European Center for Flow Measurement celebrates ISO 17025 accreditation and reopening of LNG facility

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European Center for Flow Measurement celebrates ISO 17025 accreditation and reopening of LNG facility

The European Center for Flow Measurement (ECFM) on the Maasvlakte in Rotterdam has a couple of new milestones to celebrate. After the opening of the ECFM in March 2023 , the ECFM has received an ISO 17025 accreditation for both the Flow 650 and Flow 2500 installations, within six months. Moreover, the LNG facility is now also been moved to the Maasvlakte and operational again.

Receiving ISO 17025 accreditation is an important milestone for VSL, but even more important for the industry. From this moment on, accredited calibrations of flow meters can now be carried out on both the Flow 650 installation and the Flow 2500 installation. This means that the quality of flow meter calibrations for liquids is independently guaranteed, allowing VSL’s customers to avoid unnecessary discussions during external audits.

Furthermore, VSL worked very hard to get the LNG calibration and test facility operational again. The LNG facility is one-of-a-kind in the world and represents immense added value for the energy transition. If we want to replace polluting fuels in transportation with liquefied natural gas (LNG), for example, LNG must be measured accurately. Given the large quantities in which LNG is set to be used, a small measurement error can have significant financial consequences. This is easier said than done, as the measurements take place at an extreme temperature of -162°C, which makes LNG-measurement a major technical challenge, that VSL has overcome with this facility. The first nitrogen batch measurements will start on January 4, 2024, and LNG batch measurements are scheduled to begin on February 8. Due to high interest, these batches have no end date.

These milestones once again demonstrate VSL’s pioneering role in both metrology and the energy transition. We would like to express our appreciation to the entire flow team – Erik Smits, Timo Jacobs, Peter Sakkers, and Cock Oosterman – for their efforts in obtaining the accreditation. Our special thanks also go to Ara Abdulrahman, whose invaluable contribution was instrumental in preparing the LNG facility.

Click here for more information about the new accreditation.