IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/energy/v227y2021ics0360544221004990.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

What does a well-functioning heating system look like? Investigation of ten Danish buildings that utilize district heating efficiently

Author

Listed:
  • Østergaard, Dorte Skaarup
  • Tunzi, Michele
  • Svendsen, Svend

Abstract

In order to reach targeted 4th generation district heating temperatures around 55 °C supply and 25 °C return, it is necessary to ensure that heating installations inside buildings are designed and operated properly. In this study we investigated the best-case of current design and operation of building installations with the aim of identifying whether there is a gap between current best-case examples and future temperature targets. The study included 7 single-family dwellings and 3 apartment buildings, that were selected based on their low district heating return temperature. Data from the building substations showed that single-family dwellings obtained return temperatures in the range from 25 to 30 °C while the apartment buildings had return temperatures in the range of 30–40 °C. This indicates that there is a gap between the best functioning heating installations in apartment buildings today, and the targeted district heating return temperatures of 25–30 °C in future 4th generation district heating networks. District heating return temperatures in the range of 30–40 °C could however be the initial ambition for the existing buildings all around Europe that are expected to be connected to new district heating systems in the near future.

Suggested Citation

  • Østergaard, Dorte Skaarup & Tunzi, Michele & Svendsen, Svend, 2021. "What does a well-functioning heating system look like? Investigation of ten Danish buildings that utilize district heating efficiently," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 227(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:227:y:2021:i:c:s0360544221004990
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2021.120250
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544221004990
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.energy.2021.120250?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Huang, Tao & Yang, Xiaochen & Svendsen, Svend, 2020. "Multi-mode control method for the existing domestic hot water storage tanks with district heating supply," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 191(C).
    2. Nagy, Zoltán & Rossi, Dino & Hersberger, Christian & Irigoyen, Silvia Domingo & Miller, Clayton & Schlueter, Arno, 2014. "Balancing envelope and heating system parameters for zero emissions retrofit using building sensor data," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 56-66.
    3. Lund, Henrik & Østergaard, Poul Alberg & Chang, Miguel & Werner, Sven & Svendsen, Svend & Sorknæs, Peter & Thorsen, Jan Eric & Hvelplund, Frede & Mortensen, Bent Ole Gram & Mathiesen, Brian Vad & Boje, 2018. "The status of 4th generation district heating: Research and results," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 147-159.
    4. Theofanis Benakopoulos & Robbe Salenbien & Dirk Vanhoudt & Svend Svendsen, 2019. "Improved Control of Radiator Heating Systems with Thermostatic Radiator Valves without Pre-Setting Function," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-24, August.
    5. Jangsten, M. & Kensby, J. & Dalenbäck, J.-O. & Trüschel, A., 2017. "Survey of radiator temperatures in buildings supplied by district heating," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 292-301.
    6. Francesco Neirotti & Michel Noussan & Stefano Riverso & Giorgio Manganini, 2019. "Analysis of Different Strategies for Lowering the Operation Temperature in Existing District Heating Networks," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-17, January.
    7. Gadd, Henrik & Werner, Sven, 2014. "Achieving low return temperatures from district heating substations," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 136(C), pages 59-67.
    8. Tunzi, Michele & Østergaard, Dorte Skaarup & Svendsen, Svend & Boukhanouf, Rabah & Cooper, Edward, 2016. "Method to investigate and plan the application of low temperature district heating to existing hydraulic radiator systems in existing buildings," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 113(C), pages 413-421.
    9. Benakopoulos, Theofanis & Tunzi, Michele & Salenbien, Robbe & Vanhoudt, Dirk & Svendsen, Svend, 2021. "Low return temperature from domestic hot-water system based on instantaneous heat exchanger with chemical-based disinfection solution," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 215(PB).
