Reference Manual
00809-0100-1191, Rev CB
May 2006
Rosemount 485 Annubar
1-12
The equation will be recognized as the well known hydraulic
equation for liquids.
Actual and Standard
Volumetric Flowrate for
Gases
The most common unit of volumetric measurement in English Units is the
cubic foot. The most common unit in SI units is the cubic meter. Many others
exist, such as the cubic inch, the gallon (231 cubic inches), and the barrel (42
gallons); but these are generally defined as portions of a cubic foot.
In Equation 1-9 the volumetric flow (Q) can be calculated in ft
3
/s (m
3
/s) if all
the other parameters have the consistent set of units shown. The most
important aspect of this equation is that the volumetric flow is given in actual
units.
Example:
Suppose a flowmeter is operating according to Equation 1-10, and that the
equation shows that the flowrate is 5 ft
3
/s. Also suppose that the fluid can
be poured or dumped into one (1) cubic foot containers. At the end of one
second, five containers would be full of fluid. In other words, the equation
gave the flowrate in actual cubic feet per second.
For gases, especially fuel gases, the cubic foot is still the unit of
measurement. However, a cubic foot of gas has no absolute or comparative
value unless the pressure and temperature of the gas are specified. Common
sense tells us that the amount of matter within a one cubic foot space at a
pressure of 1000 psia is greater than the amount of matter within that space if
the pressure is atmospheric. Since the fuel gas industry is interested in selling
energy, which is the amount of heat that can be generated by that cubic foot
of gas, and that the amount of energy is directly proportional to the number of
molecules (matter) within the cubic foot space, it is easy to see why the
pressure and temperature of the gas are specified.
Since it is the amount of matter (mass) that is required to be measured as the
gas flows along the pipeline, the actual volumetric flowrate terms do not lend
themselves to this task easily.
Example:
Suppose a gas in a pipeline at 140 kPa abs and 5 Ā°C is flowing at 50
actual m
3
/s; it is not obvious that the same amount of matter (mass) would
flow through a pipeline at 5100 kPa abs and 30.8 Ā°C if the flowrate was
1.54 actual m
3
/s.
Because of the inability to compare the amounts of mass of a gas in actual
volumetric terms, the standard volumetric term was developed. The most
common unit of gaseous measurement is the amount of a gas that would be
contained in a one cubic foot enclosure at standard conditions. Standard
conditions can be defined as any combination of temperature and pressure.
Some common standard sets are provided in the table below.
Table 1-2. Standard Conditions
The approximate conversion from actual volumetric flowrate to standard
volumetric flowrate is accomplished by the BOYLES-CHARLES law. These
laws state the following:
QKA2gh=
Temperature Pressure
60 Ā°F 14.73 psia
68 Ā°F 14.73 psia
0 Ā°C 101.393 kPa abs