H2 Flow Trace
Flow measurement traceability for hydrogen in gas networks. Developing large-scale verified metrological infrastructure to perform traceable pure hydrogen and HENG flow calibrations for gas networks.
The project (23IND05 H2FlowTrace) has received funding from the European Partnership on Metrology, co-financed from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme and by the Participating States.
The Consortium
Cesame
Cesame is the French designated institute for medium and high gas flows. Cesame holds, maintains and develops national standards in this field. Cesame has been involved in hydrogen projects (e.g., EMPIR JRPs 16ENG01 MetroHyVe, 19ENG04 MetroHyVe 2, 20IND11 MetHyInfra and Metrology Partnership JRP 21GRD05 Met4H2) and is a member of the European Reference for Gas Metering (EuReGa) group which establishes unified reference values for high pressure gas flow. Cesame has been coordinating work-packages in several European projects (EURAMET and Clean Hydrogen Partnership). Cesame will bring its expertise in hydrogen flow measurement to all technical work packages whilst providing its skills for managing the consortium during the project lifetime.
CMI
CMI is the NMI of Czechia and provides services in all basic fields of metrology. CMI brings in expertise in the field of flow measurement and static gas mixture preparation and verification. CMI will contribute to WP3 and WP4 with its expertise in flow measurement and gas mixture preparation. CMI will also participate in WP5 and WP6. CMI has experience in European projects dedicated to hydrogen.
FORCE TECHNOLOGY
FORCE is a Danish DI, and is world leading within gas metering, calibration, and type approval for the flow measurement of natural gas, air, water and liquids other than water. FORCE Technology provides traceability for natural gas flow and flow with air. FORCE Technology has a primary facility for natural gas which can also handle mixtures of natural gas with H2 up to a content of 25 %. FORCE will participate in WP2 with activities to ensure traceability for higher flow and a comparison between the test facilities for measuring HENG. FORCE will contribute to WP3 and WP4 with calibrations of gas meters using different fluids. FORCE will also participate in WP5 and WP6. FORCE is a member of the European Reference for Gas Metering (EuReGa) group which establishes unified reference values for high pressure gas flow and is a member of EMN for Energy Gases. FORCE is an active member in several standardisation organisations which includes the role as Convenor of Welmec WG11 (utility meters gas and electricity).
PTB
PTB is the National Metrology Institute of Germany. The gas department at PTB is responsible for the calibration of the flow standards that are used in the legal metrology infrastructure and by accredited laboratories. In addition, the gas department at PTB carries out conformity assessments of gas meters and other instruments related to gas metering as a notified body. There are different primary and secondary calibration facilities available which are usable with air and partly with technical gases including burn gases. PTB will use their experience in type testing, in the calibration of flow standards, in working in international organisations like OIML, CEN and WELMEC and in the development of test facilities. PTB will use the knowledge which was gathered during different key comparisons of CCM (WGFF) and by multilateral comparison with air and other gases. PTB will lead WP2 and will participate in all other work packages.
SMU
SMU is the NMI of Slovakia and provides measurement and calibration services with traceability to the basic SI units. This is also the case for the traceability of flow and pressure measurements which are covered by internationally accepted calibration measurement capabilities (CMCs). As part of these measurement capabilities SMU provides the national calibration of flow meters for water, gases and petroleum based fuels. Part of SMU’s expertise in this field has been put into research on gas flow measurements in the EMRP JRPs ENG01 GAS, IND03 HighPRES and ENG54 Biogas. These projects focused specifically on greener alternatives to natural gas, enabling alternative and renewable gaseous fuels to be used in the European gas pipeline system, improving high pressure measurements for industry and diversifying the natural gas supply in order to promote the use of biogas. Based on previous experience, and internal capabilities, SMU’s main activities in this project will be in WP3 and WP4. In these WPs, SMU will make the preliminary design for the CFVN transfer skid together with subsequent virtual testing, will furthermore review the available research on calibration methods, on the achievable accuracy for gas flow meters operated with hydrogen and HENG and they will calibrate domestic gas meters at atmospheric pressure and at maximum flow rates of up to 30 Sm3/h. SMU will also participate in WP1, WP5 and WP6.
