METERPROOF
DP Flowmeter Uncertainty Calculator
ISO 5167 · ISO 5168 · GUM
1Meter Type
2Geometry
3Process Conditions
4Field Data
5Instrument Errors
6Results
Primary Element & Configuration
Identify the meter, select compliance framework, and configure the primary element type. This determines the discharge coefficient model, ISO 5167 formula uncertainty, and compliance pass/fail thresholds.
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AUDIT IDENTIFICATION
Appears on report
COMPLIANCE FRAMEWORK
Select the regulatory or contractual framework to determine the pass/fail uncertainty threshold applied to the final result. You can also set a custom limit.
EU ETS MRR — Tier 1
Reg. (EU) 2018/2066, Annex II
U ≤ ±7.5%
EU ETS MRR — Tier 2
Reg. (EU) 2018/2066, Annex II
U ≤ ±5.0%
EU ETS MRR — Tier 3
Reg. (EU) 2018/2066, Annex II
U ≤ ±2.5%
EU ETS MRR — Tier 4
Reg. (EU) 2018/2066, Annex II
U ≤ ±1.5%
Fiscal / Custody Transfer
OIML R117 Class 0.5 / NFOGM
U ≤ ±1.0%
OIML R117 — Class 1.0
OIML R117-1:2007
U ≤ ±1.0%
OIML R117 — Class 1.5
OIML R117-1:2007
U ≤ ±1.5%
UK SMPMS / NSTA
UK Petroleum Measurement
U ≤ ±1.0%
Process Metering
General industrial
U ≤ ±2.0%
Custom Threshold
Contractual / site-specific
User-defined
Selected framework
EU ETS MRR — Tier 1
Uncertainty limit
≤ ±7.5%
⚠ Input validation issues:
    Standards basis: Uncertainty evaluated per ISO 5168:2005 (flowmeter-specific standard referenced by ISO 5167-1:2022 Clause 8), implementing GUM (ISO/IEC Guide 98-3) with flow-specific sensitivity coefficients. Type A (statistical) and Type B (non-statistical) components evaluated separately and combined by RSS. Welch-Satterthwaite effective degrees of freedom applied when Type A contributions are present — coverage factor k adjusted per GUM G.4.
    Where to find: Meter type on primary element tag, calibration certificate, and as-built P&ID / IDS.
    PRIMARY ELEMENT
    ORIFICE PLATE
    ISO 5167-2:2022
    Most Common
    VENTURI TUBE
    ISO 5167-4:2022
    Low ΔP Loss
    FLOW NOZZLE
    ISO 5167-3:2022
    High Velocity
    Tapping holes at pipe face. Standard ISO 5167-2.
    Meter Geometry
    Enter pipe bore D and primary element bore d with expanded (k=2) measurement uncertainties.
    ISO 5168 sensitivity (Annex A): c(d) = 2 + 4β⁴/(1−β⁴) and c(D) = 4β⁴/(1−β⁴). At β=0.6, a 0.1% error in bore diameter contributes 0.23% to flow uncertainty.
    Where to find: Bore d — calibration certificate (measured at 20°C reference). Bore D — dimensional inspection report of actual installed pipe internal diameter.
    DIMENSIONAL INPUTS
    DN 25
    DN 50
    DN 80
    DN 100
    DN 150
    DN 200
    DN 250
    DN 300
    Measured internal bore at operating temperature
    From dimensional inspection / calibration certificate
    Precision bore ≈ ±0.013 mm typical
    β (d/D)
    β⁴
    Sensitivity c(d)
    Sensitivity c(D)
    ISO 5167 validity
    Process Conditions
    Enter operating conditions and fluid properties. For gas, select how to specify line density. All density values must be at actual line conditions (operating P and T).
    Line conditions vs reference: ISO 5167 computes actual volumetric flow at line P and T. Nm³/h and Sm³/h conversions are applied automatically for gas using the fluid's own density at reference conditions — not a hardcoded air density. ΔP uncertainty dominates with sensitivity coefficient 0.5.
    Where to find: ΔP from transmitter datasheet; P and T from adjacent PT/TT instruments; density from fluid analysis, NIST WebBook, REFPROP, or process simulation.
    Δ
    DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE TRANSMITTER
    Maximum DP the capsule can measure — from transmitter nameplate / datasheet. Denominator for "% URL" accuracy specs.
    mbar
    Configured URV − LRV. Equal to URL if not ranged down; can be less. Denominator for "% span" specs.
    mbar
    Operating at —% of span, —% of URL
    URL vs Span vs Reading: % URL — absolute error = value% × URL. Error is fixed regardless of span or operating point. Used by most smart transmitters (Rosemount 3051, EJX, ABB 266) for reference accuracy. % Span — absolute error = value% × calibrated span. Equals % URL when span = URL. Larger than % URL when ranged down (span < URL). % Reading — absolute error = value% × actual ΔP. No turndown amplification. Used for some high-accuracy digital transmitters.
