The FLOW CONSULTANT ™ Version 6.0

User Manual

License Agreement

Contents

Chapter One - Installation

Important Note about Read Write Permissions

Installation from Web Site

Installation From CD

Initial Start Up

User Information

Database Upgrade

Technical Upgrades

Network User Administration

Chapter Two - Getting Started

General Overview

The Tool Bar

The Main Menu

Selecting the Fluid State

Unit Templates

Units and Base Conditions

Types of Volumetric Flow-Rate

Base Temperature and Base Pressure

Heating Value AGA8 Reference Temperature

Energy Cost

Fluid Properties

Size Flow and Differential Pressure Calculation

Calculation Results

Pipe Diameter

Drain Hole/Vent Hole Sizes

Enter Coefficient

Flow Vs DP

Uncertainty Accuracy

Printing

Printout Header Options

Printing Screens

Chapter Three - Storing Your Data

Creating A New File

Save File

Open File

Delete File

Sort By File Name or Fluid Name

Change database

Create New Database

AGA8 and Gas Mixtures Data

Save Text File

The Data Exporter

ISA DataSheet - exporting to Excel

 

Chapter Four - Data Management

Import Flow Consultant 2.3 File

Import Flow Consultant 3.0 (*mdb) File

Import Excel* File

Import Specification

 * Excel is a registered trademark of the Microsoft Corporation

Appendix A- References

References and Bibliography

Appendix B- Examples by R.W. Miller

Example 1

Other examples are provided with software installation kit

Chapter One

Read Write Permissions

Installation from Web Site

Installation From CD

Initial Start Up

User Information

Database Upgrade

Technical Upgrades

Network User Administration

Before using The Flow Consultant, you must verify that all users have full access to the directory where the software is installed.  If full access is not granted, several errors can occur during use of the software and calculations may not be saved.

If you are using Windows Vista, default access to the local (c:\program files) directory and it's subdirectories is read and write.  The Flow Consultant requires that users have Full Control access.  If full control access is not granted,  the error 'File Already Exists [Repair DB]' will occur repeatedly upon application startup.  This occurs because the software is attempting to create database backups and cannot delete the old backups because full access is not granted.

To modify your access to a directory, use windows explorer (my computer) to locate the directory.  Right click on the directory then click on Properties.  Click on the Security tab.  Locate Users then click the Full Control checkbox so that it is selected.

If the Security tab is disabled or not visible -or- the software is on a network -or- you are not using windows vista but still receive the 'File Already Exists [Repair DB]''  error, contact your network administrator.

An email from Technical Support will provide the name of the specific executable containing your license via email.

The installation for the Flow Consultant is contained in a self extracting zip file.  3 files are contained in your extracting file - setup.exe, setup.lst and flowconsultant.cab.

1. Copy into your web browser to the hyperlink provided by Technical Support. 
2. When the Download Dialog box appears, select Save.  Do Not select Open.
3. You may save the executable to your hard drive for fastest installation.  You may also save the install to a CD or any drive associated with your workstation.
4. After downloading the self extracting file, locate the download and double click on the executable.
5. Note the location of the directory the files are extracted to,  C:\Program Files\FC32  by default.
6. Double click on SETUP.exe or use the Microsoft Windows Add Remove Programs function.  Follow the prompts to install.

Contact Technical Support if you have any questions

1. Insert The FLOW CONSULTANT ™ disc into your CD ROM drive.

2. Start the installation by double clicking on the Setup.EXE program on your CD ROM. (Or from , Control Panel, double-click Add/Remove Programs, click Install, Next, Finish

)

3. Follow the prompts to install.

Upon initial startup, you will be prompted to enter your user information then the User Setup screen will appear, as displayed below.  Change the information by moving the cursor to the desire location (Company name, Address etc.) using the tab, arrow keys or click the mouse on the input field.  The Enter key may also be used to accept input and move to the next field.

Click OK to store new user information. 

