Technical Data
Technical Milestones
- Official NMI system approval IMCC series; January 2008
With this system certificate (NMI issued System Type approval), we became the only manufacturer having a NMI system approval, meaning that our benches will have a unique status in terms of quality and accuracy.
- Official NMI approval for remote verification: March/April 2008.
Every test bench must be verified every few years. This service can only be done by accredited laboratories like NMI and PTB. We have a basic agreement with the NMI to implement "remote verification" in our benches. The concept of this mutual project is ready and will be submitted for final judgment and approvals in a few months (depending of the results of the system approval).
Having a remote verification system, approved by NMI, will bring us even more in the lead regarding test benches.
Once EN17025 accredited, commercial calibrations can be carried out as accredited laboratory. At this moment, the status of accredited laboratory for flow is only given to Institutes as NMI and PTB. As an accredited laboratory, we are officially allowed to perform calibrations for third parties (Note: there are only a few laboratories certified for flows in Europe).
- Official EN17025 Certificate: June 2008
Series C H.R. Reynolds Calibration Center brochure
Features
The Dresser Meters test benches meet the highest demands of accuracy and are suitable for high speed calibrations. With the use of state-of-the-art PLC components (VIPA- high speed), the Dresser Meters bench can calibrate a rotary or turbine meters within 15 minutes (6 points calibration 3 times repeated). This is at least three times faster than existing benches or benches supplied by competitors, (meaning that the through-put of the production benches can be at least doubled).
The CO2 high pressure test bench is developed already (drawings of the skid exist, furthermore, the skids are already in production). As per November 2006, the European law has changed significantly.
According to the EN12261 (directive for turbine meters), each meter used at an operating pressure exceeding 4 bar must be calibrated close to the operating pressure (is high pressure). Although not all countries have adopted this new directive, since the old EEC directive can still be used up to 2016, the Western-European countries have adopted this Directive. Meaning that all meters sold to Germany, France, Austria, Netherlands, etc. require a high pressure calibration for their turbine meters. Competitors like Instromet, Elster and Actaris have recently finalized their own high pressure calibration loops to become independent of the NMI or PTB operated high pressure calibration centers. The NMI (Bergum, Westerborg, and Euroloop) and PTB (Pigsar, Stuttgart) are traditionally heavy occupied and have waiting lists up to 5 month.
The cost for a high pressure CO2 calibration carried out will be substantially lower than at PTB or NMI.
For very large meters (8" - 16") or very high pressures (class 300 and 600), we still have to use the NMI or PTB calibration centers, but to reduce the risk of failure it is common practice to pre-test the meters at a medium pressure (CO2).
To get the performance of the high pressure meters under control (traditional specifications are +/- 0,25 % accuracy), fine tuning of critical dimension around the turbine wheel have to be done (development). For this purpose, many tests at high pressure (CO2) have to be carried out.
A new Diaphragm test bench has been developed. This new test bench, put into commercial operation at Elektrometal Poland, is using advanced Sonic Nozzle technology and meets the latest and highest demands of the NMi (Netherlands Measurement Institute).