Understanding Measurement Uncertainty in DP Flow Devices

This paper examines the concepts and methods involved in the uncertainty analysis of a differential pressure flow measurement, including which variables have the greatest influence on the uncertainty, and how to effectively manage the influence of error sources on the measurement. An uncertainty analysis will provide the user with a good measure of actual and/or potential system performance and can be instrumental in identifying potential areas of improvement in system performance. The wide availability of instruments of all types and levels of performance presents a difficult decision to those who are responsible for project success and budgets. Optimizing the investment in instrumentation is possible when the required performance is known based an appropriate uncertainty analysis.