The two major fuel projects in Darwin in which Endress + Hauser were involved are the Vopak Fuel Terminal and the Biodiesel Plant. Bilfinger Berger Services (BBS) were EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) contractors for the Vopak Fuel Terminal, and appointed Endress+Hauser to supply selected process measurement instrumentation.

One of the challenges was to accurately and reliably measure the contents of tankers discharging ULP, kerosene, diesel and other hydrocarbon fuels at Vopak Fuel Terminal. Coriolis mass flowmeters would be the typical choice, but given the unusually large size of the two DN 450 mm diameter discharge lines, this was not an option. Two other possibilities were orifice plate technology and mechanical meters, but both came with their own unique set of problems. The former system needs frequent recalibration and demands higher pumping pressure, while the latter contains moving parts and requires frequent maintenance.

The Endress + Hauser team therefore devised and implemented a unique non-invasive solution to measure mass flow through the discharge lines at the terminal. To measure density, engineers used Gammapilot M FMG60 radiometric transmitters mounted alongside the pipework.

Volumetric flow was measured with rugged Prosonic 93 Ex ultrasonic flowmeters strapped to the outside of the pipes. These use time-of-flight (ToF), a technology pioneered by Endress + Hauser, and operate on the principle of transit time difference of pulsed ultrasonic signals.

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A traditional approach would have required the pipework to be cut, flowmeters inserted into the process, and flanges welded on to the pipes. However, Endress + Hauser’s Gammapilot density meters and the Prosonic flowmeters were attached to the outside of the pipes and the installation did not require isolating or opening the discharge lines. Moreover, with this innovative approach, Endress + Hauser was able to achieve measurement accuracy better than ±1 per cent, which was well within BBS’s specifications.

To prevent overspill at the tank farms and process storage tanks, Endress + Hauser provided Liquiphant M FTL 51 high-level limit switches with SIL2 rating, which added to the safety of the plant and personnel. Since Darwin is one of the most lightning-prone areas on earth, Endress + Hauser also fitted surge protectors that were specifically designed for loop-powered instrumentation.

Endress + Hauser also supplied key instrumentation to the Darwin Biodiesel Plant, which will produce three times more fuel than any other biodiesel plant in Australia. Among the key instrumentation supplied were a range of Micropilot FMRs which are essentially ToF-based smart transmitters for continuous level measurement in storage tanks. Different models were installed based on the unique needs of the application: the FMR244 was used in vessels holding content with a high level of turbulence due to agitation; the PTFE coated FMR245 was used in aggressive media that called for no metal-wetted parts; and the FMR230 was used for standard level applications.

Endress + Hauser are involved in all biodiesel projects currently underway in Australia. In fact, the company has a product suite specifically tailored for biodiesel plants as well as for tank farms with fuel storage, processing and handling facilities.