Gas Turbine Flow Meter Accurately Measures Natural Gas at Regional Distribution Station
ackground
Midwest Natural Gas Utility operates a major regional distribution station supplying residential, commercial, and light industrial customers. Accurate measurement of incoming natural gas volumes is critical both for billing purposes and for ensuring supply agreements with upstream transmission operators are met. Historically, MNGU relied on orifice plate meters, but faced challenges related to ongoing maintenance requirements, limited turndown ratio, and pressure loss.
Challenge
MNGU required a measurement solution that could:
Deliver high accuracy across a wide flow range
Minimize pressure drop to optimize pipeline efficiency
Operate reliably in varying ambient temperatures (-10°C to +40°C)
Provide digital output compatible with SCADA systems
Reduce calibration frequency and lifecycle costs
Solution
Following an evaluation of multiple technologies, MNGU selected the
QTWG Gas Turbine Flow Meter for the main 8-inch inlet line. The
QTWG features:
Accuracy: ±0.5% of reading from 10% to 100% of rated flow
Turndown Ratio: 20:1
Temperature Range: -20°C to +60°C
Outputs: Pulse, 4–20 mA analog, Modbus RTU over RS485
Construction: Stainless steel rotor assembly, tungsten carbide bearings for extended service life
Installation was completed during a scheduled pipeline shutdown. Technicians integrated the meter into the station’s SCADA platform within one day, enabling real-time monitoring of flow rate, totalized volume, and diagnostic data.
