Method for calibrating multiple Coriolis flow meters integrated on a common platform

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for calibrating or correcting a first flow meter integrated into a common platform with a second flow meter. The first flow meter includes a first driver, a first flow tube, and a first meter electronics, and the second flow meter includes a second driver, a second flow tube, and a second meter electronics. The method includes: configuring the first flow meter to vibrate the first flow tube with a first driver voltage at a first default driver voltage amplitude using the first meter electronics; and configuring the second flow meter to vibrate the second flow tube with a second driver voltage at a second standby driver voltage amplitude using the second meter electronics.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The embodiments described below relate to methods of calibrating a Coriolis flow meter, and more particularly to calibrating a Coriolis flow meter that is integrated with other Coriolis flow meters on a common platform. Background Art

[0002] A Coriolis flow meter is a type of flow meter that can be used to measure mass flow rate, density, volume flow rate, and other information for flowing materials. The flowing material can include liquids, gases, combined liquids and gases, solids suspended in liquids, and liquids including gases and suspended solids.

[0003] Figure 1 An exemplary Coriolis flow meter 100 is depicted that includes a meter assembly 10 and meter electronics 20. The meter assembly 10 responds to changes in the flow of process material. The meter electronics 20 is connected to the meter assembly 10 via leads 102 to provide density, volume flow rate, and mass flow rate information through a meter electronics interface 26, among other information.

[0004] The meter assembly 10 includes a pair of manifolds 150 and 150', flanges 103 and 103', a pair of parallel flow tubes 130 and 130', a driver 180, and a pair of velocity pick-off sensors 170L and 170R. The flow tubes 130 and 130' are bent at two symmetrical locations along their lengths and are substantially parallel throughout their lengths. Brace rods 140 and 140' are used to define an axis about which each flow tube oscillates.

[0005] When flanges 103 and 103' are connected via inlet port 104 and outlet port 104' to a process pipeline (not shown) carrying the process material being measured, material entering the inlet port 104 of the meter through flange 103 is directed to flow tube assembly block 120 through manifold 150. Within manifold 150, the material is divided and routed through flow tubes 130 and 130'. Upon exiting flow tubes 130 and 130', the process material is recombined into a single stream within manifold 150' and thereafter routed to outlet port 104' connected to the process pipeline (not shown) through flange 103'.

[0006] Both flow tubes 130 and 130' are driven in opposite directions by a driver 180, and in this case is referred to as the first out-of-phase bending mode of the flow meter. The driver 180 may include any of a number of well-known arrangements (such as a magnet mounted to flow tube 130' and an opposing coil mounted to flow tube 130), and alternating current is passed through the arrangement for vibrating the two flow tubes. A suitable driver voltage is applied to the driver 180 by the meter electronics 20.

[0007] Meter electronics 20 provides drive signals to driver 180 to vibrate flow tubes 130 and 130'. Meter electronics 20 receives left and right velocity signals from velocity pickoff sensors 170L and 170R to calculate mass flow rate, volume rate, and / or density information for flow through meter assembly 10.

[0008] In some flow meter applications, such as in oil and gas production, a high degree of meter accuracy is required. Custody transfer of oil and gas requires very accurate measurements because errors can quickly accumulate into huge revenue losses.

[0009] To support accurate flow measurement in the field, oil and gas operators often use metering skids. A metering skid is a common platform or frame to which two or more Coriolis flow meters can be coupled. The flow meters are often fluidly connected in parallel or in series.

[0010] In some instances, the metering skid meters can be used in a "hot standby" scenario, where one meter is used to measure flow and at least one other meter is retained for use as a backup or back-up. In other instances, however, multiple meters can be used in parallel to measure higher flow rates than a single meter would be capable of measuring alone. In other cases, one or more meters can be included on the skid to calibrate or calibrate other meters used for measurement.

[0011] When two or more meters are mounted on a sled and operated in close proximity to one another, it is sometimes possible for one meter to detect vibrations of one or more other meters. The vibrations of the other meters may appear as noise or crosstalk in the corresponding left and right speed pickoff sensors 170L, 170R of the particular meter.

