ProBe Gas is a software application to analyse gas distribution networks (natural gas or other compressible gases) in steady state. Its simple interface lets users represent pipe networks of any size and complexity, providing an indispensable support to designers and managers of gas distributions networks.
ProBe Gas enables the management, in a complete and functional environment, of all the gas network key elements (city gates, pipes, gas governors, valves, compressors and individual customers distributed over the network). This quickly generates accurate results predicting the distribution of flow rates and pressures across the network.
ProBe Gas uses a computational engine capable to handle any operating pressures, which can be grouped in up to 7 different classes. The user can represent low, medium and high-pressure networks in a single integrated model. The engine has been extensively tested and validated over 25 years of track record.
ProBe Gas key features
- Allows network simulations of integrated systems to be launched with a single run, as all calculations are based on Fergusson’s formula. This formula is valid for any pressure and temperature ranges.
- Supports multiple demand types (domestic, commercial, industrial etc.) with their own consumption rates.
- Allows functional testing of first- and second-pressure drop regulators.
- Simulates high or low consumption regime to check if required minimum pressures are maintained and whether some regulator stations can be closed in low consumption regimes.
- Runs stable numerical calculation with extremely fast simulation times.
- Provides results across the entire network, even for extremely large networks.
- Runs network calculation under emergency conditions due to system failures (pipelines or gas pressure regulators closures).
- Calculates atmospheric dispersion due to accidental pipe break.
- Calculates network behaviour under emergency conditions.
- Tracks percentage of gas coming from each Citygate or gas governor in each junction of the model.
ProBe Gas typical applications
- Analysis of the distribution of gas flow rates and pressures in the network to check that the minimum operating pressures are maintained.
- Design of new gas distribution networks.
- Running integrated projects for upgrading existing networks.
- Development of management plans for different consumption regimes.
- Checking the effects caused by the interconnection of several gas networks.
- Analysis of network criticality for prioritisation of pro-active maintenance activities.
ProBe Gas Interface
The ProBe Gas environment is easy to learn and use. The interface shows planimetric and table views. Its results are displayed with easily interpretable thematic maps. ProBe Gas can use, import and export files in industry-standard formats, such as AutoCAD,ArcView/ArcGIS, MapInfo, Access, XLS etc.
Large amounts of data from different platforms, such as GIS data, billing data, regulator and citygate settings, etc. can easily be uploaded and integrated into a single environment.