Abstract
This paper presents a modeling and simulation method that supports energy performance assessment and operation strategy investigation of borehole thermal energy storage in the Chifeng district heating (DH) system. A living laboratory in Chifeng, China that integrates a 0.5 million m3 borehole thermal energy storage system, an on-site solar thermal plant and excess heat from a copper plant is presented. The research adopts Modelica models from open source libraries to evaluate the system. The validity of the borehole thermal energy storage model is evaluated through an inter-model comparison study and an empirical validation test. We used the validated model to investigate three operation strategies. We conclude that the time-scheduled combined operation strategy is more beneficial for the studied system regarding CO2 emission reduction.
Highlights
The validity of the borehole thermal energy storage model was evaluated through an inter-model comparison study and an empirical validation test
The differences for the borefield cases are slightly larger but still less than 13% for the injected/extracted heat and less than 4 °C for the average hourly outlet water temperature
The result of the empirical validation test further enhances the credibility of the borehole thermal energy storage (BTES) model
Summary
The district heating system of Chifeng city in Inner Mongolia Province, China is experiencing a transition from coal-fired boilers to sustainable and renewable heat sources. A seasonal energy imbalance between heating supply and heating demand is common in district heating systems with sustainable and renewable heat sources. The Chinese government has developed a national heating reform to improve building energy efficiency. As part of an effective approach to improving total energy efficiency, development of district heating systems has grown exponentially since 2005 [1]. As a result of urbanization, the demand for district heating in Chifeng City has increased by two to three million m2 heated area every year. Alignment with the national objectives, the local authority of Chifeng City planned to introduce more renewable energy sources in the district heating system. The amount of the excess heat is significant, the increased needs at both the demand side and the supply side promote the exploration of utilizing industrial waste heat to its fully extend
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