[0012] In some cases, especially when the flow meters are similar in design, the operating frequencies of the driver signals of the meters may be mostly consistent, causing a relatively long period of beat frequency to appear in the left and right velocity data. When crosstalk is the beat frequency, the noise provided in the left and right velocity data tends to be relatively large and slow moving, typically no faster than 1 Hertz (Hz).

[0013] During normal meter operation, crosstalk may not be a prohibitive problem because the period of the beat frequency may be much smaller than the period during which the measurement is made, which may allow the errors caused by the interference between meters to cancel out. In other words, the positive errors caused are compensated by the equal and opposite negative errors caused by the interference between meters.

[0014] When individual instruments are calibrated or corrected on a skid, however, the pass-through time of the calibrator is often less than one second, below the typical beat frequency of 1 Hz. Beat frequencies caused by disturbances in the construction due to crosstalk phenomena during calibration operations may therefore appear as errors in the data with a high degree of repeatability. Errors caused by beat frequencies may be even more significant when using small-volume calibrators (which use even shorter individual pass-through times).

[0015] For meter manufacturers, resolving the problem of beat frequency between the various meters coupled to the skid is further complicated by the fact that high-level operations between the meters and the calibrator are generally facilitated through a client computer with client software. Previous solutions to the beat frequency problem have included powering off the meter that is not being calibrated. Powering off one or more meters often interferes with the control system implemented in the client computer, which, however, requires that communications and updates from the flow meter operate without causing faults and alarms. Furthermore, solutions requiring custom meter electronics or custom meter software increase the cost of the meter electronics and remove the plug-and-play nature of the meter product.

[0016] What is needed is a method for calibrating a flow meter integrated onto a skid that reduces measurement errors due to crosstalk from other meters on the skid and that is inexpensive to implement. Summary of the invention

[0017] In a first embodiment, a method is provided for at least one of calibrating or correcting a first flow meter integrated into a common platform with a second flow meter. The first flow meter includes a first driver, a first flow tube, and a first meter electronics, and the second flow meter includes a second driver, a second flow tube, and a second meter electronics. The method includes configuring the first flow meter to vibrate the first flow tube with a first driver voltage at a first default driver voltage amplitude using the first meter electronics. The method further includes configuring the second flow meter to vibrate the second flow tube with a second driver voltage at a second standby driver voltage amplitude using the second meter electronics.

[0018] In a second embodiment, a central operation processing unit operable to at least one of calibrate or correct a first flow meter integrated into a common platform with a second flow meter is provided. The central operation processing unit includes a central operation memory and a central operation processor, and is capable of implementing any method of the first embodiment.

[0019] In a third embodiment, a system for at least one of calibrating or correcting a first flow meter integrated into a common platform with a second flow meter is provided. The system is capable of implementing any of the methods of the first embodiment and includes a first flow meter, the first flow meter including a first driver and a first flow tube, the first flow meter being integrated into a common platform with the second flow meter. The system further includes a second flow meter, the second flow meter including a second driver, a second flow tube, and first meter electronics. The system further includes a central operation processing unit, the central operation processing unit including a central operation memory and a central operation processor.

[0020] aspect

[0021] According to one aspect, the method may further include calibrating the first flow meter.

[0022] According to one aspect, the second standby driver voltage amplitude may be twenty percent or less of the second default driver voltage amplitude.

[0023] According to one aspect, the method may further include configuring the first flow meter electronics to vibrate the first flow tube with a first driver voltage at a first backup driver voltage amplitude; configuring the second flow meter electronics to vibrate the second flow tube with a second driver voltage at a second default driver voltage amplitude; and calibrating the second flow meter.

[0024] According to one aspect, the first standby driver voltage amplitude may be twenty percent or less of the first default driver voltage amplitude.

[0025] According to one aspect, the second standby driver voltage amplitude may be zero.

[0026] According to one aspect, the first standby driver voltage amplitude may be zero.

[0027] According to one aspect, the first flow tube and the second flow tube can include substantially the same diameter and substantially the same length.

[0028] According to one aspect, the method can further include: suspending the flow of the process fluid to the first flow meter and the second flow meter; and monitoring for leaks using the second flow meter.