Note the Data Files paths, the Browse buttons.  These will be discussed in later sections on Changing Databases, exporting data and printing Corporate Letterhead.

User Information can be modified at any time by selecting File from the Main Menu.

Some versions maybe shipped with older databases that require upgrade.  The message below may appear on installation. 

This message will appear for users who have upgraded to a new version of the Flow Consultant TM or have installed a technical update.

Click YES to upgrade the database.  Clicking NO will terminate the application.  All databases must be verified to the current application version to function properly.  To ensure the integrity of your data, The FLOW CONSULTANT maintains the database schema dynamically. 

After a technical upgrade has been installed, each FLOW CONSULTANT database will be upgraded as it is used.  You may manually upgrade all databases at once by selecting Upgrade Databases from the Main Menu.

All database schema changes will be displayed as they occur. 

After your database has been upgraded, you may choose to upgrade another database.  Select the next database from the directory lists, as shown below, then click Upgrade.

If you are using the Data Exporter, these structural changes will not effect your custom databases.

Technical Upgrades are free of charge for a period of one year after purchase.

Important: When a technical upgrade has been received, all networked users who share FLOW CONSULTANT databases should be upgraded at the same time.  Refer to Network User Administration if you are installing a technical upgrade and need to log users out of the application.

In a network environment, sometimes users need to be logged out of an application running on the server to install a technical upgrade or a user maybe locking other users out of a database.  Database locking issues are extremely rare in the Flow Consultant but they do upon occasion happen. 

The FLOW CONSULTANT polls a user login table for a flag to terminate the application. 

To log other users out of  The FLOW CONSULTANT, select Help, User Administration from the Main Menu.

In the example shown below, there are 5 open connections to the database by user MILLER HEATON.  To clear all of the connections, click the Clear button.  The application will now terminate.

It may take several minutes to logout the locking user.

Chapter Two - Getting Started

General Overview

The Tool Bar

The Main Menu

Selecting the Fluid State

Unit Templates

Units and Base Conditions

Types of Volumetric Flow-Rate

Base Temperature and Base Pressure

Heating Value AGA8 Reference Temperature

Energy Cost

Fluid Properties

Size Flow and Differential Pressure Calculation

Calculation Results

Pipe Diameter

Drain Hole/Vent Hole Sizes

Enter Coefficient

Printing

General Overview

Several window menus are used to select or input information. 

• Main Menu - Select the Meter Design, Standard, Materials, and Factors.  All other menus can be accessed from the Main Menu Toolbar.
• Unit Menu - Select all Units of Use, Enter Base Conditions and Energy Cost.  Units can be modified at any time by double clicking on the selected unit wherever it appears.
• Fluid Properties - Computed from pressure and temperature or your entry.
• Calculation Menu - Size, Flow and DP. 

To sequence through the menus, click Next.  On some menus, Apply will enable the Next button.  Apply is used where input must be validated before proceeding to the next menu.

The toolbar is located across the top of every menu.  From left to right;

Exit Button - exit the application

New Calculation - create a new calculation

Save Button- save the current calculation

Open Button - open a calculation

Print Button - printing and printer setup. 

DP Button - show the Calculation Menu for Differential Pressure

Flow Button - show the Calculation Menu for Flow

Size Button - show the Calculation Menu for Sizing

File name - display purposes only

Customer Name - input customer name

Tag Number - input tag information.  The tag field must be filled in.

The Main Menu as shown above will not display in some menus.

The Main Menu shows the following design information in the example below.

Meter: Concentric Flange Taps Orifice

Pipe Material: Carbon Steel

Primary Element: 300 Stainless Steel

Special Factors: None

Pressure Tap: Upstream

 

Also shown, selecting the Meter Type:  Orifice Nozzle, Venturi, Fixed Geometry or V-Cone

Click on any description in the Selections bar to modify the selection or use the Next button to sequence through selections for Meter Design, Orifice Style (if applicable), Standard, Pressure Tap, Pipe Material, Primary Element and Special Factors. 

