Application Cases in the Thermal Energy Industry
In a large - scale central heating network, the heating area covers multiple urban blocks, involving thousands of residents and numerous commercial buildings. To improve heating efficiency, reduce energy consumption, and ensure the heating quality at the user - end, a series of industrial sensors have been installed.
Temperature sensors are widely deployed at key nodes in the heat source plant, heat exchange stations, and heating pipelines. In the heat source plant, high - precision temperature sensors monitor the water temperature in the hot - water boiler in real - time, with a measurement accuracy of up to ±0.2°C. This enables operators to precisely control the fuel input, ensuring that the hot water always maintains the set optimal temperature. It not only meets the heating demand but also avoids energy waste caused by over - heating.
In the heat exchange stations, temperature sensors work in tandem with pressure sensors. The temperature sensors monitor the water temperatures of the primary network (the high - temperature hot - water pipeline from the heat source plant) and the secondary network (the low - temperature hot - water pipeline leading to the user - end), while the pressure sensors measure the pressure inside the pipeline in real - time. Based on the data collected by these sensors, the control system can automatically adjust the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger, and dynamically adjust the water supply temperature and pressure of the secondary network according to factors such as outdoor temperature and user demand. For example, on a cold night, when the outdoor temperature drops suddenly, the sensors feed back the data, and the system automatically increases the water supply temperature of the secondary network to ensure a warm and comfortable indoor environment for users.
In addition, flow sensors are installed at each branch of the heating pipeline to accurately measure the flow rate of hot water. Combining these flow data with temperature data helps the heating company accurately calculate the heat consumption in each area, enabling heat - based billing. At the same time, by monitoring the flow rate, leakage points in the pipeline can be detected in a timely manner. Once the flow rate in a certain area shows abnormal fluctuations, the system immediately issues an alarm, allowing maintenance personnel to quickly locate and repair the leakage, reducing hot - water loss and energy waste.
Through the coordinated operation of these industrial sensors, the energy consumption of the central heating system has been reduced by approximately 15%, the user complaint rate has dropped significantly, and the heating quality has been significantly improved.