Validating performance of a bi-directional prover

A hydrocarbon custody transfer system, comprising:

• a piping network that comprises a flow meter configured to measure a flow rate of a hydrocarbon liquid;
• a bi-directional prover fluidly coupled to the piping network, the bi-directional prover comprising:
• a calibration section comprising a fluid conduit that includes a bend section and at least one straight section,
• a launch section configured to bi-directionally move a displacer with the hydrocarbon liquid through the fluid conduit,
• a fluid inlet configured to fluidly couple a first end of the fluid conduit to the launch section,
• a fluid outlet configured to fluidly couple a second end of the fluid conduit to the launch section,
• a temperature sensor fluidly coupled in the fluid conduit,
• a pressure sensor fluidly coupled in the fluid conduit, and
• a densometer fluidly coupled in the fluid conduit;
• and
• a control system communicably coupled to the temperature sensor, the pressure sensor, the flow meter, and the densometer and configured to perform operations comprising:
• identifying one or more parameters that is stored in the control system and is associated with the bi-directional prover;
• identifying measurements from the temperature sensor, the pressure sensor, and the densometer taken during movement of the displacer through the fluid conduit;
• based on the identified measurements and the identified one or more parameters, calculating an outlet pressure of the hydrocarbon liquid at the fluid outlet;
• comparing the calculated outlet pressure to a measured outlet pressure, from the pressure sensor, of the hydrocarbon liquid at the fluid outlet;
• and
• based on the comparison meeting a threshold, validating the bi-directional prover.

A method of validating a bi-directional prover in a fluid flow system, comprising:

• operating a bi-directional prover fluidly coupled to a fluid flow system by bi-directionally moving a displacer through a fluid conduit of a calibration section of the prover with a process fluid of the fluid flow system, the fluid conduit comprising a fluid inlet coupled to a launch section of the prover, a fluid outlet coupled to the launch section, a bend section, and at least one straight section,
• during operation of the bi-directional prover:
• measuring a temperature of the process fluid with a temperature sensor positioned in the fluid conduit,
• measuring a pressure of the process fluid at the fluid outlet of the fluid conduit with a pressure sensor positioned in the fluid conduit, and
• measuring a density of the process fluid with a densometer positioned in the fluid conduit;
• identifying, with a control system, one or more parameters associated with the bi-directional prover stored in the control system;
• based on the measured temperature, pressure, and density and the identified one or more parameters, calculating, with the control system, an outlet pressure of the process fluid at the fluid outlet;
• comparing, with the control system, the calculated outlet pressure to the measured outlet pressure of the process fluid at the fluid outlet;
• and
• based on the comparison meeting a threshold, generating an alert with the control system that validates the bi-directional prover.