Rail Car Fluid Flow Measurement Case Study

A Leading North American Rail Car Services Company required a robust and accurate industrial grade flow meter for offloading numerous Oils with vastly different viscosities. Additionally, the system needed to be battery powered and suitable for over the road mobile cart service duty. Previous flow technologies had issues with differing viscosities, had complicated and time consuming recalibration procedures and were deemed unsuitable for long term rigorous over the road conditions. Offload Trucks had consistent under load or over load conditions, resulting in rerouting and removing or adding fluids – all at great cost.

SOLUTION

Macnaught’s Industrial Duty 3 inch MX75F-2SA Series Positive Displacement Oval Gear Flow Meter with our Remote Mount PR Display was selected for testing and trial evaluations.

Important design considerations were incorporated into the skid construction, namely dual 50 micron bag filtration upstream of meter combined with filtration Air Purge valves.

The Macnaught MX75 has exceeded all expectations, and is currently operating in over a dozen Rail Site locations, including our Hazard Rated Meter ( for Methanol offloading ).

Heavy Duty Industrial Grade Rail Car Fluid Flow Metering with .5% Volumetric Accuracy and .03% Repeatability. Well suited for harsh environmental conditions and rated for over the road mobile service.

APPLICATION / METER DATA

Volume / Meter - 250-300 GPM - MX75F-2SA with Remote PR Display

Pressure - 100 - 150 PSI

Temperature - Ambient

Media - Various Engine Oils, Transmission / Hydraulic Fluids, and Gear Lubes up to ISO 460

External Power Requirements - None, Battery Powered with 3 year battery life

Display Readings - Rate, Resettable Total, Non Resettable Totalizer

Optional:
• Simple Safe Intrinsically Safe Non Powered Meter available
for flammable fluids
• ExD C1D1 and Ex ia certified Meter packages avaiable ( FM US, FM-CA, ATEX and IECEx approvals )
• Powered Industrial Displays with outputs available ( Pulse, 4-20mA, Modbus, Hart )

___________________

"The meters currently in use at the Mount Pleasant, PA facility have helped us tremendously. The meters are accurate, reliable, easy to install and durable. Having these meters in use makes our team more efficient by eliminating over loads and shortages making the truck return back to the railcar from the truck scale to either load more on or off load some."