Method for determining and monitoring gas consumption in a gas network under pressure or under vacuum and gas network

A method for determining and monitoring gas consumption in a gas network under pressure or under vacuum, the gas network comprising:

• one or more sources of compressed gas or vacuum;
• one or more consumers, consumer areas of compressed gas or vacuum applications;
• pipelines or a network of pipelines to transport the compressed gas or vacuum from the sources to the consumers, consumer areas or applications;
• a plurality of sensors, which determine one or more physical parameters of the gas at different times and locations in the gas network, wherein the plurality of sensors comprises
• at least a number of flow sensors which measure the flow of the gas taken by the consumers, consumer areas or applications,
• or
• at least a number of flow sensors which measure the flow of the gas taken by the consumers, consumer areas or applications and one or a plurality of sensors configured to record a state or status of one or a plurality of sources, consumers, consumer areas, and/or applications;
• wherein the method comprises the following steps:
• a start-up phase, during which the plurality of sensors are calibrated before use;
• an optional leak quantification phase, in which non-registered consumers or one or more leaks are quantified on the basis of measurements from the aforementioned sensors;
• an operational phase, in which the flow and/or gas volume consumed by each consumer, consumer areas, application, the non-registered consumer, and/or one or more leaks is calculated or determined using a cumulative algorithm and a predefined, adjustable time horizon;
• and
• an output phase, in which the calculated or determined flow and/or gas volume consumed by each consumer, consumer area, application, the non-registered, and/or one or more leaks consumer is displayed,
• wherein the flow sensors are calibrated by means of an in-situ self-calibration,
• wherein during the output phase, information related to the one or more leaks, as determined during the leak quantification phase, is displayed, and
• wherein the leak quantification phase, the operational phase and the output phase are repeated sequentially.