Abstract
The shift from fossil fuel to more renewable electricity generation will require the broader implementation of Demand Side Response (DSR) into the grid. Utility processes in industry are suited for this, having a large thermal time constant or buffer, and large electricity consumption. A widespread utility system in industry is an induced draft evaporative cooling tower. Considering the safety aspect, such a process needs to maintain cooling water temperature within predefined safe boundaries. Therefore, in this paper, two modelling methods for the prediction of the basin temperature of an induced draft evaporative cooling tower are proposed. Both a white box and a black box methodology are presented, based on the physical principles of fluid dynamics and adaptive neuro-fuzzy interference system (ANFIS) modelling, respectively. By analysing the accuracy of both models with a focus to cooling tower fan state changes, i.e., DSR purposes, it is shown that the white box model performs best. Fostering the idea of using such a system for DSR purposes, the concept of design for flexibility is also touched upon, discussing the thermal mass. Pre-cooling, where the temperature of the cooling water basin is lowered before a fan switch off period, was simulated with the white box model. It was shown that beneficial pre-cooling (to lower the temperature peak) is limited in time.
Highlights
The European Union’s long-term strategy calls for a decarbonised electricity generation and sets a target of 80% renewable electricity generation by 2050 [1]
Being able to shift electricity consumption in time can contribute to the amount of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) which can be integrated into the electrical grid [3], fostering the long-term goal of the Energies 2019, 12, 2544; doi:10.3390/en12132544
As in this work we focus on the water basin temperature only, we make some simplifying assumptions, which are listed below
Summary
The European Union’s long-term strategy calls for a decarbonised electricity generation and sets a target of 80% renewable electricity generation by 2050 [1]. The large majority of the electricity generation in Europe is based on fossil fuels. By means of these controllable and often flexible fossil fuel power plants, the electricity generation has always followed the electricity consumption, serving the demand–supply balance. In the light of Renewable Energy Sources (RES) integration into the electrical grid, the assumption of electricity generation following the demand is to be questioned. Being able to shift electricity consumption in time can contribute to the amount of RES which can be integrated into the electrical grid [3], fostering the long-term goal of the European Union
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