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Quick Answer: Liquid Controls LC flow meter systems use rotary vane positive displacement technology to measure bulk transfer of diesel, gasoline, jet fuel, LPG, and biofuel. These meters deliver repeatable measurement from about 20 L/min to over 3000 L/min depending on model and viscosity. Send us your flow range, pipe size, and product type to match the right meter and companion instruments.
Bulk hydrocarbon transfer involves money. A small calibration drift in a 4 inch loading line can create an error of several hundred liters per day. That is why terminals and depots in Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America still specify Liquid Controls rotary vane meters for spot checks and billing runs.
A rotor with sliding vanes sits inside a measuring chamber. Liquid enters the chamber, fills the space between two vanes, and pushes the rotor. Each rotation captures a fixed volume. Pulse transmitters or mechanical registers convert the rotation into total flow. The measurement is direct. It does not depend on flow profile or Reynolds number. The meter works well with low viscosity gasoline and higher viscosity diesel blends.
Liquid Controls offers M series meters in sizes from 1.5 inch to 6 inch. Common models include M-5, M-7, M-10, M-15, M-25, M-40, and M-60. The M-7 is a 2 inch meter often used for diesel loading at 150 to 400 L/min. The M-15 fits 3 inch lines up to 1000 L/min. The M-40 handles 4 inch bunker lines from 800 to 3500 L/min depending on viscosity and line pressure. These flow ranges are approximate. Always check the meter curve with actual product viscosity, because capacity drops as viscosity rises.
Install the meter after a strainer. A 100 mesh basket strainer works for most refined products. Install an air eliminator upstream. Air bubbles count as volume in a rotary vane meter. If you skip the air eliminator, you will record phantom volume. Back pressure valves help when the line discharges to an atmospheric tank. Keep enough back pressure to prevent vaporization, especially for gasoline and LPG. A back pressure of 1.5 to 2 bar works in many truck loading racks.
We have seen installations in West Africa where a missing air eliminator caused a 2 percent error on a diesel export line. The meter was accurate. The system was not. Because a stuck air pocket creates a false volume count.
A rotary vane meter often needs companion devices. Silver Instruments supplies pressure transmitters, PT100 temperature sensors, paperless recorders, and flow computers. The pressure transmitter sends 4-20 mA HART signals to the control room. The PT100 compensates volume to standard conditions. A paperless recorder logs total flow, temperature, and pressure for audits. We can also supply oval gear flow meters as a lower cost alternative for clean diesel lines.
Last year a customer in Vietnam asked us for a backup meter for a diesel bunkering line. The line ran at 2500 L/min with a viscosity of 4 cP at 30 degrees Celsius. We supplied a 4 inch meter and a 12 channel recorder to log flow, pressure, and temperature. The system has been in service for 14 months.
Select this meter type when you need batching accuracy on truck loading, railcar loading, or ship bunkering. It works well for custody transfer if local regulations accept positive displacement meters. It is not the best choice for dirty products without fine filtration. Solids can jam the vanes.
Send us your product type, flow range in L/min or m3/h, pipe size in DN, operating pressure in bar, and operating temperature in Celsius. We will recommend a meter size and the companion instruments. Contact Silver Instruments at Tel: +86-25-68650347, WhatsApp: +86-25-52155837, WeChat: +86 15365082610.
You can expect plus or minus 0.1 percent to 0.2 percent of reading for most refined hydrocarbons. Repeatability is often 0.05 percent or better. The accuracy stays stable across a wide viscosity range because the meter captures volume directly.
For 1500 L/min diesel, a 3 inch M-15 or a 4 inch M-40 usually matches the line. The exact selection depends on viscosity, pipe pressure, and the required turndown. Send us your operating values and we will check the flow range against the meter curve.
Yes. Liquid Controls builds meters for LPG with special clearances and materials. The system must keep enough back pressure to avoid vapor breakout. We recommend an air eliminator and a pressure transmitter on the discharge side.
Yes, for most truck and ship loading systems. Air bubbles pass through the meter and register as volume. A 100 mesh strainer plus an air eliminator upstream solves most of these errors. We have seen missing air eliminators cause 2 percent over-registration on diesel export lines.
We supply pressure transmitters with 4-20 mA HART output, PT100 temperature sensors, paperless recorders, and flow computers. We also provide oval gear flow meters for smaller batch lines and Coriolis mass flow meters when you need mass measurement instead of volume.
