As seasonal temperatures change, district heating companies in northern regions need to continuously monitor the temperature of their heating networks during the winter season to ensure indoor temperatures remain within the required range. This helps reduce customer complaints, improve heating quality, and increase overall energy efficiency.

A district heating company in northern China selected Toprie's battery-powered Smart Wireless Temperature Gauge to remotely monitor the supply and return water temperatures of its heating pipeline network. By deploying an automatic temperature monitoring system, the company can obtain real-time operational data to support production scheduling and management decisions.

The customer required a reliable and cost-effective monitoring solution with the following features:

• Install Smart Wireless Temperature Gauges on district heating pipelines to collect multiple temperature measurement points and transmit the data to a wireless RTU.

• Use battery-powered devices because installing AC power would require lengthy coordination with the local power utility, delaying project implementation and increasing electricity management costs.

• Ensure compatibility with areas that have good 4G and GPRS network coverage.

• Display pipeline temperature data clearly through monitoring software for easy supervision.

• Require a battery replacement interval of more than 180 days, allowing uninterrupted operation throughout an entire heating season. The battery is designed to provide a service life of up to five years.

• Protect field devices against vandalism or accidental damage caused by children or unauthorized personnel.

Based on the project requirements, Toprie recommended the TP2401 Battery-Powered Smart Wireless Temperature Gauge together with a wireless RTU. Featuring an ultra-low-power design and a high-performance lithium battery, the solution provides long operating life and is well suited for outdoor district heating applications. The monitoring software uses the KingView SCADA platform, while data communication is transmitted through the 4G network with automatic backward compatibility to GPRS where necessary.

The automatic district heating pipeline monitoring system consists of:

• TP2401 Smart Wireless Temperature Gauges

• Battery-powered Wireless RTUs

• 4G/GPRS wireless communication network

• TLINK Cloud Monitoring Platform

• PC and mobile devices for remote monitoring and management

To monitor the entire district heating network, one measurement point is installed on each supply and return main pipeline within every residential community under the company's management.

A Smart Wireless Temperature Gauge is installed on both the supply and return pipelines inside each building to continuously measure water temperature.

A battery-powered wireless RTU is wall-mounted near the temperature gauges. It collects temperature data, supplies power to the gauges, and transmits the collected information to the heating company's control room through the 4G or GPRS network. Operators can also access the data remotely using smartphones.

The control room uses the TLINK Cloud Monitoring Platform to receive, display, and manage real-time temperature data. Since TLINK includes native drivers for Toprie remote terminals, system integration is straightforward and reliable.

The battery-powered RTU is configured to upload data once every hour. Each battery supports approximately 10,000 transmission cycles, providing about 416 days of continuous operation at one upload per hour, exceeding the customer's requirement of a minimum 180-day battery replacement interval.

To prevent vandalism and unauthorized access, both the Smart Wireless Temperature Gauge and the battery-powered RTU are installed inside a lockable metal enclosure, ensuring reliable long-term operation in outdoor environments.