[0029] According to one aspect, calibrating the first flow meter may further include providing a calibration fluid flow to the first flow meter, the calibration fluid flow having an individually verified volume.

[0030] According to one aspect, configuring the second flow meter to vibrate the second flow tube with a second driver voltage at a second standby driver voltage amplitude may further include commanding the transmitter to configure the second flow meter electronics.

[0031] According to one aspect, configuring the first flow meter electronics to vibrate the first flow tube with the first driver voltage at the first default driver voltage amplitude may further include commanding a transmitter to configure the first flow meter electronics coupled to the first flow meter.

[0032] According to one aspect, the method may further include at least one of: setting the density value to the last correct value (or the last known good value), setting the mass flow value to zero, setting the volume flow value to zero, or suppressing the alarm mode.

[0033] According to one aspect, a computer program is configured to at least one of calibrate or correct a first flow meter that is integrated into a common platform with a second flow meter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] The same reference numerals refer to the same elements throughout the drawings. It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

[0035] Figure 1 A flow meter 100 is depicted according to an embodiment;

[0036] Figure 2 A flow meter system 200 is depicted according to an embodiment; and

[0037] Figure 3 Method 300 is depicted according to an embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] Figure 2-3 The following descriptions depict specific examples to teach those skilled in the art how to make and use the best mode of the present application. For the purpose of teaching the principles of the invention, some conventional aspects have been simplified or omitted. Those skilled in the art will appreciate variations from these examples that fall within the scope of the present application. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the following features can be combined in various ways to form multiple variations of the present application. As a result, the present application is not limited to the following specific examples, but is only limited to the claims and their equivalents.

[0039] Figure 1 Flow meter 100 is depicted. As described in the background section, flow meter 100 includes meter assembly 10 and meter electronics 20. In an example, flow meter 100 may be integrated with other flow meters onto a common platform such as a meter skid (not shown). Figure 1 (depicted in).

[0040] Although Figure 1The flow meter 100 in the embodiment depicts a Coriolis flow meter, but this is not intended to be limiting. As will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, the flow meter 100 may include any type of vibrating flow meter known to those skilled in the art. In further embodiments, the flow meter 100 may include one or more curved or straight tubes.

[0041] Figure 2 System 200 is depicted according to an embodiment. System 200 includes a first flow meter 202a and a second flow meter 202b integrated onto a common platform 204. System 200 further includes a central operations processing unit 208. In an example, system 200 may further include a transmitter 206, as will be further described below.

[0042] The common platform 204 may include any structure on which two or more flow meters may be mounted or coupled. In an embodiment, the common platform 204 may include, for example, an instrument skid. Figure 2 204 as including two flow meters, but this is not intended to be limiting. As will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, common platform 204 may include any number of flow meters.

[0043] In an embodiment, the first flow meter 202a and the second flow meter 202b may each include an instance of the flow meter 100. In an embodiment, the first flow meter 202a and the second flow meter 202b may include the same meter model. In other embodiments, however, the first flow meter 202a and the second flow meter 202b may include similar flow meter models. For example, the first flow meter 202a and the second flow meter 202b may include flow meter models having any combination of the following features: similar flow tube diameters, similar flow tube lengths, similar tube materials, similar housing sizes, similar housing materials, similar driver components, or similar pickup components. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the first flow meter 202a and the second flow meter 202b may further include any other similar configurations that make it likely to produce a beat frequency when they are operated together.

[0044] The central operation processing unit 208 includes a central operation processor 210, a central operation memory 212, and a central operation interface 214. The central operation processing unit 208 can be configured to operate one or more flow meters integrated into the common platform 204. In an embodiment, the central operation processing unit 208 can be operable to send commands to the first flow meter 202a and the second flow meter 202b and receive telemetry therefrom. For example, the central operation processing unit 208 can send commands to the first meter electronics 20a of the first flow meter 202a and the second meter electronics 20b of the second flow meter 202b and receive telemetry therefrom. In an embodiment, the central operation processing unit 208 can be customized or adapted by the flow meter customer for a specific industrial application.

