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Quick Answer: Silver Automation Instruments supplies diesel fuel meters for high-volume fleet depot storage and bulk fuel transfer. Our oval gear flow meters cover 40 to 4000 liters per hour and handle diesel, biodiesel blends, and low-sulfur diesel. Send your tank volume, pipe size from DN15 to DN80, and pump flow range for a quote.
A fleet depot with 50 trucks can pump 20,000 liters of diesel per day. A meter error of 0.5 percent equals 100 liters lost from stock records daily. Over one month that is 3,000 liters. For a mining contractor in Western Australia or a port logistics firm in Vietnam this is a direct operating cost.
Most engineers skip this part. Here is the thing. A standard pump counter does not give a true batch record. But a dedicated oval gear meter with a mechanical counter or pulse output gives a hard number for every nozzle, every truck, and every shift. Diesel inventory then matches the fuel management system.
In practice, fuel theft and pilferage are real concerns at depots. You need a meter that cannot be reset by the driver. Choose a unit with a tamper-proof totalizer. We have seen this on customer sites many times in Southeast Asia and Latin America.
Oval gear meters are positive displacement. Two oval rotors rotate inside a measuring chamber. Each pocket of diesel is counted. The design gives repeatability of 0.03 percent and accuracy of 0.5 percent or 0.2 percent depending on the model.
Diesel has a low viscosity of about 3 cP at 20 degrees C. That is no problem for an oval gear meter. The meter also handles biodiesel blends up to B20 and low-sulfur diesel without changing parts.
Common sizes for fleet depots are DN25, DN40, and DN50. A DN40 oval gear flow meter fits a fuel pump delivering 80 to 400 liters per minute. A DN50 size covers 150 to 800 liters per minute. The pressure rating is 55 bar for standard steel bodies and 20 bar for aluminum bodies. The operating temperature range is minus 20 to 120 degrees C.
The Silver Instruments SIOG series includes cast steel and aluminum oval gear flow meters for diesel. You can add a mechanical register, a pulse transmitter, or a 4-20 mA HART output. For hazardous areas around fuel pumps, choose an ATEX Zone 1 certified version.
A bulk fuel transfer counter should match the depot fuel management software. Three output types work well.
First, a mechanical batch counter. A mechanical batch counter is simple and local. The operator resets the batch total after each vehicle fill. Prices are lower and no wiring is needed.
Second, a pulse output. A pulse output sends a square wave to a PLC or fuel management terminal. Each pulse represents a set volume, often 0.1 liter or 0.5 liter. The system logs truck ID, driver ID, timestamp, and volume.
Third, a 4-20 mA HART signal. A 4-20 mA HART signal suits plants that already run HART loops. The meter sends flow rate and totalizer data over two wires.
We recommend a pulse output for most bulk fuel transfer skids. A pulse output gives a direct digital count and avoids analog signal drift.
Install the meter downstream of a fine filter. Diesel often carries small particles from storage tanks. Use a 60 mesh strainer before the meter. So a particle larger than the rotor clearance cannot jam the meter.
Mount the meter level. For high flow rates above 200 liters per minute, add a back pressure valve downstream. The valve keeps the measuring chamber full during rapid stops.
Avoid air pockets. Air causes the rotors to spin without fuel and inflates the total. If your pump can draw air from a tank bottom, fit an air eliminator upstream.
For a 30,000 liter tank feeding a 400 liter per minute pump, a DN50 meter with pulse output is a common setup in Middle East fuel depots. The pulse cable runs to a control room display or a site fuel management system.
Send us these details. We will reply with a model, a price, and a shipping estimate. We need fuel type, flow range in liters per minute, pipe size, pump pressure, operating temperature, output signal, and hazardous area classification.
Example: Diesel, 100 to 300 liters per minute, DN40, 8 bar, 40 degrees C, pulse output, ATEX Zone 2.
Contact Silver Automation Instruments:
Tel: +86-25-68650347
WhatsApp: +86-25-52155837
WeChat: +86 15365082610
Website: flow-meter.com.au
Q1: Can a diesel fuel meter handle high-volume bulk transfer at a fleet depot?
A1: Yes. A DN50 oval gear meter handles 150 to 800 liters per minute. For larger depots, we can parallel two meters or use a larger positive displacement meter.
Q2: What output do I need for a fuel management system?
A2: A pulse output is the most common. Each pulse equals a fixed volume. The fuel management system counts pulses and records the batch. If you have a HART PLC, choose 4-20 mA HART.
Q3: Can the meter work in Middle East heat?
A3: Yes. The standard operating range is minus 20 to 120 degrees C. For direct sunlight, use a steel body meter and a simple sun shield.
Q4: Is the meter certified for explosive atmospheres?
A4: Yes. We offer ATEX Zone 1 and Zone 2 versions for diesel pump areas. Specify the zone when you request a quote.
Q5: What maintenance does an oval gear meter need for diesel?
A5: Keep the upstream strainer clean. Inspect the rotors once a year if fuel is clean. Diesel lubricates the rotors, so bearing wear is low. If you see a drop in flow or an erratic pulse, check the strainer first.