The selected Standard is displayed below the Meter Type, shown below as ASME, ISO-5167.  Also shown is the selections for standard.  It is important to note that only standards valid for the chosen meter will be available.

After selecting Special Factors, Next will continue to the Unit Menu.

To set the state of the fluid, select Units from the Main Menu.

The current fluid state will be indicated by a check mark, shown below as US Gas.

When the fluid state is changed, the units of use are loaded from the Unit Templates and displayed on the Unit Menu.   

To modify any unit, click the button displaying the current unit.  Changing temperature units is displayed below.

To modify a template, select Unit Templates from the menu bar to bring up the unit template modification screen. 

Select SI Gas, SI Liquid, SI Vapor, US Gas, US Liquid or US Vapor from the Stored Templates listbox then click Save. 

To create a new template, for example units for different customers, type the name into the Stored Templates listbox then click Save.

Unit Templates can also be opened from the main menu bar under Units. 

Select the template name from the Stored Templates listbox then click Open.

Units and Base Conditions

Shown below is the Main Menu item Units and Base Conditions.  Clicking this menu item will display the unit menu as described above.

Use the Unit Menu to select and store unit selections.  Refer to Unit Templates for more information on storing units outside of a calculation.

Click the button displaying the current unit settings to display the unit options, shown below changing temperature unit to Celsius. 

Set the new unit by clicking Apply.

1. Actual or flowing volumes (Displayed in Lower Case as gpm, ft^3/min, etc.)
2. Base or Standard Volume (DISPLAYED IN UPPER CASE AS GPM, SCFH, NCMH, etc.)

For a gas standard base volume (GPM, SCFH, NCMH, etc.) base temperature and base pressure are entered on the Unit Menu.

The units of measure for Base Temperature and Base Pressure can also be modified by clicking the button displaying the current unit.

 The Reference Temperature (Heating Value) AGA-8 or SGERGE (only) is entered on the Unit Menu.

The cost per kilowatt hours is entered on the Unit Menu below the Base Pressure and Base Temperature (if Applicable).

The Fluid Properties menu can be accessed by clicking Next on the Unit Menu or by selecting Fluid Properties from the Main Menu.

Select the fluid option button and click Next to compute the fluid properties, shown below as Air.

Proceed from Fluid Properties to Size, Flow or DP by clicking the appropriate button. Size, Flow and  DP are also directly accessible by selecting Calculation from the Main Menu or clicking the Size, Flow or DP buttons.  Displayed below is the Size screen.

Click Next on the Calculation Menu to display the Calculation Results

Pipe Diameter

Pipe Diameter can be entered manually.

Select from standard sizes by clicking Browse on the Size, Flow or Differential Pressure Calculation Menu. 

Click Next to reset pipe size or Cancel to return to Calculation Menu without changing the pipe size.

If a drain hole factor has been selected from the Main Menu Special Factors, the Drain hole Menu will appear after clicking Next on the Calculation Menu.

Select the Drain hole size then click Next.

If the Differential Producer Enter Coefficient is selected, the Enter Coefficient screen will appear after the Calculation Menu and Drain Hole Menu (if a drain hole was selected). 

Modify then click Next to continue to the Calculation Results.

Flow Vs DP can be accessed by clicking the Flow Vs DP button on the DP or Size screens.  It can also be accessed from the main menu under Calculations only after a calculation has been completed.  After selecting Flow Vs DP, an input box will prompt the number of points to display.  Any number of points between 1 and 100 is valid.

Accuracy can be accessed by clicking the Accuracy button on the DP, Flow or Size screens.  It can also be accessed from the main menu under Calculations only after a calculation has been completed. 

Enter the uncertainties of measured or unmeasured variables into the input boxes as displayed below.

The Print Menu is not accessible until a calculation has been performed.  To print, click Print on the Calculation Menu or the printer icon on the Main Menu.  If a stored calculation has been loaded and the Main Menu Print button is disabled, you must go through the calcuation screen to the final results to enable the Print button.