    Error Term Value (%) Basis → % of Reading Notes / Source
    Reference accuracy Datasheet; smart tx ≈ 0.04–0.075% URL
    Long-term stability Per year since last calibration
    Impulse line / seal error Head correction; 0 if remote-seal
    Calibration uncertainty (k=2) From calibration certificate
    Environmental & Installation Effects (enable to include in budget)
    LINE PRESSURE EFFECT e.g. 0.1% URL per 1000 psi — static pressure on DP cell zero/span shift
    AMBIENT TEMPERATURE EFFECT e.g. 0.1% URL per 28°C — zero/span shift due to ambient T change from calibration
    OTHER EFFECTS vibration, power supply variation, RFI/EMI, mounting position
    Combined u_B(ΔP) std (k=1):
    Absolute ΔP error (k=2):
    → Flow contribution (k=1):
    PT
    LINE PRESSURE & TEMPERATURE
    For gas: enters density uncertainty via EOS
    RTD Cl.B ≈ ±0.3 K; Cl.A ≈ ±0.15 K; TC type K ≈ ±2 K
    FLOW COMPUTER COMPENSATION
    Does the flow computer / DCS apply real-time compensation? Many installations correct the raw ΔP-derived flow for changes in operating P, T, or ρ. This significantly affects how uncertainties propagate. If compensation is present, P and T transmitter uncertainties feed into the compensated output and are already partially accounted for. If no compensation is applied, the uncertainty in assumed (design-basis) P, T, or ρ values becomes a fixed bias error.
    Where to find: Flow computer configuration sheets, DCS/PLC logic diagrams, P&ID showing PT / TT / DT connections to flow computer, instrument index / IDS.
    ρ
    LIQUID FLUID PROPERTIES — LINE CONDITIONS
    At operating P and T — from process lab, NIST WebBook, or simulation
    Design-basis Type B — field lab samples refined in Step 4
    Water @ 20°C ≈ 0.001002 Pa·s
    K
    LIQUID COMPRESSIBILITY (BULK MODULUS)
    INCLUDE
    Liquid compressibility: Liquids compress slightly under pressure. Density correction: ρ_P = ρ_ref × (1 + ΔP/K) where K = bulk modulus and ΔP = gauge pressure at line conditions. This becomes significant at high line pressures (>10 bara) or for compressible liquids (crude oil, methanol). If your design-basis density was measured at a different pressure, enable this to quantify the residual uncertainty if not corrected.
    Field Measurements & Operational Data
    Optional Type A uncertainties from repeated measurements per ISO 5168 Clause 5.2. Combined with Type B instrument-spec values by RSS. Leave disabled if no field data available.
    Type A evaluation (ISO 5168 Clause 5.2): u_A = s / √n. For density: u(ρ) = √[u_B² + u_A²]. For ΔP: shown as a separate line alongside Type B spec. Industry best practice for fiscal metering audits (NFOGM Handbook, UK SMPMS, API MPMS Ch.22).
    Where: Density — monthly/weekly lab sample reports (LIMS). ΔP/flow — DCS/SCADA historian exports at verified steady-state periods.
    ρ
    FLUID DENSITY — LAB SAMPLE DATA (TYPE A)
    ENABLE
    Δ
    ΔP / FLOW — OPERATIONAL DATA (TYPE A)
    ENABLE
    Instrument & Installation Errors
    Additional systematic error sources combined with Type B instrument-spec values from Step 3 and Type A from Step 4 by RSS per ISO 5168 Clause 7.
    ISO 5168:2005: Directly referenced by ISO 5167-1:2022. For a permanently installed meter, all errors are treated as systematic (rectangular or normal distributions) — conservative and standard practice for fiscal metering.
    Cd
    DISCHARGE COEFFICIENT
    e.g. edge wear since last inspection; 0 if recently verified
    Residual after ISO 5167 straight-run requirements met; 0 if flow conditioner validated
    SIGNAL PROCESSING & DATA ACQUISITION
    D correction for T vs 20°C reference; 0 if not applied
    k
    REPORTING

    MeterProof — DP Flowmeter Uncertainty Analysis Report

    Uncertainty Analysis Report
    Expanded uncertainty per ISO 5168:2005, with sensitivity coefficients from ISO 5167 and Type A/B separation per GUM (ISO/IEC Guide 98-3). Welch-Satterthwaite effective degrees of freedom applied when Type A data is present.