Sensirion develops low-power natural gas detection tech
Environmental sensor provider Sensirion has created a microthermal gas metering method to detect thermal gas, including non-conventional gas types that may be used in future, such as power-to-gas and biogas production systems. Sensirion plans to add its new method to its existing SGM6000 module range. The modules will encompass natural H, L and E gases, alongside natural gas mixtures with a maximum of 25% hydrogen content. Each device only consumes up to 10 µA.
New environmentally friendly technologies, such as power-to-gas and biogas production systems, will change requirements for the entire natural gas industry, including gas metering. Due to these trends, future gas metering will be confronted with new mixtures of natural gas, including those that contain significant amounts of non-conventional fuel gases such as hydrogen or carbon dioxide. These new gas mixtures present a challenge for technologies that are currently used in natural gas metering.

Sensirion has been working on the above for many years and developed a microthermal gas metering method using a new technology to measure thermal gas characteristics. The company plans to commercialise this technology by adding the tehnology to its current product portfolio of SGM6000 modules.

The SGM6200 series is expected to fulfil both current and future market requirements. One module covers natural gases in groups H and L and E (as defined in EN437), as well as natural gas mixtures, including non-conventional fuel gases with up to 25% hydrogen content. The series will output temperature-compensated volumes of natural gas, aligned with today’s most widely used natural gas billing systems. The meters are also competitively priced, with ultra-low current consumption of 10 µA.