Method to investigate and plan the application of low temperature district heating to existing hydraulic radiator systems in existing buildings

Tunzi, Michele; �stergaard, Dorte Skaarup; Svendsen, Svend; Boukhanouf, Rabah; Cooper, Edward

Abstract

This study presents a method to adapt existing hydronic systems in buildings to take advantage of low temperature district heating (LTDH). Plate radiators connected to double string heating circuits were considered in an optimization procedure, based on supply and return temperatures, to obtain the required logarithmic mean temperature difference (LMTD) for a low temperature heating system. The results of the analysis are presented as the average reduction of LMTD over the heating season compared to the base case design conditions. Two scenarios were investigated based on the assumption of a likely cost reduction in the end users' energy bills of 1% for each 1 °C reduction of return and average supply and return temperatures. The results showed possible discounts of 14% and 16% respectively, due to more efficient operation of the radiators. These were achieved without any intervention in the thermal envelope or to the heating systems, through simply adjusting the temperatures according to demand and properly controlling the plate radiators with thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs).

Citation

Tunzi, M., Østergaard, D. S., Svendsen, S., Boukhanouf, R., & Cooper, E. (2016). Method to investigate and plan the application of low temperature district heating to existing hydraulic radiator systems in existing buildings. Energy, 113, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2016.07.033

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Jul 6, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Jul 21, 2016
• Publication Date: Oct 15, 2016
• Deposit Date: Jul 26, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Jul 26, 2016
• Journal: Energy
• Print ISSN: 0360-5442
• Electronic ISSN: 1873-6785
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 113
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2016.07.033
• Keywords: Low temperature district heating; Hydraulic radiators; Modelling; Temperature optimization
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/823450
• Publisher URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544216309574
• Contract Date: Jul 26, 2016