Controlling of a district thermal energy distribution system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing building heating and cooling systems rely on primary high-grade energy sources like electricity and fossil fuels, leading to inefficient conversion of energy into low-grade waste heat that is released into the environment, necessitating improvements in thermal energy distribution within cities.
Innovation Solution
A district thermal energy distribution system that includes a control server managing a network of heat pumps and cooling machines, allowing for localized balancing of heat and cold demands by adjusting the operation of connected devices to compensate for energy demands, thereby optimizing energy use and reducing the need for separate heating and cooling grids.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If manual control of heat supply is used, then operational flexibility is maintained, but energy efficiency deteriorates due to inability to adapt to varying heat demands
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs feedback mechanisms where heat demand data from multiple sources (weather forecasts, consumption data, building management systems) is continuously collected and fed back to the optimization unit. This feedback loop enables automatic adjustment of heat supply parameters to match actual demand, improving energy efficiency without requiring complex manual intervention
Solution Approach 2:
The control system performs self-optimization by automatically processing heat demand data and generating control commands without external intervention. The optimization unit autonomously calculates optimal operating parameters based on received data and system characteristics, reducing the need for complex manual control while maintaining high energy efficiency
2Productivity
If automatic optimization control is implemented, then energy efficiency improves through adaptive heat supply, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The optimization unit serves multiple functions: it processes weather forecast data, analyzes consumption data, integrates information from building management systems, and generates control commands. This multi-functionality consolidates what would otherwise require separate specialized systems into a single unit, improving heat supply efficiency without proportionally increasing overall system complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The control system acts as an intermediary layer between various data sources (weather services, building management systems) and the heat supply equipment. This intermediary processes and coordinates information from multiple sources, enabling efficient heat supply adaptation without requiring direct complex connections between all system components
3Reliability
If heat supply is increased to meet peak demand, then reliability improves, but energy waste increases during low demand periods
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically adjusts heat supply parameters based on real-time and forecasted heat demand. Rather than maintaining fixed high-capacity operation for reliability, the optimization unit continuously modifies operating parameters to match actual demand levels, ensuring reliable heat supply when needed while minimizing energy waste during low-demand periods
Solution Approach 2:
The control system changes operational parameters (flow rates, temperatures, pump speeds) based on optimized heat demand calculations. By dynamically adjusting these parameters rather than maintaining constant high-level operation, the system maintains heat supply reliability while significantly reducing energy waste during periods of lower demand
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for controlling one or more heat pumps (110) connected to a distribution grid (10) for fluid-based distribution of heating and cooling in order to, at least partly, compensate for a cold outtake from the distribution grid (10) by a first cooling machine (120) connected to the distribution grid (10). Alternatively, or in combination, one or more cooling machines (120) connected to the distribution grid (10) may be controlled in order to, at least partly, compensate for a heat outtake from the distribution grid (10) by a first heat pump (120) connected to the distribution grid (10). The controlling is made a control server (200) monitoring outtake of heat and/or cold from the distribution grid (10) by the heat pumps (110) and cooling machines (120) connected to the distribution grid (10). The control server (120) generates and sends out control messages to the heat pumps and/or cooling machines.