OREANDA-NEWS. July 24, 2012. Yokogawa Electric Corporation announces that the STARDOM FCN autonomous controller has been certified for use as a flow computer by Measurement Canada. This certification is based on the determination that the STARDOM FCN autonomous controller has the same accuracy as a conventional flow computer.

Measurement Canada is an agency of Industry Canada, a department of the Canadian government. Charged with ensuring the integrity and accuracy of measurement in the Canadian marketplace, the agency is responsible for approving and certifying measuring devices for trade measurement in Canada. Devices subject to its approval are used to measure gas, electricity, mass, and volume, and are tested on a broad range of criteria including design, construction, marking, accuracy, and sealing method.

In recent years, attention has turned to natural gas because it is a clean and safe energy source. As ever more gas wells are brought on-line, the management of production volume becomes a challenge. While conventional flow computers meet all metering requirements, there is a trend now toward embedding this functionality in PLCs and RTUs, which are highly valued for their durable construction and versatile control capabilities.

In addition to conventional analog transmitter signals, which can be affected by noise and variations in the ambient temperature, the STARDOM FCN autonomous controller supports field digital communication protocols such as HART, Modbus, and FOUNDATION™ fieldbus fieldbus for use with a wide range of transmitters. Taking advantage of the benefits of digital communications, Yokogawa's PRM asset management system increases maintainability while reducing both engineering time and the cost of monitoring widely distributed facilities.

Takashi Nishijima, Director and Senior Vice President of the Industrial Automation Platform Business Headquarters, comments as follows: "With field digital technologies that make effective use of plant information through the digitization of communications between field devices and control systems, Yokogawa is helping its customers realize the VigilantPlant concept. Yokogawa has a strong focus on gas field development and production, and this flow computing approval by Measurement Canada will allow our customers to install STARDOM units in gas fields that are spread out over a wide area, with less engineering time and a reduced maintenance workload. Field digital technology can be utilized to realize increased accuracy in gas measurement and improved controllability. This will truly enable assets to be used to maximum effectiveness."