Natural Gas Flow Meter
Natural Gas Flow Meter
Measuring natural gas flow accurately is harder than it looks. Natural gas composition varies, pressures fluctuate, and conventional thermal mass flow meters struggle when conditions aren't perfectly stable. If you've fought with a thermal meter that drifts when temperature swings or needs constant recalibration when gas composition changes, you already know the problem.
Our MEMS thermal time-of-flight flow meters are built specifically for these conditions. They measure mass flow directly — no external temperature or pressure compensation required — and hold their calibration even when gas composition shifts.
Why thermal time-of-flight for natural gas?
Most thermal mass flow meters measure flow by sensing heat transfer from a heated element to the gas stream. That method is inherently sensitive to the thermal properties of the gas — which means a change in methane concentration, moisture content, or gas temperature throws off the reading.
Time-of-flight thermal technology works differently. It measures how long a precisely timed pulse of thermal energy takes to travel between two sensors. Because the measurement is based on timing rather than heat transfer magnitude, it has no sensitivity to gas temperature or composition once the meter is zeroed in your gas. The result is a meter that stays accurate across varying conditions without the need for recalibration.
Common natural gas flow meter applications
• Burner monitoring — measure fuel consumption per burner for combustion efficiency and process control
• Boiler fuel metering — track natural gas input to boilers for energy accounting and efficiency reporting
• Pipeline submetering — allocate gas usage across buildings, tenants, or production lines
• Leak detection — low-flow sensitivity makes it practical for identifying losses in distribution systems
• Biogas and landfill gas — handles methane-rich gas streams with varying composition
• Generator fuel monitoring — verify gas consumption against runtime for maintenance planning
What to look for when selecting a natural gas flow meter
Pipe size and flow range — our MEMS meters cover 1/2" to 2" NPT in standard configurations. For larger lines, the industrial thermal mass flow meter handles up to 8". Match your pipe size first, then verify the flow range covers both your minimum detectable flow and your maximum expected flow.
Output signals — most installations need at least one of: 4-20 mA (for PLCs and SCADA), Modbus RTU (for digital integration), or pulse output (for totalizers). Our meters provide all three plus 0-5 VDC and USB, so you're covered regardless of what your control system expects.
Hazardous area classification — if your installation is in a classified area, verify the meter's rating matches your area classification. Contact us if you need explosion-proof configurations.
Pressure rating — confirm the meter's working pressure range covers your line pressure with adequate margin.
Which meter is right for your natural gas application?
|
Application |
Recommended Meter |
Why |
|
1/2" to 2" lines, burners, boilers |
MEMS Thermal Mass Flow Meter |
Low power, high sensitivity at low flows, no compensation needed |
|
2" to 8" lines, larger systems |
Industrial Thermal Mass Flow Meter |
Higher flow capacity, insertion or inline options |
|
Variable gas composition |
Multivariable Vortex Flow Meter |
Not affected by gas composition changes |
|
Custody transfer / high accuracy |
Coriolis Flow Meter |
±0.1% accuracy, measures density and mass flow directly |
In stock and ready to ship
All meters ship from our facility in Salinas, CA. Standard configurations are in stock. We configure each meter for your gas and flow range before it ships — you connect power and it reads correctly from day one.
For questions about your specific application, call us at (831) 244-8080 or use the product configurator below.