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Monitoring flow rate towards gas lights in municipal street lighting

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Measuring gas flow rate in gas pressure throttling stations for gas lights

Process data

Measuring task:
Flow rate from supplying gas lights to street lights

Measuring point:
Gas pressure regulation station

Measuring range:
Up to 1,000 m³/h

Process pressure:
Ca. 40 mbar

Process environment:
+5 … 40 °C

Application

The streets in Düsseldorf are illuminated with electrical lights and gas lights. Each gas light’s supply comes from gas pipes from gas pressure throttling stations. The lights are ignited by a defined pressure surge which has a defined pressure level and flow rate. This flow rate can be measured and monitored with Höntzsch measuring instruments. It’s the only way to guarantee a safe ignition process. 

Your advantage

Tried and tested
Since 2006 Höntzsch vane wheel sensors type ZS25 have been used in this application

Precise
The sensor’s very low measuring uncertainty ensures reliable set-up of the gas lights and therefore the lighting.

Aesthetics
The used measuring technology also contributes to the preservation of the historical cityscape with gas lights.

Recommended products

Vane wheel ZS25 ZG2

Product Product data sheet

With isolation / supply unit and separate evaluation unit

Product Product data sheet

ProductProduct data sheet

Background and history of gas lighting

As early as 1843 first steps for building a gas disribution system to supply gas lights illuminating Düsseldorf’s city were taken. Back then Sinzig & Cie delivered gas to the city – apparently of very bad quality which led the city to build their own gas distribution system. In 1866 the first municipal gas works was put into operation. The gas distribution system was about 6km long and supplied 753 gas lights. Two years later it provided gas for 1866 customers and 800 lights. Today the natural gas distribution system covers 1.462 km without, and 2.014 km with house connection pipes. It contains of 69,000 connection points, 118,000 gas meters and 14,000 street lights.

Preservation of the street lights in Düsseldorf with gas lights

On 14.05.2020 the city council decided to preserve a large part of the city’s historical gas lighting. Today Düsseldorf is the only german city alongside Berlin to still operate gas lights.

 

Controlling gas lights for street lighting

Düsseldorf’s gas distribution is operated with a low-pressure network with a pressure of 70 mbar. The maximum allowable pressure in the system is 100 mbar.


Each gas light has a continuously burning pilot light. To light the gas lights at night a pressure wave is sent out raising the pressure about 30 mbar operating as a ripple control signal. Pressure rise control is not trivial. It must be ensured that the pressure wave reaches every gas light. Pressure measurement as well as a combined measurement of pressure and duration of the pressure rise didn’t deliver the desired effect. Measuring actual flow rate in combination with pressure measurement gives us the required pressure surge. Thereby it can be ensured that the required volume for the rise in pressure is supplied and independent from further disturbances such as changes in tube geometry (changes in diameter).


For control purposes flow rate measurement was installed in every gas pressure control system in the area of the gas pressure control system.

 

Gas pressure control system
Gas pressure control system
Gas pressure control system inside
Gas pressure control system inside

Assembly in the station

The measuring instruments were installed behind the gas pressure control system at the plant’s outlet in the low pressure area.
For many years Höntzsch vane wheel sensors type ZS25 have been working succesfully in this application.  

 

Sensor with ball valve in gas pipe
Sensor with ball valve in gas pipe
Isolation / Supply unit
Isolation / Supply unit
µP ASD evaluation unit
µP ASD evaluation unit

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