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A data-based comparison of methods for reducing the peak flow rate in a district heating system

Agner, Felix LU ; Trabert, Ulrich LU ; Rantzer, Anders LU orcid and Orozaliev, Janybek (2025) In Smart Energy 17.
Abstract
This work concerns reduction of the peak flow rate of a district heating grid,
a key system property which is bounded by pipe dimensions and pumping
capacity. The peak flow rate constrains the number of additional consumers
that can be connected, and may be a limiting factor in reducing supply
temperatures when transitioning to the 4th generation of district heating.
We evaluate a full year of operational data from a subset of customer meters
in a district heating system in Germany. We consider the peak flow rate
reduction that could be achieved with full a posteriori knowledge of this
data. Three strategies for reducing the peak flow rate are investigated: A
load shifting demand response strategy, an... (More)
This work concerns reduction of the peak flow rate of a district heating grid,
a key system property which is bounded by pipe dimensions and pumping
capacity. The peak flow rate constrains the number of additional consumers
that can be connected, and may be a limiting factor in reducing supply
temperatures when transitioning to the 4th generation of district heating.
We evaluate a full year of operational data from a subset of customer meters
in a district heating system in Germany. We consider the peak flow rate
reduction that could be achieved with full a posteriori knowledge of this
data. Three strategies for reducing the peak flow rate are investigated: A
load shifting demand response strategy, an upper limitation in substation
return temperatures, and an upper limitation on each substation’s volume
flow rate. We show that imposing up to to 18 % load flexibility for the
customers provides an equal reduction in the peak system flow rate under
the load shifting strategy. The limited return temperature strategy is less
efficient at curtailing the peak flow rate, but provides an overall reduction
of volume flow rates. Finally, the flow rate limitation method can introduce
new, higher flow rate peaks, reducing performance. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Smart Energy
volume
17
article number
100168
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85211022033
ISSN
2666-9552
DOI
10.1016/j.segy.2024.100168
project
Scalable Control of Interconnected Systems
Scalable Control for Increased Flexibility in District Heating Networks
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
3521de46-4a89-4663-a312-28570adb9c1e
alternative location
https://arxiv.org/abs/2403.16738
date added to LUP
2024-03-26 10:32:47
date last changed
2025-04-04 15:00:41
@article{3521de46-4a89-4663-a312-28570adb9c1e,
  abstract     = {{This work concerns reduction of the peak flow rate of a district heating grid,<br/>a key system property which is bounded by pipe dimensions and pumping<br/>capacity. The peak flow rate constrains the number of additional consumers<br/>that can be connected, and may be a limiting factor in reducing supply<br/>temperatures when transitioning to the 4th generation of district heating.<br/>We evaluate a full year of operational data from a subset of customer meters<br/>in a district heating system in Germany. We consider the peak flow rate<br/>reduction that could be achieved with full a posteriori knowledge of this<br/>data. Three strategies for reducing the peak flow rate are investigated: A<br/>load shifting demand response strategy, an upper limitation in substation<br/>return temperatures, and an upper limitation on each substation’s volume<br/>flow rate. We show that imposing up to to 18 % load flexibility for the<br/>customers provides an equal reduction in the peak system flow rate under<br/>the load shifting strategy. The limited return temperature strategy is less<br/>efficient at curtailing the peak flow rate, but provides an overall reduction<br/>of volume flow rates. Finally, the flow rate limitation method can introduce<br/>new, higher flow rate peaks, reducing performance.}},
  author       = {{Agner, Felix and Trabert, Ulrich and Rantzer, Anders and Orozaliev, Janybek}},
  issn         = {{2666-9552}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Smart Energy}},
  title        = {{A data-based comparison of methods for reducing the peak flow rate in a district heating system}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.segy.2024.100168}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.segy.2024.100168}},
  volume       = {{17}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}