Use of Kalman Filters in Data Compression of Gas Transmission Pipeline Data

Modern pipeline Remote Telemetry Units (RTU´s) do a superb job of destroying the information content of the data they process as long as they are using the Zero Order Predictor Algorithm for data compression. That algorithm is also known as Report by Exception. All that gets through are randomly biased estimates of how pressures and flow rates change with time. With a Kalman Filter, the RTU´s can provide more accurate, unbiased estimates of the quantities being measured as well as their rate of change with time.