[0045] The CPU 210 executes the Figure 3 The computer instructions for part or all of the described method 300. In an embodiment, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the central operating processor 210 may include a single processor or any plurality of processors.

[0046] The central operating memory 212 may be an electronically readable medium or a computer readable medium configured to store computer program instructions. In an example, the central operating memory 212 may include a non-transitory medium. The stored computer program instructions, when executed on the central operating memory 212, may implement the Figure 3 Part or all of the methods described.

[0047] In the example, about Figure 3 Portions of the described methods may be stored or executed externally to the system 200. For example, Figure 3 Rather, portions of the described methods may be stored or executed on a combination of servers and cloud storage facilities via the Internet.

[0048] The central operation processing unit 208 further includes a central operation interface 214. The central operation interface 214 can be configured to communicate with devices external to the central operation processing unit 208. Through the central operation interface 214, the central operation processing unit 208 can communicate with flow meters integrated into the common platform 204. For example, the central operation interface 214 can allow the central operation processing unit 208 to communicate with the first meter electronics 20a and the second meter electronics 20b. In an embodiment, the central operation interface 214 can communicate via any wired or wireless interface known to those skilled in the art.

[0049] In an embodiment, the central operation processing unit 208 may communicate with one or more flow meters integrated into the common platform 204 via one or more intermediate electronic devices. For example, the central operation processing unit 208 may communicate with one or more flow meters via the transmitter 206.

[0050] The transmitter 206 may be operable to transmit commands received from the central operation processing unit 208 to the first flow meter 202a and the second flow meter 202b. The transmitter 206 may further be operable to transmit telemetry received from the first flow meter 202a and the second flow meter 202b to the central operation processing unit 208. In an embodiment, the transmitter 206 may be configured to communicate with the central operation processing unit 208 and any number of flow meters via any wireless or wired medium.

[0051] In an embodiment, the transmitter 206 may include one or more transmitters. For example, the transmitter 206 may include: a first transmitter 206a configured to communicate with the first meter electronics 20a and the central operation processing unit 208; and a second transmitter 206b configured to communicate with the second meter electronics 20b and the central operation processing unit 208. In an embodiment, the first transmitter 206a and the second transmitter 206b may be integrated into the first flow meter 202a and the second flow meter 202b or separated from the first flow meter 202a and the second flow meter 202b.

[0052] In an embodiment, two or more of the central operation processing unit 208, the transmitter 206, the first meter electronics 20a, or the second meter electronics 20b may be operable to communicate via one or more communication protocols. For example, the central operation interface 214 may be operable to communicate via Modbus or any other communication protocol known to those skilled in the art.

[0053] Figure 3 The method 300 is depicted according to an embodiment. The method 300 can be used to at least one of calibrate or correct a first flow meter 202a integrated into a common platform 204 with a second flow meter 202b, wherein the first flow meter 202a includes a first driver, a first flow tube, and a first meter electronics 20a, and the second flow meter 202b includes a second driver, a second flow tube, and a second meter electronics 20b.

[0054] Method 300 begins at step 302. In step 302, a first flow meter is configured to vibrate a first flow tube using a first meter electronics device with a first driver voltage at a first default driver voltage amplitude. Step 302 may place the first flow meter in a normal operating mode in which the first flow meter is operable to make nominal flow measurements. The first driver voltage is output from the first meter electronics device 20a to the first driver and is operable to actuate one or more flow tubes of the first meter sensor 10a.

[0055] The first driver voltage is a voltage operable to actuate the driver 180. The first default driver voltage amplitude is a typical operating driver voltage amplitude for a particular meter model. The Coriolis torque forces of a flow meter may be relatively small, and the flow tubes of the meter may be relatively stiff. In order to vibrate the flow tubes with an amplitude sufficient to make the Coriolis torque forces detectable, the meter electronics typically provides an AC driver voltage to the driver 180 to vibrate the flow tubes at their natural frequencies. This allows the meter electronics 20a, 20b to provide an output that continuously maximizes the transfer rate ratio or drive gain for a Coriolis flow meter in a conventional manner. The first default driver voltage amplitude is typically set at an optimal level, thereby maximizing the drive gain of the meter without damaging the meter due to excessive flow tube movement.

