Abstract
This paper presents possible variants of reducing the heat loss in an existing heating network made from single pre-insulated pipes located in central Europe. In order to achieve this aim, simulations were carried out for five different variants related to the modification of the network operation temperature, replacement of a single network with a double pre-insulated one, and changes in the cross-section geometry of the thermal insulation of the double heating network from circular to egg-shaped. The proposed egg-shaped thermal insulation was obtained by modifying the shape of the Cassini oval, in that the supply pipe has a greater insulation thickness compared to the return pipe. The larger insulation field in the supply pipe contributed to reducing the heat flux density around the supply line and, as a result, to significantly reducing heat loss. The egg-shaped thermal insulation described in the publication in a mathematical formula can be used in practice. This work compares the heat losses for the presented variants and determines the ecological effect. Heat losses were determined using the boundary element method (BEM), using a proprietary computer program written as part of the VIPSKILLS 2016-1-PL01-KA203-026152 project Erasmus+.
Highlights
Pre-insulated heating networks are widely used to transport heat from central energy sources to local consumers
Guelpa at al. [1] showed that the construction of a network in urban areas causes a significant reduction of carbon dioxide emissions to the air, while Ravina et al [2] pointed out that district heating networks could contribute to the reduction of emissions of nitrogen oxides and suspended particulates in the Italian city of Turin
The unit heat losses using the boundary element method were calculated first, followed by the energy resulting from heat losses for the exemplary existing heating network, and the reduction of pollutant emissions for the adopted variants were determined
Summary
Pre-insulated heating networks are widely used to transport heat from central energy sources to local consumers. Analyses of heat supply to customers by district heating networks indicate a significant reduction in pollution emitted to the atmosphere in cities. [1] showed that the construction of a network in urban areas causes a significant reduction of carbon dioxide emissions to the air, while Ravina et al [2] pointed out that district heating networks could contribute to the reduction of emissions of nitrogen oxides and suspended particulates in the Italian city of Turin. The ecological effect may be raised by the cooperation of district heating networks pre-insulated especially by low-temperature heating networks with renewable heat sources [3,4]. The energy-saving operation of pre-insulated networks depends primarily on minimizing heat losses [9]. A reduction of heat losses can be obtained by Energies 2019, 12, 2104; doi:10.3390/en12112104 www.mdpi.com/journal/energies
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