Full Report
With their built-in temperature compensation, the ST75 Flow Meters provide highly repeatable performance in industrial process environments.
Analysis Summary
# Main Topic
The operational capabilities and technical specifications of the FCI ST75 Series Thermal Mass Flow Meter, specifically highlighting its performance in industrial process environments characterized by varying temperatures and pressures, and its utility in monitoring methane leaks from gas compressor dry seals for environmental compliance and safety.
## Key Points
- The ST75 Flow Meters provide highly repeatable performance in industrial process environments due to their built-in temperature compensation.
- They ensure accuracy to ±2% of reading with ±0.5% repeatability over varying process temperatures and pressures.
- The meters directly measure mass flow of gases (like methane, CH4) and provide flow rate and totalized flow output signals, useful for quantifying emissions or leak rates (in pounds or tons).
- The design employs platinum RTD sensors embedded in equal mass thermowells, lacking moving parts, which reduces susceptibility to fouling from particulate-laden gas streams.
- They are suitable for low flow measurement applications, handling air or gases from 0.01 to 559 SCFM (0.01 to 950 NCMH).
## Threat Actors
- Not applicable. The content describes industrial process monitoring technology, not malicious threat actors or cyber incidents.
## TTPs
- Not applicable. The document details measurement technologies, not Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs) related to security threats.
## Affected Systems
- Gas compressors in booster stations utilizing dry gas seals (source of fugitive methane emissions).
- Industrial process environments requiring accurate measurement of gas flow (e.g., oil/gas processing, transportation, storage).
- Applicable line sizes range from 0.25 to 2 inches (6 to 51 mm).
- Systems requiring compatibility with hazardous area classifications (FM/FM C approved, ATEX/IEC approvals).
## Mitigations
- Utilize ST75 Flow Meters to monitor primary and secondary vent gas on dry seals to detect seal degradation and quantify methane leakage for regulatory reporting.
- Leverage the direct mass flow measurement capability, enhanced by internal temperature compensation, to achieve consistent and repeatable performance regardless of process temperature fluctuations.
- For installations with limited straight-run, utilize Models ST75V or ST75AV, which incorporate an integral Vortab Flow Conditioner, offering accuracy of ±1% reading, ±0.5% full scale.
- Employ the remote mounting option (transmitter up to 50 feet/15 meters away) to place the sensor in crowded or hazardous measurement points while keeping the display unit accessible.
## Conclusion
The ST75 Flow Meter integrates advanced thermal measurement technology with integrated temperature compensation to deliver highly reliable and repeatable mass flow data critical for monitoring and ensuring compliance regarding hazardous gas leaks (specifically methane) in challenging industrial settings. Its robust design and accuracy simplify compliance reporting and facilitate predictive maintenance on gas compressor seals.