Company Profile

Flowmeter LC Units & Flowmeter Tokico Systems: Industrial Fuel and Bulk Petroleum Tracking

Quick Answer: Silver Automation Instruments is a supplier of flowmeter LC units and industrial fuel meters for bulk petroleum tracking. These positive displacement meters work in diesel, gasoline, biodiesel, and heavy fuel oil service from DN15 to DN100. They connect to Tokico style register heads and batch controllers through pulse output.

Flowmeter LC units are common in fuel terminals, oil depots, tanker loading skids, and power plant fuel lines. The LC meter measures volume in a measuring chamber. Each chamber cycle equals a fixed volume. The register counts cycles. The pulse output sends the count to a batch controller or flow computer.

What Flowmeter LC Units Do in Fuel Transfer

A flowmeter LC unit works as a positive displacement meter. It captures a known volume of liquid between rotating parts. For diesel and light fuel oil, an oval gear meter is the typical choice. For heavy oil, a gear meter or lobe meter may be selected after viscosity checks.

These meters measure repeatable volume, not mass. If density changes, the mass total changes. For plant stock tracking, this is usually acceptable. The operator wants the same batch volume every time. We have seen fuel depots run the same DN50 meter for more than eight years with only seal replacement.

Standard flow ranges depend on pipe size. A DN25 meter handles 20 to 200 liters per minute. A DN50 meter handles 60 to 600 liters per minute. A DN80 meter handles 120 to 1200 liters per minute. Accuracy is normally 0.5 percent of reading. Custody transfer versions can reach 0.2 percent after calibration.

Where Flowmeter Tokico Systems Fit in Bulk Petroleum Tracking

Flowmeter Tokico systems are widely used in petroleum terminals and fuel loading racks. A typical setup has a Tokico LC meter, a strainer, an air eliminator, and a preset counter. The operator enters the target batch. The counter closes the valve when the batch is complete.

Silver Instruments does not sell original Tokico spare parts. We supply compatible industrial fuel meters and batch controllers for the same pulse interface. Most Tokico registers use 0.1 or 1 liter per pulse. Some high flow systems use 10 liters per pulse. If the pulse constant is wrong, the counter shows a volume error.

A terminal in the Middle East replaced a mechanical register with an electronic batch controller. The existing meter sent 0.1 liter per pulse. The new controller was set to 1 liter per pulse by mistake. The loaded volume was ten times too high during the first test. This mistake is common. Always match the meter pulse constant and the controller input.

Key Parameters for Fuel and Bulk Petroleum Meters

We ask for the following details before quotation. Fluid type comes first. Diesel and biodiesel have low viscosity. Heavy fuel oil can reach 100 cP or more. The meter chamber and clearances change with viscosity.

Pipe size and flow range come next. The meter must stay within its linear range. Too low a flow causes slippage. Too high a flow causes pressure drop and wear. We size the meter for 30 to 70 percent of maximum flow where possible.

Pressure and temperature affect material selection. Standard cast steel bodies suit PN16 or ANSI 150. Higher pressure needs cast steel or stainless steel. Temperature above 60 °C requires Viton seals or PTFE seals. Below 0 °C, use low temperature seals and check the register display.

Output options include pulse, 4-20 mA HART, and RS485 Modbus. For existing Tokico systems, pulse output is the main requirement. For new installations, 4-20 mA HART gives flow rate plus total in the control room.

Silver Instruments Flowmeter Options for Fuel and Oil

Silver Automation Instruments supplies oval gear flow meters, positive displacement flow met