Reducing the loss of thermal energy in heating systems and increasing their reliability is an urgent task for the thermal power industry. The use of polyurethane foam insulation of pipelines is currently considered as the most promising solution to this problem. However, the construction of a durable and economical pipeline with PU insulation requires certain conditions. Despite the advantages of using PU insulation, the experience of implementing such pipelines has revealed problems arising from emergency situations that directly affect the reduction of energy efficiency. To solve these problems, an operational remote control system is being introduced to eliminate accidents and monitor insulation moisture. The paper presents an analysis of the implementation of LoRaWAN-based SDCs on heating networks in the Republic of Tatarstan. The study shows that in the first year of operation, the number of defects was higher due to the establishment of an information collection system and the installation of sensors. However, the second year of the experiment demonstrated a decrease in the number of defects and accidents, which indicates an increase in the efficiency of the system. It is recommended to introduce pipelines with PU insulation and SOD to increase the reliability and efficiency of heating networks.
Keywords: pipelines, heating networks, polyurethane foam insulation, reliability, durability, energy efficiency, operational remote control system