How does rigid piping influence my C2® calibration?

In our application we must have rigid piping due to the pressure used to bring the ingredient into the tank, so the option of using flex piping is not available. What should we be aware while doing the C2® calibration? How will the rigid piping influence my C2® calibration?

Pressure on a pipe or conduit usually occurs during the fill or discharge operations.  With the valves placed on the pressure side, the weight readings should not be affected by the pressure.  You may need to stop and read the weight with the valve closed to obtain a correct weight reading.  When any pipe is pressurized, even a flexible one, that pipe is now stiff and is no longer flexible and will affect the weight readings.

Rigid pipe on any scale system is a problem. There must be enough flex in the pipe to allow the vessel to move and act like a scale. A rule of thumb is a ratio of 36:1. For every inch of diameter of rigid pipe, you should have 36 inches of unsupported horizontal pipe run. Vertical runs will only inhibit weighing.

Piping installed correctly will not inhibit the C2® calibration accuracy. A vessel using C2® calibration will show an error if there is binding or poor flexures on the system. Correct the installation errors and re-calibrate using C2®. Verify the calibration using test weights or fill with a known amount of material.