Page 34 - Gi flipbook - October 2018

IGEM NEWS | Young Persons Paper Competition 2018

DEVELOPMENT OF A GAS

DETECTION DEVICE FOR

RISER INSPECTION

By Theo Wong, Assistant Engineer at The Hong Kong and China
Gas Company Ltd (Towngas) and YPPC 2018 second runner-up

he Hong Kong and China
Gas Company Ltd
(Towngas) currently has
more than 1.86 million
residential and
T commercial customers.
We provide gas production, distribution
and utilisation services in Hong Kong.
In order to maintain a reliable and safe
supply of energy, we provide our
customers with regular safety inspections
on the gas service pipe system.
The gas service pipe system usually
consists of a main service riser erected
outside the building with horizontal
laterals that pass through the façade,
feeding gas to the flats of individual
Towngas customers.
In order to perform a full inspection
to the gas service risers, Towngas has
developed a quadcopter for inspecting
along external walls. This device is
initially set on a landing base and goes
up along the gas service risers to
check their condition.
However, we have found that some
buildings have podiums, meaning the
landing base cannot be set up for the
quadcopter. Also, some buildings with
special architectural features (e.g.,
narrow lightwells) have insufficient
light to deploy the quadcopter.

OBJECTIVES
The objective of this project was to The newly developed gas detection device
develop a device that would enable
us to conduct gas service riser • Conduct field tests and evaluate the to check the risers’ condition.
inspections with: solution’s performance In this way, a landing base is no longer
• a simple equipment setting • Implement the newly developed needed in the equipment setting but a
• minimal disturbance to customers solution fixed support has to be designed to
• reduced risk of working at height hold the inspection device.
on scaffolding PLAN PHASE In addition, the device needs to be
To plan for the solution, the concept equipped with methane detection
RESEARCH APPROACH design and consideration of other factors capabilities and image capture so we
To tackle the identified problem, the were the critical areas of concern. can see the gas service risers are
plan-do-check-act (PDCA) model In fishing, a rope and pulley are used neither leaking gas nor suffering from
(Figure 3) was adopted: for hanging and transporting materials. serious corrosion.
• Come up with the design concept By modifying this concept, a gas Safety is the biggest factor of
and considerations service riser inspection can be conducted concern, so proximity detection and
• Create a prototype and manufacture by hanging an inspection device and emergency controls also need to be
the designed solution lowering it from the top of the building embedded in the design.

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