[0056] The method 300 continues with step 304. In step 304, the second flow meter is configured to vibrate the second flow tube with a second driver voltage at a second standby driver voltage amplitude using the second meter electronics. Step 304 may place the second flow meter in a standby operating mode. In step 304, the second driver voltage is output from the second meter electronics 20b to the first driver and is operable to actuate one or more flow tubes of the second meter sensor 10b.

[0057] The second backup driver voltage amplitude is lower than a default second default driver voltage amplitude, the second default driver voltage amplitude being selected based on criteria similar to those used to select the first default driver voltage amplitude for the first flow meter. The second backup driver voltage amplitude is low enough to prevent substantially all of the beat frequencies experienced when the first flow meter 202a and the second flow meter 202b are simultaneously operated at their respective default driver voltage amplitudes.

[0058] In embodiments where the first flow meter 202a and the second flow meter 202b are the same meter model or include substantially the same meter components and dimensions, the second backup voltage amplitude for the second flow meter may be twenty percent or less of the first default voltage amplitude for the first flow meter.

[0059] In an embodiment, the second standby driver voltage amplitude may be twenty percent or less of the second default driver voltage amplitude.In further embodiments, however, the second standby driver voltage amplitude may be lower.

[0060] By vibrating the flow tubes of the second flow meter 202b at a second backup driver voltage amplitude that is smaller than the second default driver voltage amplitude while the first flow meter 202a is vibrating the corresponding flow tubes at the first default voltage amplitude, it may be possible to effectively remove the beat frequency sensed at one or more of the corresponding meter pick-off sensors, thereby improving the accuracy of the calibration run of the first flow meter 202a. By selecting a second default driver voltage amplitude that is not zero, it may be possible to use the second flow meter 202b to obtain flow meter data to detect leaks while the first flow meter 202a is being calibrated. This may allow an operator to continuously monitor for leaks in the system during the calibration run. Keeping the first flow meter 202a and the second flow meter 202b powered on while the second flow meter 202b is operating at the second default driver voltage amplitude to avoid mechanical interference in the sensor data may further allow an operator to avoid interruptions that may be caused by power loss of the meters to control the algorithms executed by the central operation processing unit 208.

[0061] By maintaining the second flow meter 202b operating at a lower driver amplitude while calibrating the first flow meter 202a, the second flow meter 202b can also be brought back up to the operating driver amplitude more quickly after the calibration run for the first flow meter 202a is completed. This can provide a faster calibration run, thereby minimizing meter downtime and associated costs.

[0062] As will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art, step 304 may include configuring any number of additional flow meters to use corresponding meter electronics to vibrate their respective flow tubes with a driver voltage at the alternate driver voltage amplitude.

[0063] In an embodiment, the method 300 may include additional steps. For example, the method 300 may further include step 306. In step 306, the first flow meter may be calibrated using any method known to those skilled in the art.

[0064] In an embodiment, calibrating the first flow meter may further include providing a flow of a calibration fluid having an individually verified volume to the first flow meter.

[0065] In an embodiment, method 300 may include additional steps. For example, method 300 may include step 308 and step 310. In step 308, the first flow meter electronics may be configured to vibrate the first flow tube with a first driver voltage at a first standby driver voltage amplitude. Step 308 is similar to step 302 except that step 308 is applied to the first flow meter 202a.

[0066] In step 310, the second flow meter electronics may be configured to vibrate the second flow tube with a second driver voltage at a second default driver voltage amplitude. Step 310 is similar to step 304 except that step 310 is applied to the second flow meter 202b.

[0067] In an embodiment, the first standby driver voltage amplitude may be twenty percent or less of the first default driver voltage amplitude.In other embodiments, however, the first standby driver voltage amplitude may be almost zero or zero.

[0068] In an embodiment, method 300 may further include step 312. In step 312, the second flow meter may be calibrated. In other embodiments, however, step 312 may include calibrating the second flow meter.

