. When a groove is observed, the internals should be replaced. Also as a general rule, if dimples cover 2/3 of the surfaced area end of the shaft, the internals should be replaced. |
| 7. | How do you check mag pick-ups?
A pick-up may be checked with a voltmeter or it can be connected to a properly working device - use a steel wire brush or screwdriver to pass across the tip of the pick-up. If the pick-up is good, then the monitor will show a rate or an update of the total. |
application data sheet
