Framework for the Automated Identification of Possible District Heating Separations to Utilise Present Heat Sources Based on Existing Network Topology

Jan Stock (), André Xhonneux and Dirk Müller
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Jan Stock: Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Energy and Climate Research, Energy Systems Engineering (IEK-10), 52425 Jülich, Germany
André Xhonneux: Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Energy and Climate Research, Energy Systems Engineering (IEK-10), 52425 Jülich, Germany
Dirk Müller: Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Institute of Energy and Climate Research, Energy Systems Engineering (IEK-10), 52425 Jülich, Germany

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 21, 1-31

Abstract: 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.

Keywords: district heating; heat utilisation; network; community detection; separation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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