Method of Determining the Optimal Configuration of Gas Metering Nodes and Measurement Points of Gas Consumption

Abstract

In this article, the authors consider the method of determining the configuration of natural gas metering nodes and gas consumption measurement points, which are used to determine the volume of received or transmitted natural gas at the entry and exit points of the gas transportation system of Ukraine. Currently, the configuration of gas metering nodes and flow measurement points is determined exclusively taking into account the technical and metrological characteristics of the measuring devices. It is proposed to determine the choice of the optimal number of measuring pipelines as part of gas flow metering nodes or gas flow measurement points with appropriate natural gas metering devices (measuring devices): variable pressure drop flowmeters, gas turbine meters, and ultrasonic flowmeters. The problem of choosing the optimal number of measuring devices based on the criterion of their total cost, taking into account the throughput of the gas metering unit, as well as permissible unaccounted for losses caused by measurement errors, is formulated. It was determined that the problem of choosing the optimal number of measuring devices can be classified as a problem of linear integer programming. Software in the MatLab environment was used to solve the formulated problem of choosing the optimal number of measuring devices in the natural gas accounting node (gas flow measurement point).

The results of the proposed method and the developed software are illustrated on specific examples that take into account the real operating conditions of gas metering units and flow measurement points. The use of the proposed method will make it possible to determine the optimal configuration of gas metering nodes (gas consumption measurement points), which will potentially allow companies-owners to reduce the costs of their construction, reconstruction or repair.