Methods for optimized design and management of CHP systems for district heating networks (DHN)

The paper analyzes some of the problems connected with the design, construction and management of cogeneration plants for district heating networks (CHP-DHN). Although the advantages of cogeneration systems compared with conventional ones for separate energy production, one of the unresolved problems is that of the variability of operating conditions, can often render the application of these solutions ineffective. In particular, the aim of this study is to propose a multi-objective optimization methodology that tries to take into account both energy and economic aspects. After an analysis of the current scenario, the application and use of CHP plants in the international context and the main technological features, followed by the identification of incentive systems that have allowed or limited the spread, attempts are made to define a design methodology based on a multi-level optimum design based approach for increasing the operation share of CHP. The methodology starts from a general system vision, up to detailed aspects such as the management of a CHP-DHN system, taking into account the multiplicity of variables and constraints involved. This methodology has been applied to two case studies representative of the different applications, to verify its robustness and analyze the possible results obtainable. In particular, a general case was taken into consideration, in which a first level design was performed by analyzing various possible system configurations and evaluating their goodness through the tools provided by the aforementioned multi-objective methodology. Then the methodology has been applied to an intermediate level, taking into consideration an existing CHP-DHN plant and going to evaluate the performance considering possible modification of the operation. The results obtained confirm that a combined energetic and economic approach to design allows to obtain an economically feasible system, but at the same time avoids incurring over-sizing, under-sizing or functioning phenomena far from the concept of energy efficiency, difference of what happens for many plants today in operation. Furthermore, through a simple variation of the modularity of the plant, significant benefits can be obtained.