Framework for the Automated Identification of Possible District Heating Separations to Utilise Present Heat Sources Based on Existing Network Topology
The ambitious climate targets of the European Union emphasise the necessity to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the building sector. Therefore, various sustainable heat sources should be used in existing district heating systems to cover the heat demands of buildings. However, integrating on-site...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/21/8290 |
| _version_ | 1827646633886613504 |
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| author | Jan Stock André Xhonneux Dirk Müller |
| author_facet | Jan Stock André Xhonneux Dirk Müller |
| author_sort | Jan Stock |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The ambitious climate targets of the European Union emphasise the necessity to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the building sector. Therefore, various sustainable heat sources should be used in existing district heating systems to cover the heat demands of buildings. However, integrating on-site heat sources into large existing district heating networks could be challenging due to temperature or capacity limitations since such large district heating systems are often supplied by large fossil-based heating plants. Most sustainable heat sources that should be utilised in district heating systems differ in their geographical locations or have limited heat capacities and, therefore, cannot easily replace conventional heating plants. The resulting difficulty of integrating limited heat sources into large district heating networks could be tackled by separating the existing network structure into two independent heat distribution networks. In this study, we present a developed framework that automatically recommends which network parts of an existing district heating system could be hydraulically separated in order to utilise a present heat source that is not yet in use. In this way, a second, standalone district heating system, supplied by the utilised heat source, could be established. The framework applies a community detection algorithm to the existing district heating network to first identify communities in the structure. Neighbouring communities are aggregated to larger network areas, taking into account that these areas could be supplied with the available amount of heat. These network areas are classified as possible areas for separation if the shortest connection path to the utilised heat source is within a certain distance. Subsequently, the found possibilities for network separation are simulated to test a feasible district heating operation and to evaluate the environmental and economic impacts. The presented framework is tested with a meshed and a spanning-tree network structure. Overall, the developed framework presents an approach to utilise present heat sources in separated network structures by automatically identifying, testing and evaluating possible network separations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:06:18Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-47148f56b200461a8005d3dae9625209 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T19:06:18Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-47148f56b200461a8005d3dae96252092023-11-24T04:34:49ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732022-11-011521829010.3390/en15218290Framework for the Automated Identification of Possible District Heating Separations to Utilise Present Heat Sources Based on Existing Network TopologyJan Stock0André Xhonneux1Dirk Müller2Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Energy and Climate Research, Energy Systems Engineering (IEK-10), 52425 Jülich, GermanyForschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Energy and Climate Research, Energy Systems Engineering (IEK-10), 52425 Jülich, GermanyForschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Energy and Climate Research, Energy Systems Engineering (IEK-10), 52425 Jülich, GermanyThe ambitious climate targets of the European Union emphasise the necessity to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the building sector. Therefore, various sustainable heat sources should be used in existing district heating systems to cover the heat demands of buildings. However, integrating on-site heat sources into large existing district heating networks could be challenging due to temperature or capacity limitations since such large district heating systems are often supplied by large fossil-based heating plants. Most sustainable heat sources that should be utilised in district heating systems differ in their geographical locations or have limited heat capacities and, therefore, cannot easily replace conventional heating plants. The resulting difficulty of integrating limited heat sources into large district heating networks could be tackled by separating the existing network structure into two independent heat distribution networks. In this study, we present a developed framework that automatically recommends which network parts of an existing district heating system could be hydraulically separated in order to utilise a present heat source that is not yet in use. In this way, a second, standalone district heating system, supplied by the utilised heat source, could be established. The framework applies a community detection algorithm to the existing district heating network to first identify communities in the structure. Neighbouring communities are aggregated to larger network areas, taking into account that these areas could be supplied with the available amount of heat. These network areas are classified as possible areas for separation if the shortest connection path to the utilised heat source is within a certain distance. Subsequently, the found possibilities for network separation are simulated to test a feasible district heating operation and to evaluate the environmental and economic impacts. The presented framework is tested with a meshed and a spanning-tree network structure. Overall, the developed framework presents an approach to utilise present heat sources in separated network structures by automatically identifying, testing and evaluating possible network separations.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/21/8290district heatingheat utilisationnetworkcommunity detectionseparation |
| spellingShingle | Jan Stock André Xhonneux Dirk Müller Framework for the Automated Identification of Possible District Heating Separations to Utilise Present Heat Sources Based on Existing Network Topology Energies district heating heat utilisation network community detection separation |
| title | Framework for the Automated Identification of Possible District Heating Separations to Utilise Present Heat Sources Based on Existing Network Topology |
| title_full | Framework for the Automated Identification of Possible District Heating Separations to Utilise Present Heat Sources Based on Existing Network Topology |
| title_fullStr | Framework for the Automated Identification of Possible District Heating Separations to Utilise Present Heat Sources Based on Existing Network Topology |
| title_full_unstemmed | Framework for the Automated Identification of Possible District Heating Separations to Utilise Present Heat Sources Based on Existing Network Topology |
| title_short | Framework for the Automated Identification of Possible District Heating Separations to Utilise Present Heat Sources Based on Existing Network Topology |
| title_sort | framework for the automated identification of possible district heating separations to utilise present heat sources based on existing network topology |
| topic | district heating heat utilisation network community detection separation |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/21/8290 |
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