PHYSICAL TANK CALIBRATION REQUIREMENTS

Certified Physical Calibration of your gauging system allows us to provide you with "Inventory Quality" tank level information. 

In order to ensure that the certified physical calibration of the vessels at your facility goes smoothly, we need to make sure a few things are in place beforehand. Failure to properly prepare your site can result in additional charges.

• Pre-Calibration Checks

If a tank is part of new construction or retrofit, it is a good idea to fill it with water before the scheduled calibration. Special attention should be paid to the sample petcock and door seals. Tanks should be in their final configuration before we arrive and should be empty.

• Clean Vessel

All calibration candidate vessels should be free of any residual product or other materials, and should be ready for installation of the calibration transmitter/s. The area surrounding the calibration site should be kept as clean and dry as possible, and tank temperatures as close to 60 degrees Fahrenheit are desirable if it is possible to regulate this.

• Compressed Air Supply

A clean, dry, instrument compressed air supply of 65-PSI minimum must be available within 25 feet of the tank calibration draining point. 120 VAC @ 30 AMP electrical supply must also be available within 25 feet of the calibration site for our pumps and computers.

• Secure the Calibration Site

  Extraneous personnel and others should be kept out of the area during the actual calibration. This is for safety reasons, and to prevent calibration errors. Physical Calibrations involve repeated filling and dumping of the volumetric Provers, resulting in a lot of activity and slippery floor conditions. Pumps cycling frequently and inlet and outlet valve movements can also create potential hazards. Therefore, any non-essential personnel should remain clear of the area. 

What Happens Next:

Our personnel will be responsible for installation of the calibration test equipment, and its removal after the work is completed.  The customer will be responsible to fill of the tank to a level designated by our Calibration Specialist when the test instrumentation is in place and tested. This fill rate should be a minimum of 60 GPM.

Water will be discharged from the tank calibration unit in the direction of the nearest floor drain.  If the customer requires draining to a specific location using drain lines, this can significantly increase the calibration time, and additional costs may be incurred.

After the calibration is completed, the tank should be washed using normal CIP procedures, or specific procedures determined by the customer.

How Long Will it Take?

While it depends on many factors like the size and type of tank, most physical calibrations will require between 4-6 hours to complete. Once the geometry information is collected however, it can never change so long as the tank shape remains the same; so while a substantial undertaking initially, the information lasts the life of the vessel.

The scheduling of most calibrations will be within the hours of 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM Monday thru Friday. Calibrations performed per customer request outside of these hours will result in additional costs. For scheduled calibration work, if tanks are unavailable due to the customer's operation, at least 48 business hours notice must be given.  Cancellations with less notice will result in a minimum of (1) man-day charged.

Additional information on physical calibrations and pictures of calibrations sites can be found on our website at:

http://www.ksecorp.com/kse_services.htm#callibration

Your cooperation will insure that the certified physical calibrations for your project will go very smoothly, and will be preformed on schedule and within budget.  While the preparation and execution of the calibrations requires some effort, the NIST traceable data generated assures you of the highest possible accuracy from your gauging system.

If you have any questions on your calibration work, please feel free to contact us at (800) 573-4243 at any time, and thank you for your patronage!

KSE Corporation