Abstract
Biomass heating networks provide renewable heat using low carbon energy sources. They can be powerful tools for economy decarbonization. Heating networks can increase heating efficiency in districts and small size municipalities, using more efficient thermal generation technologies, with higher efficiencies and with more efficient emissions abatement technologies. This paper analyzes the application of a biomass fourth generation district heating, 4GDH (4th Generation Biomass District Heating), in a rural municipality. The heating network is designed to supply 77 residential buildings and eight public buildings, to replace the current individual diesel boilers and electrical heating systems. The development of the new fourth district heating generation implies the challenge of combining using low or very low temperatures in the distribution network pipes and delivery temperatures in existing facilities buildings. In this work biomass district heating designs based on third and fourth generation district heating network criteria are evaluated in terms of design conditions, operating ranges, effect of variable temperature operation, energy efficiency and investment and operating costs. The Internal Rate of Return of the different options ranges from 6.55% for a design based on the third generation network to 7.46% for a design based on the fourth generation network, with a 25 years investment horizon. The results and analyses of this work show the interest and challenges for the next low temperature DH generation for the rural area under analysis.
Highlights
Global warming is a major concern and urgent measures are required in a short time with the development of low carbon economy technologies [1]
In this work biomass district heating designs based on third and fourth generation district heating network criteria are evaluated in terms of design conditions, operating ranges, effect of variable temperature operation, energy efficiency and investment and operating costs
Are presented the main results obtained of applying the methodology previously exposed, in order to design, size and evaluate the performance of two district networks under different technological design criteria that belong to different District heating (DH) generations, so that afterwards, a comparative analysis between the results obtained for each one can be performed
Summary
Global warming is a major concern and urgent measures are required in a short time with the development of low carbon economy technologies [1]. Building sector consumes 20% of the total energy in the world, with an expected increase ratio of 1.4% per year in the period between 2012 and 2040 [3]. Of all new power generation plants installed worldwide in 2015, a 61% were based on renewable energies and an increase of this ratio is expected in the coming years [2]. District heating (DH) systems are considered as one of the most effective tools for an efficient and sustainable thermal energy distribution [4]. DH systems are centralized generation facilities, where thermal energy is distributed through a pipe network, which connects the thermal generation facility with the different consumption nodes at the buildings integrated in the system [5]. Thermal generation is centralized, and efficient and less contaminant heat generation equipment can be used, taking advantage of scaling up in the incorporation of combustion and emissions abatement technologies
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