Evaluation of a remote boundary pressure control strategy using Simulink

The emphasis within British Gas has moved from the construction aspects of the natural gas transmission system, to one of investigating methods of optimising the operational efficiency of the existing pipeline network. In particular, the developments which have taken place in the area of microprocessor technology have provided the opportunity to implement improved control strategies in areas where existing pneumatic based systems are somewhat limited in terms of performance. This paper describes how the simulation software package Simulink was used to safely evaluate the performance of an alternative control strategy whereby the pressure of the pipeline is measured a considerable distance downstream from the main pressure regulating station.