Calorific Value Determination Using Multi-Sensor Gas Quality Patterns
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for determining the calorific value of natural gas, especially with volatile fuel gas compositions, face limitations in accuracy and adaptability, particularly with the increasing presence of hydrogen and biomethane, which affects gas quality and billing precision.
Innovation Solution
A method using a sensor unit with differently composed and doped semiconductor sensors that react to gas components, generating actual gas quality patterns and comparing them to target patterns to determine the calorific value, allowing for interpolation and accurate calculation of energy content, even in complex gas mixtures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If process gas chromatography is used to determine calorific value, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor unit is divided into multiple sub-sensors, each with different sensitivities to specific gas components. This segmentation allows the system to detect various gas constituents (methane, hydrogen, biomethane, etc.) separately and combine their signals to determine the overall calorific value, achieving accurate measurement without requiring complex chromatographic equipment
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical and chemical process gas chromatography system with an electrical sensor-based measurement system. The semiconductor sensors detect gas components through electrical resistance changes, eliminating the need for complex mechanical separation and analysis equipment while maintaining measurement precision
2Measurement precision
If centralized calorific value determination is used, then measurement precision is maintained, but loss of time and adaptability to volatile compositions deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor unit is deployed locally at the customer's premises, enabling self-service measurement. The device autonomously determines the calorific value of the gas composition at the point of consumption without requiring centralized laboratory analysis, thereby eliminating time delays and adapting to volatile gas compositions in real-time
Solution Approach 2:
The sensor unit performs preliminary measurement of gas composition and calorific value determination at the local level before billing calculations are performed. This preliminary action enables real-time detection and adaptation to changing gas qualities, ensuring that billing is based on current rather than historical or estimated values
3Measurement precision
If additional local volume measurement is performed for billing, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the calorific value determination function with the existing gas metering infrastructure. The sensor unit is integrated into or positioned with the gas meter, combining volume measurement and calorific value determination in a single localized system, thereby avoiding the need for separate complex measurement equipment while maintaining billing precision
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach enables reliable and precise determination of calorific values with an accuracy of ±2%, eliminating the need for expensive process gas chromatography and allowing for decentralized, real-time energy billing and combustion control.
Implementation Method 1
sub-sensors that are activated differently by UV irradiation and/or IR irradiation and/or micro-heating and undergo a measurable change in resistance due to the presence of reducing or oxidizing gas components
Implementation Method 2
sub-sensors that are activated differently by UV irradiation and/or IR irradiation
Implementation Method 3
sub-sensors that are activated differently by UV irradiation and/or IR irradiation
Implementation Method 4
sub-sensors that are activated differently by UV irradiation and/or IR irradiation and/or micro-heating
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method and to a device for determining a calorific value of a combustible gas which has one or more gas components in its gas composition, comprising applying the combustible gas to a sensor unit (10) which has a multiplicity of part sensors (20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32), wherein different part sensors (20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32) react with different degrees of sensitivity to the same gas component and/or the same part sensor (20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32) reacts with different degrees of sensitivity to different concentrations of a respectively identical gas component in the gas composition; registering a respective sensor signal (50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 56A, 56B, 56C) which is dependent on the gas composition and/or the concentration of one or more gas components; generating an actual gas quality template which represents each part sensor (20, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32) and its respective sensor signal (50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 56A, 56B, 56C); determining the next setpoint gas quality template from a group of setpoint gas quality templates; extracting the gas composition and/or the concentration of one or more gas components from the next setpoint gas quality template or by means of interpolation from a plurality of setpoint gas quality templates; determining the current calorific value of the combustible gas from the next setpoint gas quality template by comparison with the next setpoint gas quality template or by means of interpolation from a plurality of setpoint gas quality templates.