From the Print Menu, your computer's default printer can be changed to send your printout to any local or network printer.  Click the Setup button to change your computer's printer.

The Prepared by, Customer, PO, Tag, Service and Document fields shown below are unique to each Flow Consultant calculation.  Changing these fields here will change them for the loaded calculation only.

Shown above, on the left side of the Print screen, are the 3 options for header printing. 

Standard Header will print , the fields Prepared by, Customer, PO, Tag, Service and Document will print on the top of the datasheet.

Preprinted Letterhead will leave the heading blank to allow for stock letterhead in the printer.  Use the input box Line Feeds from Top of Page to adjust how far down the datasheet will begin printing.

Letterhead Image will print a .jpg image select through the User Setup screen and stored in the database as a path statement.  Note that the actual image is not stored, only the location of the letterhead image.  If the image is modified or deleted this will be reflected when printing.  As with the Preprinted letterhead, the Line Feeds from Top of Page is used to adjust how far down the datasheet will begin printing.

An external application is not required to print screens.  Printing can be done from most menus by selecting Print Screen from the Menu bar.

Chapter Three - Saving Data

Creating A New File

Save File

Open File

Delete File

Sort By File Name or Fluid Name

Change database

Create New Database

AGA8 and Gas Mixtures Data

Save Text File

The Data Exporter

ISA DataSheet - exporting to Excel

Create a new calculation at any time by selecting File then New from the Main Menu or click the New File button in the Tool Bar.

The Create New File dialog box will appear and prompt for the name of the new calculation.

All new files are created from an existing calculation file called 'Default'.  Default is the file name that will load upon application startup.  The meter specifications and units in the Default file can be modified by resetting the specifications manually and saving the Default file as detailed below under Save File.

 

Save calculations at any time by selecting File then Save from the Main Menu or click the Save button in the Tool Bar. 

The Filename Listbox displays the file names of the records in your Flow Consultant Database.  Scroll through the filenames by clicking on the down arrow on the right of the Filename Listbox.

Press the arrow down key to index each filename displaying file information.

Type a new name for the calculation into the Filename Listbox or select an existing record to overwrite from the listbox. 

Press Enter from the Filename listbox or the Save button to save the record.  If a record exists with the same file name as entered in the Filename Listbox, a message will prompt to overwrite the existing record. 

Shown below, the filename is Example1.

To open an existing Flow Consultant calculation, select File and then Open from the Main Menu or click the Open Button in the Tool Bar.

The Filename Listbox displays the file names of the records in your Flow Consultant Database.  Select the calculation to open from the Filename Listbox then press Enter or the Open button to open the calculation record. 

As each record is selected from the listbox, the Fluid, State, Modification Date and Customer information are displayed below the Database Location. 

Delete outdated or test records from the database by selecting the filename to delete from the Filename Listbox then click the Delete Button shown above.

The filenames in the Filename Listbox can be arranged by Fluid or by Filename.  When filenames are arranged by their respective filenames, the Sort By Fluid button is available.

When files in the Filename Listbox are sorted by Fluid, the Sort by Filename button will be available.

Click the New Database button to create a new database to store calculations records.   There are many reasons to have multiple Flow Consultant databases; site specific calculations, customer specific calculations, testing, etc.

You may store your database in any directory you wish.  However, it is recommended that a network drive be used for backup purposes.

Note:  the examples below were generated on a Microsoft Windows XP computer.  Different operating systems have different dialog interfaces but the core functionality will be the same.

Enter the name for your new database in the Filename listbox and click the Save button.  You may use a different extension other than .mdb.  However, when opening a database, the Flow Consultant will search for .mdb files in a given directory and the user would have to modify the extension in order to retrieve a database with a different extension

After the database has been created, the user will be prompted to create a backup for the new database then the Save (or Open) screen will again take focus. 

The path and name of the new database will be displayed under the Filename Listbox, shown below as c:\Business\FC32_New\NewDatabaseName.mdb.