    10. Connolly, D. & Lund, H. & Mathiesen, B.V. & Werner, S. & Möller, B. & Persson, U. & Boermans, T. & Trier, D. & Østergaard, P.A. & Nielsen, S., 2014. "Heat Roadmap Europe: Combining district heating with heat savings to decarbonise the EU energy system," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 475-489.
    11. Tina Lidberg & Thomas Olofsson & Louise Ödlund, 2019. "Impact of Domestic Hot Water Systems on District Heating Temperatures," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-14, December.
    12. Gadd, Henrik & Werner, Sven, 2013. "Heat load patterns in district heating substations," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 176-183.
    13. Lund, Henrik & Werner, Sven & Wiltshire, Robin & Svendsen, Svend & Thorsen, Jan Eric & Hvelplund, Frede & Mathiesen, Brian Vad, 2014. "4th Generation District Heating (4GDH)," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 1-11.
    14. Månsson, Sara & Johansson Kallioniemi, Per-Olof & Thern, Marcus & Van Oevelen, Tijs & Sernhed, Kerstin, 2019. "Faults in district heating customer installations and ways to approach them: Experiences from Swedish utilities," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 163-174.
    15. Brand, Marek & Rosa, Alessandro Dalla & Svendsen, Svend, 2014. "Energy-efficient and cost-effective in-house substations bypass for improving thermal and DHW (domestic hot water) comfort in bathrooms in low-energy buildings supplied by low-temperature district hea," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 256-267.
    16. Østergaard, Dorte Skaarup & Svendsen, Svend, 2018. "Experience from a practical test of low-temperature district heating for space heating in five Danish single-family houses from the 1930s," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 569-578.
    17. Best, Isabelle & Braas, Hagen & Orozaliev, Janybek & Jordan, Ulrike & Vajen, Klaus, 2020. "Systematic investigation of building energy efficiency standard and hot water preparation systems’ influence on the heat load profile of districts," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Benakopoulos, Theofanis & Tunzi, Michele & Salenbien, Robbe & Hansen, Kasper Klan & Svendsen, Svend, 2022. "Implementation of a strategy for low-temperature operation of radiator systems using data from existing digital heat cost allocators," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 251(C).
    2. Liu, Zhikai & Zhang, Huang & Wang, Yaran & Fan, Xianwang & You, Shijun & Li, Ang, 2023. "Data-driven predictive model for feedback control of supply temperature in buildings with radiator heating system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 280(C).
    3. Ozoliņa, Signe Allena & Pakere, Ieva & Jaunzems, Dzintars & Blumberga, Andra & Grāvelsiņš, Armands & Dubrovskis, Dagnis & Daģis, Salvis, 2022. "Can energy sector reach carbon neutrality with biomass limitations?," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 249(C).
    4. Benakopoulos, Theofanis & Tunzi, Michele & Salenbien, Robbe & Svendsen, Svend, 2021. "Strategy for low-temperature operation of radiator systems using data from existing digital heat cost allocators," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 231(C).
    5. Madurai Elavarasan, Rajvikram & Pugazhendhi, Rishi & Irfan, Muhammad & Mihet-Popa, Lucian & Khan, Irfan Ahmad & Campana, Pietro Elia, 2022. "State-of-the-art sustainable approaches for deeper decarbonization in Europe – An endowment to climate neutral vision," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 159(C).
    6. Tunzi, Michele & Benakopoulos, Theofanis & Yang, Qinjiang & Svendsen, Svend, 2023. "Demand side digitalisation: A methodology using heat cost allocators and energy meters to secure low-temperature operations in existing buildings connected to district heating networks," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 264(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Østergaard, Dorte Skaarup & Smith, Kevin Michael & Tunzi, Michele & Svendsen, Svend, 2022. "Low-temperature operation of heating systems to enable 4th generation district heating: A review," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 248(C).
    2. Theofanis Benakopoulos & William Vergo & Michele Tunzi & Robbe Salenbien & Svend Svendsen, 2021. "Overview of Solutions for the Low-Temperature Operation of Domestic Hot-Water Systems with a Circulation Loop," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-25, June.
