Michell Instruments researchers pioneer progress in high pressure humidity calibration

Rowley, MA: Michell Instruments Research has reported significant progress in its project with the UK National Physical Laboratory (NPL) to improve the current high-pressure dew-point generator technology.
Michell scientists are cooperating on the project with the NPL, which provides scientific consultancy and assessment services. The aim of the work is to enable calibrations of water and hydrocarbon dew point to be made at line pressure, outside of national metrology institutes.

The research efforts have particular implications for the natural gas industry, especially for pipeline operators, as the ability to perform at-pressure calibrations for both water and hydrocarbon dew point will improve confidence in the measurement of these two gas quality parameters at pipeline custody transfer points. The system offers flexibility to operate at pressures up to 1450 psi with a choice of carrier gases such as methane to simulate process application conditions.

The project also has significant potential for national metrology institutes themselves, as Dr. Stephanie Bell from the NPL explained: ‘Hydrocarbon dew point is a critical measurement for oil and gas industries, but not yet underpinned by practical measurement traceability to national standards. The present project will give NPL access for the first time to detailed results of a hydrocarbon dew-point realization, and this will greatly inform our judgment of whether similar provision can be made at national standard level.’

Michell Instruments has been at the forefront of research work on humidity measurement technologies for decades, cooperating with the best research groups from renowned universities in UK and the world. More than 30 years ago Michell pioneered the EEC-funded development of the first European humidity transfer standard to create a humidity calibration service which would increase confidence and reliability throughout industry and research. Following this work and, with the gained expertise, Michell’s own calibration laboratory became the world’s first to have recognized accreditation for humidity calibrations.

Michell is also a pioneer in the field of hydrocarbon dew-point measurement, having worked with Shell Research to create the world’s first commercially viable, fully automatic hydrocarbon dew-point analyzer in 1986. The result of this collaboration – the Condumax (currently Condumax II) – is still the most widely used hydrocarbon dew-point analyzer in the world.
Easidew PRO XP
If you would like more information please contact:

Lindsay Zappala
Michell Instruments Inc.
319 Newburyport Turnpike
Suite 207
Rowley, MA 01969
Telephone 978-484-0005
lindsay.zappala@michell.com


Notes for Editors
About Michell Instruments

Established in 1974, the Michell Instruments Group of Companies brings more than 35 years of research, design and technology to the field of instrumentation and control. The current product range includes dew point transmitters, chilled mirror hygrometers, relative humidity (RH) sensors, hydrocarbon dew point analyzers, moisture in liquid analyzers and oxygen analyzers. The company serves industries as diverse as petrochemical and pharmaceutical to power generation and food processing.

Michell Instruments has three manufacturing locations: Made, The Netherlands; Lyon, France and Ely, UK. The company has an extensive network of factory trained application engineers, subsidiaries and distributors stretching across 56 countries.