District heating heating system with excess feed
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing district heating systems face inefficiencies when integrating additional heat sources, as they compete with primary district heating, leading to reduced energy output and increased return temperatures, which negatively affect economic efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A district heating system with an excess feeder that hydraulically integrates additional thermal energy into the secondary side, prioritizing heat storage and distribution, using a controller to manage temperature and energy flow, thereby maintaining a significant temperature gradient and reducing unnecessary energy return.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If additional heat sources are integrated into the secondary side of a district heating system, then the building's thermal energy supply is enhanced, but the secondary-side return temperature increases leading to reduced primary-side energy output and negative impact on district heating network efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the thermal energy distribution by introducing a surplus feeder that operates independently from the main district heating circuit. The surplus feeder divides the secondary side into two independent hydraulic circuits: one receiving heat from the district heating transfer station and another receiving heat from the surplus feeder. This segmentation prevents the additional heat sources from interfering with the primary-side return temperature while still providing enhanced thermal energy supply to the building.
Solution Approach 2:
The surplus feeder acts as an intermediary component that mediates between the additional heat sources and the building's thermal energy needs. It provides a separate hydraulic connection to the secondary side, allowing additional thermal energy to be supplied without directly affecting the main district heating circuit's return temperature. The controller serves as another intermediary, coordinating between the district heating transfer station and the surplus feeder to optimize energy distribution.
2Quantity of substance
If additional thermal energy is supplied to the secondary side, then the building's heat supply is improved, but the temperature difference between primary flow and primary return is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The hydraulic segmentation isolates the surplus feeder's thermal energy injection from the primary circuit's temperature profile. By providing a separate connection to the secondary side, the surplus feeder's thermal energy does not mix with the primary return flow, thereby preserving the temperature difference between primary flow and return that is essential for district heating efficiency.
3Productivity
If a controller manages the surplus feeder and district heating transfer station, then the thermal energy distribution is optimized, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The controller is designed with multi-functionality, serving both the district heating transfer station and the surplus feeder from a single control unit. It manages multiple functions including regulating the surplus feeder's thermal energy supply, coordinating with the district heating transfer station, and optimizing the overall thermal energy distribution. This universal approach reduces control complexity compared to having separate control systems for each component.
Solution Approach 2:
The controller implements feedback mechanisms by monitoring the thermal energy supply from both the district heating transfer station and the surplus feeder, as well as the building's heat demand. This feedback enables the controller to dynamically adjust the surplus feeder's operation and coordinate with the district heating transfer station to optimize thermal energy distribution efficiency while managing system complexity through intelligent control algorithms.
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 enhances the economic efficiency of district heating by allowing flexible and precise control of thermal energy distribution, reducing unnecessary costs, and maintaining a substantial temperature difference between flow and return, thus optimizing energy balance.
Implementation Method 1
The primary and secondary sides are coupled in a transfer station for heat transfer, for example, via a heat exchanger
Implementation Method 2
The surplus feeder comprises a hydraulic connection to the secondary side and is adapted to provide additional thermal energy to at least one heat-dissipating unit on the secondary side
Data Source
Figure 1
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AI summary
District heating system for a building, comprising a secondary side, wherein the secondary side is adapted to receive district heating from a supplier-side primary side at a district heating transfer station on the building side, an excess feeder, wherein the excess feeder is adapted to provide additional thermal energy to at least one heat-dissipating unit of the secondary side, wherein the additional thermal energy has an origin different from the district heating, characterized in that the excess feeder is adapted to provide the additional thermal energy by means of a hydraulic integration into the secondary side.