Heat Consumer Model for Robust and Fast Simulations of District Heating Networks

Abstract

Dynamic thermo-hydraulic simulations of district heating networks are an essential tool to investigate concepts for their sustainable design and operation. The way the numerous heat consumers are modeled has crucial impact on the simulation performance. The proposed model for heat consumers is designed to require low computational effort by using a simplified modeling approach, avoiding state events and limiting its dynamics, while still reproducing their main characteristics. It is tested for a demonstration network, showing its ability to yield realistic results throughout the whole range of operational states including undersupply situations. The results show that the heat consumer model itself requires little time to simulate but still significantly influences the simulation time. Fast dynamics and including a bypass in the model increase the simulation time, so that users should sensibly choose how to use these options. Furthermore, heat consumer models triggering unnecessary state events result in the highest computational effort.