VSL
VSL is the NMI for the Netherlands. It has decades of experience with performing SI traceable flow calibrations using a variety of flow meters in high pressure, low pressure, and liquid environments using water, air, natural gas and liquefied gas media. VSL has a leading position in the field of water flow, gas flow and cryogenic flow measurement through its water, gas flow and LNG flow calibration facilities. It is a member of the European Reference for Gas Metering (EuReGa) group which establishes unified reference values for high pressure gas flow and is the coordinator of the EMN for Energy Gases. VSL will lead WP3. In WP2 and in WP4 VSL will calibrate industrial flow meters using its primary standard for high pressure natural gas flow, with alternative fluids (natural gas, nitrogen) and with hydrogen blends, to deliver datasets on the alternative fluid calibration of industrial gas meters. Traceability to these calibrations, directly applicable to the gas grid conditions, at relatively low uncertainty (at about 0.1 %), will be provided. In WP4, VSL will contribute to domestic gas meter calibrations with alternative fluids and with hydrogen (blends). VSL will also participate in all other work packages.
DNV
DNV operates multiple ISO 17025 natural gas calibration facilities and has experience in the metrology of large flow meters in natural gas applications. DNV is currently upgrading their facilities to operate under mixtures of natural gas and hydrogen with the end goal to operate these facilities under 100 % hydrogen. In addition, scientists at DNV have performed multiple studies on the effect of hydrogen on flow meters. DNV will use its experience in building hydrogen flow metering facilities to support the consortium from both the metrology and safety (Atmospheres Explosibles (ATEX) Directive 2014/34/EU and Pressure Equipment Directive 2014/68/EU (PED)) perspective. DNV will participate in all work packages.
Enagás
Enagás is a European TSO (Transmission System Operator) with 50 years of experience in the development, operation, and maintenance of energy infrastructures. It has more than 12,000 km of gas pipelines, three underground storage facilities, and eight regasification plants. The company operates in eight countries. In Spain, it is the Technical Manager of the Gas System and, as stipulated in Royal Decree-Law 8/2023, has been designated to operate as the provisional manager of the Hydrogen Backbone Network (HTNO). In line with its commitment to the energy transition, the company has announced its goal to be carbon neutral by 2040, with a firm commitment to decarbonization and the promotion of renewable gases, especially hydrogen.
During the project, Enagás will provide testing capabilities for flow meters in its Metrology and Innovation Centre, which focuses on providing metrology services to support the correct measurement of energy, including renewable gases such as hydrogen. Enagas will participate in all work packages.
GERG
GERG (The European Gas Research Group) is the European Association representing the collaborative R&D needs of the European Gas Industry. Along with its member organisations, GERG works with the European energy community to develop innovative solutions connecting European gas infrastructure to the evolving energy system. GERG coordinates corresponding efforts of its members on an EU level and membership includes TSOs, DSOs, major NG suppliers, universities, and international research institutes, as well as international standardisation organisations. GERG partners with related organisations globally to ensure international alignment of its work and maximum effectiveness of its programmes. Moreover, GERG has experience leading Dissemination and Communication activities in several EU projects.
NaTran
NaTran owns and operates one of the longest high pressure natural gas transmission networks in Europe, and is involved in developing new technologies, renewables gases, and processes such as biomethane, bio CNG and the innovative Power to Gas solution. NaTran brings expertise and its gas meter calibration setups that can be used with natural gas and different mixtures (biomethane, biogas and hydrogen). In this project, NaTran will mainly focus on the development and calibration activities of the SSTS within WP1 (with the adaptation of one of its test stands to 100 % H2 use), and the performance of calibration tests on industrial meters within WP4. NaTran will also participate in all other work packages.
RMA
RMA is a company with worldwide activity, and it is a producer of a wide range of equipment for the gas industry such as valves and gas meters. RMA has operated a natural gas high pressure calibration facility since 2012. Since 2022, RMA has operated the biggest hydrogen high pressure calibration facility worldwide. With knowledge of gas meters, natural gas loops and H2 loops, RMA is an important participant. RMA will be involved in WP2 for the laboratory comparison and in WP4 for the calibration of industrial gas meters with pure hydrogen and natural gas. RMA will also participate in WP3, WP5 and WP6.