[0069] In an embodiment, the first flow tube and the second flow tube may include substantially the same diameter and / or substantially the same length. In an embodiment, substantially the same diameter or substantially the same length may mean that the diameter and / or length of the first flow meter is within 20% of the diameter and / or length of the second flow meter. In other embodiments, however, substantially the same diameter or substantially the same length may mean that the diameter and / or length of the first flow meter is within 10% of the diameter and / or length of the second flow meter.

[0070] In an embodiment, method 300 may further include step 314 and step 316. In step 314, the flow of process fluid to the first flow meter and the second flow meter may be suspended.

[0071] The second flow meter may be used to monitor for leaks in step 316. By configuring the second flow meter electronics to vibrate the second flow tube at a second driver voltage at a second standby driver voltage greater than zero when the flow of the process fluid is stopped, it may be possible to use the second flow meter to continue monitoring for leaks without incurring a beat frequency.

[0072] In an embodiment, configuring the first flow meter electronics 20a to vibrate the first flow tube with the first driver voltage at the first default driver voltage amplitude may further include commanding the transmitter 206, 206a to configure the first flow meter electronics 20a coupled to the first flow meter 202a.

[0073] In an embodiment, configuring the second flow meter 202b to vibrate the second flow tube with a second driver voltage at a second standby driver voltage amplitude may further include sending a command to the central operations processing unit 208 to the transmitter 206, 206b to configure the second flow meter electronics 20b.

[0074] In an embodiment, the transmitter 206, 206a, 206b may include stored computer program instructions stored on a transmitter memory (not depicted) operable to configure one or more flow meters into a standby mode, wherein the one or more flow meters include a driver voltage set to a standby driver voltage amplitude. The transmitter 206, 206a, 206b may further include stored computer program instructions stored on the transmitter memory operable to configure one or more flow meters into an operational mode, wherein the one or more flow meters include a driver voltage set to a default driver voltage amplitude.

[0075] In an embodiment, the method 300 may further include step 318. In step 318, at least one of the following may be performed: setting the density value to the last good value, setting the mass flow value to zero, setting the volume flow value to zero, or suppressing an alarm mode. The density value, mass flow value, or volume flow value are all values ​​measured by the flow meter but tracked by the transmitter 206 or the central operation processing unit 208. The alarm mode is an alarm at the transmitter 206 or the central operation processing unit 208 configured to alert a user to an error condition. Step 318 may allow the transmitter 206 or the central operation processing unit 208 to suppress errors or alarms that may be triggered when the flow meter is operated at the backup driver voltage amplitude.

[0076] The following represents an embodiment of how the central operation processing unit 208 or the transmitters 206, 206a, 206b may be configured to cause the first meter electronics 20a and the second meter electronics 20b integrated onto the common platform 204 to perform the steps of the method 300. In an embodiment, the stored computer program instructions may execute any portion of the pseudo code on any combination of the central operation processing unit 208 or the transmitters 206, 206a, 206b.

[0077] 1. Sending a command to the first meter electronics 20a configured to use the first meter electronics to oscillate the first flow tube at a first driver voltage at a first default driver voltage amplitude;

[0078] 2. For the second flow meter, set the density value to the last correct value, the mass flow value to zero, and the volume flow value to zero;

[0079] 3. Suppress the alarm mode for the second flow meter;

[0080] 4. Sending a command to the second meter electronics 20b to use the second meter electronics to oscillate the second flow tube at a second driver voltage at a second standby driver voltage amplitude;

[0081] 5. Wait until the first flow meter is calibrated;

[0082] 6. Sending a command to the second meter electronics 20b to use the second meter electronics to oscillate the second flow tube at a second driver voltage at a second default driver voltage amplitude;

[0083] 7. For the second flow meter, the density value is set to the currently measured density value, the mass flow value is set to the currently measured mass flow value, and the volume flow value is set to the currently measured volume flow value;

[0084] 8. For the first flow meter, set the density value to the last correct value, the mass flow value to zero, and the volume flow value to zero;

[0085] 9. Suppressing the alarm mode for the first flow meter;

[0086] 10. Send a command to the first meter electronics 20a to place the first meter electronics 20a in a standby mode to use the first meter electronics to oscillate the first flow tube with a first driver voltage at a first standby driver voltage amplitude; 11. Wait until the second flow meter is calibrated;

[0087] 12. Sending a command to the first meter electronics 20a to use the first meter electronics to oscillate the first flow tube at a first driver voltage at a first default driver voltage amplitude; and

[0088] 13. For the first flow meter, the density value is set to the currently measured density value, the mass flow value is set to the currently measured mass flow value, and the volume flow value is set to the currently measured volume flow value.

