Metricon has developed an integrated electronic system for calibrating petrol stations’ fuel pumps. The system has been designed minimize human intervention while the calibration measuring process is being carried out. This is achieved by using high precision metrology instruments integrated in METRICAL.

The operation of METRICAL is based on weighing the quantity of fuel supplied by each fuel pump nozzle, while detecting the density and temperature of the fuel. METRICAL is designed for installation in a van type vehicle and includes:

1) Electronic measuring device of 3-10 liters.

2) Electronic measuring device of 10-35 liters.

3) Electronic measuring device of 15-50 liters.

4) Electronic measuring device of 100-500 liters.

5) Three 80-liter storage tanks.

6) A storage tank of 160 liters.

7) Control cameras.

8) Automation Systems and PC’s.

9) Fuel Pump drain system.

Calibration Measuring Process

The 10, 35 and 50 liters capacity measuring devices control the measuring capability of the fuel pumps quickly and reliably to a range of three flows (low, medium, high). In each measuring process the collected data are: weight, density (measured endogenously, not by temperature reduction), and temperature of fuel at multiple points. These data are automatically associated and expressed in liters. The absolute accuracy of this method of weighing and calculating density is high and in particular is better than 0.15% throughout the whole measurement range.

The large (500 litre) capacity measuring device is designed to be placed near the petrol station’s fuel tank that is under test and can check the accuracy of the installed Fuel Input-Output system that is utilising an electronic measuring rod. The procedure is easily performed by adding volumes of 100-500 liters, measured accurately in the petrol station’s fuel tank, awaiting the electronic measuring rod to a rest. The deviation of the electronic rod is calculated by recording its new position in relation to the original and the Fuel Input-Output system will be checked by METRICAL.

Moreover, the large capacity measuring device is used to check the quantity delivered by fuel tank vehicles. This can be achieved by adding partial volumes up to 500 liters wherever needed. The audit is based on the existing electronic measuring rod that the fuel tank is equipped with or on the total delivered quantity in the tank. In this way the proper functioning of the Fuel Input-Output system is ensured at all levels of operation and events which might yield deviations greater than those permitted by the legislature are prevented.

Measuring only the temperature from each fuel pump will provide-in comparison with the corresponding temperature at the tank-an important reading for preventing errors and which should be taken into account for the proper operation of the installed Fuel Input-Output system. Again, the whole process is fully automated and via wireless Internet connection, results are being transmitted in real-time to all parties involved.