    3. Antoine Reguis & Behrang Vand & John Currie, 2021. "Challenges for the Transition to Low-Temperature Heat in the UK: A Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-26, November.
    4. Benakopoulos, Theofanis & Tunzi, Michele & Salenbien, Robbe & Svendsen, Svend, 2021. "Strategy for low-temperature operation of radiator systems using data from existing digital heat cost allocators," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 231(C).
    5. Sarran, Lucile & Smith, Kevin M. & Hviid, Christian A. & Rode, Carsten, 2022. "Grey-box modelling and virtual sensors enabling continuous commissioning of hydronic floor heating," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 261(PB).
    6. Benakopoulos, Theofanis & Tunzi, Michele & Salenbien, Robbe & Hansen, Kasper Klan & Svendsen, Svend, 2022. "Implementation of a strategy for low-temperature operation of radiator systems using data from existing digital heat cost allocators," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 251(C).
    7. Averfalk, Helge & Werner, Sven, 2018. "Novel low temperature heat distribution technology," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 145(C), pages 526-539.
    8. Tunzi, Michele & Benakopoulos, Theofanis & Yang, Qinjiang & Svendsen, Svend, 2023. "Demand side digitalisation: A methodology using heat cost allocators and energy meters to secure low-temperature operations in existing buildings connected to district heating networks," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 264(C).
    9. Østergaard, Dorte Skaarup & Svendsen, Svend, 2018. "Experience from a practical test of low-temperature district heating for space heating in five Danish single-family houses from the 1930s," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 569-578.
    10. Theofanis Benakopoulos & Robbe Salenbien & Dirk Vanhoudt & Svend Svendsen, 2019. "Improved Control of Radiator Heating Systems with Thermostatic Radiator Valves without Pre-Setting Function," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-24, August.
    11. Averfalk, Helge & Werner, Sven, 2020. "Economic benefits of fourth generation district heating," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    12. Calikus, Ece & Nowaczyk, Sławomir & Sant'Anna, Anita & Gadd, Henrik & Werner, Sven, 2019. "A data-driven approach for discovering heat load patterns in district heating," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 252(C), pages 1-1.
    13. Li, Haoran & Hou, Juan & Hong, Tianzhen & Nord, Natasa, 2022. "Distinguish between the economic optimal and lowest distribution temperatures for heat-prosumer-based district heating systems with short-term thermal energy storage," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 248(C).
    14. Michael-Allan Millar & Bruce Elrick & Greg Jones & Zhibin Yu & Neil M. Burnside, 2020. "Roadblocks to Low Temperature District Heating," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(22), pages 1-21, November.
    15. Danica Djurić Ilić, 2020. "Classification of Measures for Dealing with District Heating Load Variations—A Systematic Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-27, December.
    16. Guelpa, E. & Capone, M. & Sciacovelli, A. & Vasset, N. & Baviere, R. & Verda, V., 2023. "Reduction of supply temperature in existing district heating: A review of strategies and implementations," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 262(PB).
    17. Østergaard, Dorte Skaarup & Svendsen, Svend, 2016. "Replacing critical radiators to increase the potential to use low-temperature district heating – A case study of 4 Danish single-family houses from the 1930s," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 75-84.
    18. Tahiri, Abdelkarim & Smith, Kevin Michael & Thorsen, Jan Eric & Hviid, Christian Anker & Svendsen, Svend, 2023. "Staged control of domestic hot water storage tanks to support district heating efficiency," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 263(PB).
    19. Brange, Lisa & Lauenburg, Patrick & Sernhed, Kerstin & Thern, Marcus, 2017. "Bottlenecks in district heating networks and how to eliminate them – A simulation and cost study," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 607-616.
    20. Benakopoulos, Theofanis & Vergo, William & Tunzi, Michele & Salenbien, Robbe & Kolarik, Jakub & Svendsen, Svend, 2022. "Energy and cost savings with continuous low temperature heating versus intermittent heating of an office building with district heating," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 252(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:227:y:2021:i:c:s0360544221004990. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.