District heating center
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing district heating systems face challenges in space allocation, especially when transitioning from electric heating to district heating, as they require a dedicated space within buildings, which can lead to increased construction costs and energy inefficiencies due to heat losses and freezing issues during winter breaks.
Innovation Solution
The district heating center is designed with a machine unit and energy accumulator located in protective modules outside the building, thermally insulated with polyurethane foam, allowing for underground placement and reducing heat losses, and incorporating an energy accumulator to manage peak energy demands, enabling flexible energy storage and distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the heat distribution center is placed inside the building, then the heating system can be implemented, but valuable heated building area is consumed and construction costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The machine unit is extracted from the building interior and placed in a protective module located outside the building. This extraction eliminates the need for indoor space allocation while maintaining the heating function, directly resolving the contradiction between construction cost and heated building area consumption.
2Area of stationary object
If the machine unit is placed outside the building, then indoor space is preserved, but heat losses from pipes and freezing risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The protective module is pre-insulated with an insulator layer before the machine unit is installed. This beforehand cushioning with insulation prevents heat losses and freezing risks that would otherwise occur when placing the machine unit outside the building, thus resolving the contradiction between preserving indoor space and minimizing energy loss.
3Device complexity
If conventional heat distribution methods are used, then the system is simple to implement, but building expenses increase due to heat losses and freezing risks
Solution Approach 1:
The insulator layer is integrated into the protective module design before installation, providing beforehand cushioning against heat losses and freezing. This approach maintains relative system simplicity while significantly reducing energy losses, resolving the contradiction between device complexity and energy loss.
4Loss of energy
If the protective module is well-insulated, then heat losses are reduced, but manufacturing complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The insulator layer is applied as a thin film or coating on the protective module rather than using thick rigid insulation. This flexible shell approach provides effective thermal insulation while maintaining manufacturing simplicity and cost-effectiveness, resolving the contradiction between reducing heat losses and maintaining ease of manufacture.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution eliminates the need for dedicated indoor space, reduces construction costs, minimizes heat losses, prevents freezing, and enhances energy efficiency by storing and distributing heat more effectively, thereby optimizing energy usage and flexibility in district heating networks.
Implementation Method 1
which is/are made of plastic, metal or composite insulated by an insulator layer on its/their outer or inner surface
Implementation Method 2
insulator layer is a polyurethane foam layer injected or molded onto the outer or inner surface of the bottom and side wall of the protective module
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a district heating center, which comprises at least a machine unit (2; 22) and a district heating medium circuit (4) connected to it from a district heating plant, and at least one heating medium circuit (5) connected from it to the building being heated. In the district heating center according to the invention at least the machine unit (2; 22) is placed outside the building being heated (LR), in at least one, at least partly underground protective module (1; 20, 21).