Gas Line Odorization Feedback Control for Hydrogen Blends
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Solution Overview
Problem
The transition from natural gas to hydrogen in energy systems poses challenges in ensuring adequate odorization of gas mixtures in pipelines, due to varying hydrogen and natural gas proportions, which requires a cost-effective, safe, and reliable method to maintain safety standards while minimizing odorant consumption.
Innovation Solution
A method involving continuous measurement of actual odorant concentration, determining and adding the necessary dosage to maintain a target concentration, using a mobile odorization system with a bypass line and adjustable odorizing nozzles, and preheating the odorant for optimal evaporation, ensuring sufficient odorization without excessive resource use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the volume flow of gas mixture is increased due to hydrogen conversion, then the energy supply capacity is improved, but the odorant consumption increases excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback control system where the actual odorant concentration in the gas mixture is continuously measured and compared against the target concentration. Based on this comparison, the odorant dosage is automatically adjusted. This ensures that sufficient odorant is added to compensate for increased volume flow from hydrogen conversion, while preventing excessive consumption by only adding the necessary amount to maintain safety standards.
2Reliability
If the odorant dosage is increased to ensure safety in hydrogen-natural gas mixtures, then the safety level is improved, but the economic cost increases due to excessive odorant consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The system continuously measures the actual odorant concentration in the gas mixture and compares it with the target concentration. The control unit adjusts the odorant dosage based on this feedback to maintain the target concentration, ensuring safety without excessive consumption. This feedback mechanism prevents both insufficient odorization and wasteful over-dosage.
3Reliability
If the odorant concentration is increased to account for fluctuating hydrogen proportions, then the safety reliability is improved, but the precision of odorant dosage control deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs continuous measurement of the actual odorant concentration in the gas mixture using a measuring device. The control unit processes this measured value and adjusts the odorant dosage in real-time to maintain the target concentration. This feedback loop ensures precise dosage control despite fluctuations in hydrogen proportions, as the system adapts to changing gas mixture compositions while maintaining accurate odorant concentration control.
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 ensures consistent and economical odorization of gas mixtures, adapting to fluctuating hydrogen and natural gas ratios, ensuring safety and reducing odorant waste, while allowing for testing and parameterization of odorization systems without disrupting gas supply.
Implementation Method 1
Measuring an actual concentration of an odorant in the gas mixture
Implementation Method 2
preheating the odorant for optimal evaporation
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method (100) for odorizing a gas mixture flowing within a gas line (60), wherein the method (100) comprises the following steps: - measuring an actual concentration of an odorant in the gas mixture, - determining a dosage amount of an odorant to be added to the gas mixture by comparing the measured actual concentration with a predetermined target concentration of the odorant, and - adding the determined dosage amount of the odorant to the gas mixture.