Note:  when a new database is created, the record named 'default' will be the only record in the new database.  Default is the filename loaded on application startup and can be modified to reflect design conditions for a specific project.

After multiple databases have been created, access calculation records in databases outside the current database by clicking the Change Database button.

Select the appropriate database from the Open File dialog and click Open, shown below opening FlowConsultant.mdb, the default name of your Flow Consultant database.

Notice below that the User Setup screen is loaded in the background, not the Open or Save screen.  This is to ensure that all path statements are set correctly.  Should an invalid database be selected, the User Setup screen is available to find a different database.

Saving Text Files in no longer available in version 6.0.  Prior to version 6.0, text files were created for forward and backward compatibility with previous versions of the Flow Consultant.

Importing from previous versions is still available and discussed later in this user manual.  Flow Consultant text files have the default extension .fcw.  For more information, refer to the Import Version 3x  section of this text.

Data for AGA8 and Gas Mixtures is stored separately from the calculation.   You may access the mole fraction percentages from any calculation by selecting it from the drop down list as shown below.  Selecting mole fraction data from a different calculation will not effect your existing information such as pressure and temperature.

Data for AGA8 can be loaded into the gas mixtures screen but gas mixtures data can not be loaded into AGA8 (subject to change in future editions if users request this feature)

Delete any used dataset of mole fractions by selecting it from the drop down list then clicking the Delete button.

Data Exporter User Manual

Select the Main Menu items File and Export to launch the Data Extractor. 

The FLOW CONSULTANT ™ Data Exporter generate tables populated with FLOW CONSULTANT data.  Using pick lists, select what information to export to populate your custom database.  

Create user defined MS Access tables to populate your custom charts and reports in Microsoft Access TM.  Import into SQL Server TM, Oracle TM or any data warehouse.

The Data Exporter will read your Microsoft Excel TM spreadsheets into The FLOW CONSULTANT.  Using your custom layouts, you can then export from The FLOW CONSULTANT any spreadsheet.

You must have one of the following separately licensed applications installed on your computer to utilize the Data Exporter

• Microsoft Access 97 TM or greater installed on your PC.
• An ODBC driver capable of reading Microsoft Access TM Databases.
• Spreadsheet filters capable of importing Microsoft Access Databases.

Lotus users note:  If you save a spreadsheet in .xls format, The Data Exporter will be able to read and return your data to .xls format which can then be read through Lotus TM.

Data Exporter Menu Item is Disabled - Versions prior to 5.2

Start the Data Exporter,

If the path statement screen is as required, Click OK

Exit the Data Exporter.

Exit and restart The Flow Consultant to enable this menu item.

The ISA Datasheet was designed as another avenue for users to print datasheets or view calculation data in spreadsheet format. 

The export routine exports the calculation record that is currently loaded.  To export a different calculation, the file must be opened.

An existing layout can be copied using the Copy Layout button.  This will create a mirror image of the original layout. 

Unwanted layouts can be permanently deleted using the Delete Layout button. 

Use the Document Info button to modify fields such as manufacturer or model number.

The Flow Consultant comes with a standardized ISA datasheet format.  This format can be modified to meet individual needs.  If  the default ISA Datasheet lay format has been modified, it can be reset to the original format by clicking the Restore Default ISA Layout button.

Modifying an existing layout

 To put information in different cells of a spreadsheet, select the Layout Name from the layout name listbox, shown below as ISADatasheet.  Locate the cell to modify in the Layout Grid. If the cell is empty, the cursor will blink in the cell.  If the cell contains data or a label, the contents will be highlighted.  Click on the modification arrow within the cell to display the contents off the cell.  

Shown below is cell C11 of the ISA Datasheet layout containing the label 'Tag Number'.  Labels in the worksheet may contain any text including special characters (&, * etc).  When label cells are exported, output in that cell will be static, exactly as it is typed in the Value listbox - shown below as Tag Number:.

Computed Value cells contain data from Flow Consultant calculations.  The output to a computed value cell is defined by selecting a variable from the Value listbox.

