1. A New Calibration Facility for Small Flow of Hydrocarbon Liquid
Asia Pacific Metrology Programme 2009 – TCFF Meeting, Dec, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Report on the Progress of
A New Calibration Facility for
Small Flow of Hydrocarbon Liquid
CHEONG Kar-Hooi
Liquid Flow Standards Section, Fluid Flow Division
NMIJ, AIST

2. Contents Background / Motivation Work on the New Facility
Problems and Challenges
Future Plan
Background / Motivation

3. ■Are there needs for small hydrocarbon flow standards? One example…
18.8 km/L
■Environmental friendly cars sell
better than fast cars.
■People care for “km/L” much
more than “km/h”.
Fuel efficiency indicator becomes a standard specification for cars nowadays.

4. ■Stricter regulations for fuel efficiency in the future.
Country (year) km/L
⇒JPN (2020) 21
⇒EU (2020) 24.5
⇒US (2016) 15.1　
source: Asahi Shimbun (2009/12/3)
With around 6 million of annual car sales in Japan, traceability for fuel efficiency is an urgent need.

5. ■Flow range covered by the present oil facilities
Flow conditions
Light oil, kerosene
Large: 15~35℃, 100~800 kPa
Medium: 10~35℃, 300~700 kPa
Large range
3 ~ 300 m3/h
BMC 0.03%
Medium range
0.1 ~ 15 m3/h
BMC 0.03%
Small range
Not available
103
102 10 1
10-2
10-3
10-1
Flow range m3/h
10-4

6. Contents Background / Motivation Work on the New Facility
Problems and Challenges
Future Plan

7. ■Outline of the new facility
Storage tank
・Volume capacity: 26L
・Working fluid: light oil
Header tank
・Cylinder
・Volume capacity: 2L
Flow generation section
Heat exchanger
・Cooling power: 900W,
・Heating power: 2.5kW,
・Temperature range: 15~35℃
　　　　　　　　　　　（±0.1~0.2℃）
Magnetic gear pump
・revolution speed is changeable
・max. 11L/min, 0.87MPa 7

8. ■Outline of the new facility
Positive
displacement
flowmeter
(check standard)
Coriolis flowmeter
1/8” Test line
・0.001~0.01m3/h
・Re=120~1200
1/4” Test line
・0.01~0.1m3/h
・Re=1200~4300
Test section
100D
DUT
Resistance
thermometer
sensor
(explosion-proof)
Pressure
transmitter 8

9. ■Outline of the new facility
■Gravimetric calibration
■Method: Standing-start-and-finish
with static weighing
Flowrate control valve
Bypass to
storage tank
Weighing section
Weighing scale
Capacity: 6.2kg
Readability: 0.01g
Resolution: 1/620000
Weighing vessel (beaker)
Enclosed chamber 9

10. ■Facility in building process…
The facility is being built in a room designated as hazardous area due to flammable working fluid.
Lighting and electrical wiring were also upgraded to explosion-proof level.
Once in operation, the room will be ventilated and humidified at all time.

11. ■Problems and Challenges
Measurement uncertainty is targeted at 0.1%. Uncertainty budget will be done once the facility is operational.
Uncertainty due to the weighing section has to be evaluated carefully.
Short of money （￥）: explosion-proof equipment and room renovation are too costly.
Room temperature control is not effective at present. Installation of high-performance air-conditioning is necessary.
Automation of the facility.
Shift to flying-start-and-finish method. For this, diverter system needs to be installed.

12. ■Future Plan m3/h 0.1 Calibration range 0.01 0.001 0.0001
Light oil, kerosene
Light oil, kerosene
Estimated flow range for evaluation of fuel efficiency
Light oil
Light oil
Calibration range
0.01
0.001
0.0001

13. Thank you for your attention. Terima kasih.
mail:
Mt. Tsukuba