The second phase of the Meter Station Design Tool (MSDT) has been completed. The MSDT is an updated software application that leads facility designers and engineers through the design process for a natural gas flow meter station. The MSDT helps ensure new meter stations being designed from scratch or existing stations being modified incorporate the latest design methodology to minimize measurement uncertainty and maximize cost effectiveness and reliability of the installations. The MSDT creates station designs that produce accurate flow measurement in the most cost-effective way possible and minimize the likelihood of problems being engineered into the designs from the outset.
Measurement experts do not typically design pipeline meter stations. That task is usually left to others, such as electrical, instrumentation, or mechanical engineers. Consequently, design flaws can creep into the process or overtly costly station configurations can result due to lack of expert knowledge by the station designer. The MSDT software is designed to:
Enhancements to the Meter Station Design Tool have been completed. This software tool will help facility designers optimize the design of new and modified natural gas measurement facilities. The tool helps designers understand the tradeoffs between measurement uncertainty and facility costs across the expected operating range for pressures and flow rates. The tool is available for download from PRIME for PRCI members only. The associated user manual is also available on PRIME.