Row and Column are selected from separate inputs to avoid confusion.  After selecting a computed value (or static label) and the row column combination for your data to be exported to, click the Save Cell Definition button to save your definition.  After saving the cell, the new definition will appear in the layout grid.

New layouts can be created by typing the layout name in the Layout Name drop down listbox, entering row and column then  clicking Save Cell Definition. The new layout will be displayed in the Layout Grid.

Rows numbers are modified by typing the new row number in the Layout Grid.  Rows can be renumbered in any order.  Double click on any column heading (layout name, row, A, B, etc.) to renumber the rows.

Column numbers are modified by using the modify cell method.  To delete the contents of a cell, highlight the contents then delete it either in the Value Listbox or the Layout Grid.

Export Routine

A spreadsheet cannot be open in Excel during the export routine! 

It was noted during development of this feature that an error 'Unable to bind source' occurs randomly, apx 1 in every 100 exports.  When the error occurs, exporting will not function.  Should this occur, close the Flow Consultant and restart.  Rebooting the computer may be required.

1. To begin the export routine, click the Export Data button.

If a worksheet with the same name as the layout does not exist in your Flow Consultant directory, a message will appear.  The Flow Consultant expects that a worksheet of the same name exists. In the case of New Layout as shown above, a file named 'New Layout.xls' does not exist.  The Flow Consultant will prompt that the file does not exist and suggest using 'ISADatasheet.xls'.  Using 'ISADatasheet.xls' as a default template will not effect the layout of the ISADatasheet because this step is making a copy of a valid worksheet.  The only reason ISADatasheet.xls would be overwriten is if ISADatasheet.xls is chosen as a file name in step 2.

2. After checking for a valid worksheet, a Save As dialog will prompt for where to export the data.  Existing worksheets are shown but a new worksheet name can be entered.
3. A dialog box will now prompt for the number of decimals for output.  The default is 4, however, some users prefer 2.  The decimal truncation is for all data.
4. The computer's busy pointer will appear until the export is complete.  After the export is complete, the worksheet will appear in the spreadsheet viewer.  (This screen is also used for importing data from spreadsheets)

To edit the spreadsheet, double click on it in the spreadsheet viewer to launch Excel.

 

Chapter Four - Importing Data

Flow Consultant 2.3 File

Flow Consultant 3.0 (*.fcw) File

Import Flow Consultant 3.0 (*mdb) File

Excel File

Located from Main Main items File and Import, the Import Menu contains the items shown below.

Import calculations from the DOS versions of the Flow Consultant by selecting the Import Menu item Flow Consultant 2.3. (File --> Import --> Flow Consultant 2.3).  Select your calculation from the dialog box and click open.

The DOS versions of The Flow Consultant underwent many changes in file storage structure.  If you are experiencing difficulty with one or all of your DOS calculations, Contact Us.

Open calculations records from version 3.x databases by selecting the Import Menu item Flow Consultant 3.0 (*.mdb) (File --> Import --> Flow Consultant 3.0)

Select the name of the old database to open and click the Open button.  After the old database has been verified, the Import Select Record menu will load with a Filename Listbox populated from the old database.

Select the calculation record to import from the Filename Listbox and click the Open button. 

All Version 3.x Flow Consultant records must be individually imported.  Contact us for more information on conversions of Version 3.x databases to Version 6.0. 

Import Microsoft Excel TM spreadsheets by selecting the Import Menu item Excel.

For Flow Consultant Versions less than 5.2, you must have The Data Exporter installed to import Microsoft Excel Spreadsheets. 

If you have purchased the Data Exporter and this menu item is disabled, refer to the above information on launching the Data Exporter.

Select the spreadsheet to open from the open file dialogs as shown below.  After a valid spreadsheet has been selected, it will appear in the display area.  If you have not defined an import specification, you must click the Import Spec button to define which cells in the spreadsheet contain the information you wish to import.  How to define the  Import Specification.

 

 

 

Revised 03/06/07