What is the Economic Service Life of Service Regulators? How Long Should It Be?
Natural gas has been used in residential settings in our country for over 30 years. Consequently, the use of service regulators, a crucial part of gas distribution, has also exceeded 30 years.
While standards for calibration and replacement of meters, which are important for measurement, and for economic use have been established during this time, these studies are not yet complete for regulators. For regulators, a vital part of the gas distribution system in terms of measurement and safety, correctly defining the concept of "economic service life" and conducting studies accordingly has become a significant need.
As a team that has been in the sector since the beginning of gas distribution in our country, and especially with our nearly 30 years of experience in the production and design of service regulators, we consider it our duty to share our expertise for the development of the sector. First, we need to define "economic service life." We can define the "service life" of a device as the period from when it is commissioned until when it is decommissioned. However, this definition alone is insufficient, as the regulator's "service" and "maintenance" costs during this period must also be considered. Furthermore, the initial cost of the device should be considered along with these "service and maintenance" costs.
Considering average product costs, it is known that the cost of a single service call for a device is almost equal to the product's purchase value. Therefore, the "economic service life" can be defined as the time elapsed from the commissioning of the regulator until the first date it requires "service" or "maintenance".
Because at this point, the main cost is no longer the product itself, but the "service" required for that product. A timeframe can be determined based on globally accepted good engineering practices and customer expectations. In our opinion, this period should generally be "20 years" for single-stage devices (see UK PRS-3 specification), and generally "10 years" for dual-stage products used in our system (UK PRS-29 specification).
Many factors influence the economic service life. These factors can be grouped under three main headings: environmental factors, product design, and the type of materials used in the product. In our other articles, we will share our experience and research on the impact of these factors on the economic lifespan of products and the appropriate designs and materials to extend that lifespan.