Systems Modelling and Control Applied to a Low-Pressure Gas Distribution Network

A control system has been designed and implemented to provide more effective energy management of low-pressure gas distribution networks. The key to this is the provision of a control scheme that maintains low pressures across a network. The work was approached from first principles and a modelling technique has been developed which provides reduced order models that adequately describe the characteristics of multi-feed gas networks. The models were then used for the control system design, which in this case also included the selection of the optimal measurement points for most effective control. Following extensive design studies a relatively straightforward control scheme resulted which has been implemented and proved to be effective.