Australia’s developing applications for hydrogen, biomethane and other lower-carbon gas have created new measurement considerations alongside those of established natural gas and industrial infrastructure.
Gas quality, process performance, equipment protection and hazardous-area requirements all become important considerations, according to Antti Heikkilä, product line manager of industrial decarbonisation at Vaisala.
"As hydrogen and renewable gas projects move from pilot installations to full-scale industrial operations, operators need to consider gas quality from the beginning," Heikkilä said.
"For example, moisture can affect several parts of an operation. It can compromise fuel cell performance, reduce process efficiency and shorten equipment service life.
“Measurement requirements also become more important as an emerging industry matures. What may work during a pilot or demonstration is not necessarily suitable for continuous industrial operation.
"Operators need to understand what they are measuring, the conditions in which the measurement is taking place and the performance they need from the instrument," he said.
“Measurement range, accuracy, process temperature and pressure, installation environment and hazardous-area classification can all affect the choice of measurement technology.”
The operating environment adds another challenge. Hydrogen, natural gas, biomethane and other industrial processes can involve locations where combustible gases are present.
Other applications, including battery manufacturing, may involve combustible dust.
Moreover, Heikkilä said some moisture measurement technologies periodically interrupt measurements for regeneration or heating cycles.
"These interruptions create gaps in the data. Continuous measurement provides a more complete picture of changing moisture conditions and can help operators identify deviations as they occur," he said.
Vaisala head of sales for Australia and New Zealand, Carolyn Childs, said as Australia expands its energy mix moisture measurement remains a critical requirement across the value chain.
"For hydrogen applications, moisture monitoring at the electrolyser outlet can provide an early indication of gas purity before storage or utilisation. In biomethane production, moisture measurement supports gas-quality assurance as upgraded biogas is prepared for grid injection or other end uses," Childs said.
"The same measurement principles apply across natural gas pipelines, chemical processing, synthetic fuel and methanol production, compressed air and nitrogen systems, battery manufacturing and other industrial processes.
“Measurement technology needs to suit the conditions in which it operates."