[0089] The detailed description of the above embodiments is not an exhaustive description of all embodiments that the inventors consider to be within the scope of the present description. In fact, those skilled in the art will recognize that certain elements of the above embodiments can be variously combined or excluded to produce additional embodiments, and such additional embodiments fall within the scope and teachings of the present description. Therefore, the scope of the above embodiments should be determined according to the claims below.

Claims

1. A method for at least one of calibrating or correcting a first flow meter (202a) integrated into a common platform (204) with a second flow meter (202b), wherein the first flow meter (202a) comprises a first driver, a first flow tube, and a first meter electronics (20a), and the second flow meter (202b) comprises a second driver, a second flow tube, and a second meter electronics (20b), the method comprising: configuring the first flow meter (202a) to vibrate the first flow tube with a first driver voltage at a first default driver voltage amplitude using the first meter electronics (20a); as well as The second flow meter (202b) is configured to vibrate the second flow tube with a second driver voltage at a second standby driver voltage amplitude using the second meter electronics (20b).

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: The first flow meter (202a) is calibrated.

3. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein: The second backup driver voltage amplitude is twenty percent or less of the second default driver voltage amplitude.

4. The method according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: configuring the first flow meter electronics (20a) to vibrate the first flow tube with the first driver voltage at a first standby driver voltage amplitude; configuring the second flow meter electronics (20b) to vibrate the second flow tube with the second driver voltage at a second default driver voltage amplitude; as well as The second flow meter (202b) is calibrated.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein: The first backup driver voltage amplitude is twenty percent or less than the first default driver voltage amplitude.

6. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The second standby driver voltage amplitude is zero.

7. The method according to claim 5, wherein: The first standby driver voltage amplitude is zero.

8. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: The first flow tube and the second flow tube include substantially the same diameter and substantially the same length.

9. The method according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: suspending the flow of process fluid to the first flow meter (202a) and the second flow meter (202b); as well as The second flow meter (202b) is used to monitor for leaks.

10. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: Calibrating the first flow meter (202a) further includes providing a calibration fluid flow to the first flow meter (202a), the calibration fluid flow having an individually verified volume.

11. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: Configuring the second flow meter (202b) to oscillate the second flow tube with a second driver voltage at a second standby driver voltage amplitude further includes commanding a transmitter (206, 206b) to configure the second flow meter electronics (20b).

12. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: Configuring the first flow meter electronics (20a) to vibrate the first flow tube with the first driver voltage at the first default driver voltage amplitude further includes commanding a transmitter (206, 206a) to configure the first flow meter electronics (20a) coupled to the first flow meter (202a).

13. The method according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising: At least one of: setting the density value to the last known good value, setting the mass flow value to zero, setting the volume flow value to zero, or suppressing an alarm mode.

14. A central operation processing unit (208), comprising a central operation memory (212) and a central operation processor (210), wherein the central operation processing unit is operable to at least calibrate or correct a first flow meter (202a) integrated into a common platform (204) together with a second flow meter (202b) via a method according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

15. A system (200) for at least one of calibrating or correcting a first flow meter (202a) integrated into a common platform (204) together with a second flow meter (202b) via a method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, the system comprising: The first flow meter (202a) comprises a first driver and a first flow tube, wherein the first flow meter (202a) and the second flow meter (202b) are integrated into a common platform (204); The second flow meter (202b) comprises a second driver, a second flow tube and the first meter electronics (20a); The central operation processing unit (208) includes a central operation memory (212) and a central operation processor (210).

16. A computer readable medium having computer program instructions stored thereon, wherein: The computer program instructions configure a first flow meter (202a) integrated into a common platform (204) with a second flow meter (202b) to be at least one of calibrated or corrected via a method according to any one of claims 1 to 13.

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