A system to measure fluid flow characteristics in a pipeline, meter, and methods
includes a pipeline having a passageway to transport flowing fluid therethrough,
a process density meter including at least portions thereof positioned within the
pipeline to provide flowing fluid characteristics including volumetric flow rate,
fluid density, and mass flow rate of the flowing fluid, and a fluid characteristic
display to display the fluid characteristics. The process density meter includes
a vortex-shedding body positioned within the pipeline to form vortices and a vortex
meter having a vortex frequency sensor to measure the frequency of the vortices
and to determine the volumetric flow rate. The process density meter further includes
a differential pressure meter positioned adjacent the vortex-shedding body to produce
a differential pressure meter flow rate signal indicative of the density of fluid
when flowing through the pipeline. The process density meter also includes a thermal
flow meter positioned adjacent the vortex-shedding body to produce a mass flow
rate signal indicative of the mass flow rate of fluid when flowing through the
pipeline. The process density meter produces an output of a volumetric flow rate,
a flowing fluid density, and a mass flow rate to be displayed by the fluid characteristic display.