Tifernogas
Tifernogas is an Italian independent entity providing services in several fields of gas measurement. Among other things, it performs gas meter calibration thanks to an internal laboratory accredited according to ISO/IEC 17025. In addition to that, it performs conformity assessments for gas meters in accordance with the MID Directive as an EU Notified Body (n.2142). Tifernogas also has a long experience in volumetric measurements with hydrogen. It is able to cover flow rates from 0 cm/h to 30 cm/h with CH4 blending, air, nitrogen and hydrogen up to 100 % in composition. Tifernogas has, indeed, special facilities for hydrogen measuring and a dedicated laboratory (H2 Lab). Tifernogas will contribute to the activities included in WP4 by performing calibrations of gas meters using nitrogen, air, helium, natural gases and hydrogen at up to 30 m3/h. Tifernogas will also participate in WP5 and WP6.
University of Bologna (UNIBO)
At almost 1000 years old, the University of Bologna (UNIBO) is known as the oldest University of the western world. Nowadays, UNIBO still remains one of the most important institutions of higher education across Europe and it is the second largest university in Italy. The activities of UNIBO will be conducted within the Department of Industrial Engineering (DIN) and specifically by an Industrial Mechanical System Engineering research team. UNIBO’s research team’s skills are related to the design, commissioning and operation of experimental test benches, and include as main topics, Power to Gas, renewable energy and safety. UNIBO will be mainly involved in the preliminary design of the test benches (WP1, WP3) and in providing support during the completion of the executive design for manufacture and in its commissioning. Based on its experience and skills, UNIBO, will also coordinate the participants in writing scientific papers and contributions for national and international conferences (WP5). UNIBO will also participate in all other work packages.
Emerson M
Emerson M is a supplier of a great variety of mass and volume flow meters for both liquid and gaseous fluids in a wide variety of applications, from fiscal transactions in the petrochemical industry and natural gas applications to life science and food and beverage. As we see H2 increase rapidly, it is very important that traceability and regulations for hydrogen measurement are developed. By joining the project (in all work packages), Emerson M wants to be involved in the discussions about traceability and regulations, to benefit from the test data obtained and to build a relationship with other stakeholders. Finally, Emerson M sees participation in the project as a good reference in discussions with customers, notified bodies and other entities.
SICK
Endress+Hauser SICK is a world leading manufacturer of gas analysers for the process industry as well as ultrasonic flow meters for custody transfer and process measurement in the oil and gas industry, bringing more than 30 years of expertise and experience in the design, testing and production of ultrasonic flow meters, to contribute to the development of the urgently needed traceability chain for hydrogen applications. It will provide expertise in flow measurement as well as flow meters for tests in WP2, WP3 and WP4. They have been active in preceding hydrogen metrology projects: EMPIR JRP 18NRM06 NEWGASMET and Metrology Partnership JRP 21GRD05 Met4H2.
METAS
METAS is the Swiss National Metrology Institute. The flow laboratory includes a broad range of primary flow standards based on the gravimetric principle, such as for hydrogen flow metering for HRSs (in EMPIR JRP 16ENG01 MetroHyVe). METAS is involved in several other hydrogen projects (EMPIR JRPs 19ENG04 MetroHyVe 2 and 20IND11 MetHyInfra). METAS will contribute to the work on hydrogen flow metering and its traceability chains in WP1 (WP leader), WP3 and WP4. METAS will also participate in WP5 and WP6. METAS is an Associated partner to all the Internal beneficiaries.
NEL (TÜV SÜD)
NEL is the Designated Institute responsible for maintaining the UK National Standards for Flow Measurement. NEL has relevant experience for hydrogen flow metrology with the recent construction of a hydrogen calibration facility for domestic gas meters and a portable gravimetric primary standard for hydrogen refuelling station verifications. As the WP4 leader, NEL will coordinate the activities to collect statistically meaningful datasets for domestic and industrial gas meter calibrations with hydrogen, HENG and alternative fluids. In WP1, NEL will contribute to the plan for scaling-up hydrogen calibrations of sonic nozzles to the higher flow rates required by the small-scale transfer skid. In WP2, NEL will contribute to the planning of the facility intercomparisons with hydrogen and HENG, and analysis of the results. In WP3, NEL will contribute to the design of the traceability transfer skids and to the uncertainty assessment of the master meters. NEL will also participate in WP5 and WP6. NEL is an Associated partner to all the Internal beneficiaries.
