Fluid Metrology Group

The Fluid Metrology Group (FMG) maintains the national standards for flow quantities, including gas and liquid flow, airspeed, and liquid volume. For instance, the group maintains five primary flow standards that measure gas flows from 0.01 standard cm³/min to 10³ standard m³/min, covering an eight decade flow range. FMG calibrates and maintains its own working standard flow meters and has leveraged these meters to extend its flow range to 10⁵ standard m³/min. This extension has played a key role in the development of the U.S. national standard for custody transfer of natural gas. Including FMG’s working standards, SI-traceability for gas flow spans across 13 decades. Similarly, in airspeed, FMG provides SI-traceable measurements from 0.15 m/s to 75 m/s. Additionally, it is the only NMI offering SI-traceable air velocity measurements at prescribed levels of turbulence intensity

The group’s unique and often best in the world facilities are used to conduct collaborative research on flow meters and anemometers, to calibrate these instruments for our customers, and to provide degree of equivalence values for commercial laboratories seeking accreditation.

NIST flow measurements play a vital role in nearly every US economic sector including manufacturing, energy, aerospace, the Department of Defense, chemical processing, transportation, pollution control, pharmaceuticals, health care, semi-conductors, and more. The group’s liquid volume and gas flow standards ensure equitable trade of trillions of dollars' worth of petroleum and natural gas each year. Our research focuses on establishing and disseminating SI-traceable measurements that meet US needs for flow, fluid velocity, and liquid volume. This is accomplished by developing primary standards, improving physical models of existing sensors technologies so that their calibrations can be applied to real-world applications with the required accuracy, and creating new sensor technologies that are fit for purpose. In many cases, FMG staff have made SI-traceable measurements in field conditions, such as for hydrogen refueling stations, hazardous emissions from smokestacks, and the calibration of large flow meters that exceed the capacity of most calibration laboratories. Through collaboration with leading U.S. meter manufacturers, calibration laboratories, and government agencies, the group continues to develop innovative measurement solutions for emerging needs, while also participating in national and international documentary standards efforts to ensure product quality and advance U.S. trade.

CALIBRATION SERVICES AND DOCUMENTARY STANDARDS

COLLABORATION OPPORTUNITIES

The Fluid Metrology Group welcomes opportunities to collaborate on joint research, technology, and standards development projects to advance flow metrology. The group provides multiple opportunities for students, scientists, industry, academia, and other R&D laboratories to collaborate. Specific opportunities depend on current areas of interest within the group, but may include undergraduate research fellowships, postdoctoral fellowships, visiting scientists, and guest researchers as well as various cooperative research arrangements ranging from formal agreements, such as CRADAs, Consortia, and interagency agreements, to informal collaborations. For more details, see Employment and Internship Opportunities and Collaboration Opportunities.