FCRI, Palakkad – Asia’s Largest Testing & Flow Measurement Facility

Q. What’s your niche in Testing & Flow measurement?

The accuracy of fluid flow plays a very vital role in industry and in fact the single largest measurement parameter which is decisive in the quality and quantity of products. Hence, having a national standard for fluid flow is of high priority. The very purpose of establishing FCRI by Govt. of India was to create a facility that would provide a standard for flow measurement in air, water and oil flow media.

The impeccable infrastructure and well experienced manpower available at FCRI make it a natural contender for National Measurement Institute / Designated Institute, for fluid flow parameters in air, oil and water media. Designating FCRI for Fluid Flow parameter will be an extension of existing recognitions, such as NABL, BIS, DST, etc.

 

FCRI’s vision is to be a globally renowned and reliable service provider in flow technology. The core activities of FCRI include, but not limited to:

• Providing design and development assistance to Flow Products industry
• Quality evaluation of Flow products as per International standards
• Execution of projects sponsored by Private, Public and Government Agencies. (completed more than 170 projects so far)
• Standardization and ‘Model Approval’ Evaluation of flow elements as per OIML R-117 (Legal Metrology) Standards
• Site testing and auditing of flow metering skids and large pipe- line flow
• Consultancy activities in Water, Oil & Gas Sectors

In-house design, development and execution of all the facilities in FCRI were done by FCRI engineers (with the initial guidance of UNDP experts). And later FCRI has independently developed:

• One of the largest water flow laboratories in the world
• Oil flow laboratory with multi-viscous oil
• Centre for water management
• High pressure Air flow facility
• Multiphase flow laboratory
• CNG test facilities
• A variety of test facilities for special tests
• FCRI is also in the business of design and supply of customized flow facilities for the customers

Q. What makes you the much sought-after testing lab in India?

• FCRI has the best uncertainties in flow measurement in our country whether it is oil /air / water medium.
• More than 30 years of experience in the flow measurement and control arena
• Well experienced and expert manpower
• FCRI has played a pivotal role for the quality improvement of flow measurement and control in India
• For all practical purposes, FCRI’s world renowned facilities serve our nation as a National standard for flow measurement
• Constant up-gradation of facilities to keep FCRI at par with other world-class facilities by constantly proving its International credibility through Inter-comparisons with other similar facilities.
• The user industry has developed confidence in their flow measurement by constant monitoring of their flow parameters through FCRI’s standard facilities and expertise
• FCRI is doing Site auditing of gas and oil metering skids. Considering the fact that The Government of India is focusing towards the installation of Gas and Oil pipelines across the country covering all states, FCRI’s role as a third-party auditor will gain prominence
• It is also improving tie-ups with reputed educational institutions in the country for enhancing research outputs.
• Recently FCRI has joined hands with IIT Mumbai and IIT Guwahati and is doing a project funded by European Union and DST for the enhancement of water distribution in our country

Q. What are your unique facilities?

Flow laboratories with uncertainties comparable and in some cases better than International facilities. The uncertainties start from 0.02%.

• It has developed a unique valve cavitation research centre for the use of process industry where you can test valves for their performance and effectiveness under cavitating conditions.
• In-situ flow measurement is very difficult to do in large pipe-lines at site. FCRI is focusing on this area using various methods like tracer dilution method with non-radioactive dye injection, clamp on ultrasonic flow meter, insertion type flow meters, etc.

It is also focusing on the areas of

• Field efficiency testing of Turbines
• Pump test facility
• Seismic test facility
• Open channel flow measurement

Accreditation and Recognitions of FCRI

• W& M [Dept. of Weights & Measures] – Conducting ‘MODEL APPROVAL’ tests as per OIML Standard for flow and volume measuring instruments
• NABL [National Accreditation Board for testing and calibration Laboratories] – under ISO 17025 norms for calibration and testing of fluid flow products.
• BIS [Bureau of Indian Standards] – for testing samples of products like water meters and valves under BIS certification mark scheme
• DST [Dept. of Science & Technology] – As R&D INSTITUTE in Fluid Flow Measurement.
• Under Writers Laboratories Inc., USA-For testing Fire Fighting equipment & product safety certification
• Central Pollution Control Board – Certification of petrol and kerosene generator sets for implementation of noise limits
• CCE [Chief Controller of Explosives, Nagpur] – To conduct tests on safety relief valve at FCRI (as per ASME/API)
• IFE [Institution of Fire Engineers, New Delhi] – For Hydraulic qualification tests on firefighting equipment.
• Ministry of External Affairs [ITEC Plan] & Ministry of Finance [Colombo Plan] – For conducting Technical Training Programs for Foreign Nationals in the field of Fluid Flow Measurement & Control Techniques and Oil Flow Measurement
• NMi, The Netherlands certifies 20 bar Closed loop Air Test Facility
• Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited – For seismic analysis of Power plant equipment.

Q. What puts you on the global map?

FCRI has organized five International conferences and International exhibitions under the brand name flotek.g

• September 2000 – “Flow metering & Control”
• September 2003 – “Hydrocarbon Flow Measurement”
• September 2007 – “Towards Intelligent Flow Measurement and Control System” (Oil,Gas,Water & industrial fluids)
• January 2012 – “Towards Smarter and Greener Flow Measurement and Control”- Oil, Gas and Water”
• August 2017- “Innovative Solutions in Flow Measurement and Control – Oil,Water,Gas

More than 250 delegates (Both National and International ) have participated in each of these conferences .These conferences have helped FCRI to gain International reputation.

• FCRI has close working relations with Czech Metrology Institute (CMI)
• FCRI has been conducting International courses. More than 1000 participants from 90 different countries have attended FCRI’s courses so far.
• Continuous International Inter-comparisons with National Engineering Laboratory -UK,CMI-Czech Republic,NIST-USA,Delft Hydraulics_Nethernands, etc and publication of results in International conferences have helped FCRI to gain International credibility

Q. What’s your contribution to enhancement of quality and accuracy in flow measurement?

Maintaining and constantly improving flow measurement standards to the best uncertainty is a colossal task, considering the complexity involved in the flow measurement standards. FCRI has been doing this task commendably well.

Our customers (more than 4000) will vouch for it. You take any major Indian industry (whether private /public sector), they are FCRI’s customers. They look at FCRI for lasting solutions for their flow measurement problems.
FCRI has initiated a Fow Measurement Group which will concentrate on exchange of ideas and solutions in this area. This was initiated during a parallel session in the last concluded International conference.

Imparting training to Indian industry in the flow measurement and control field is another major contribution.