CASE41 · District heating · Supply temperature and pumping
Balancing district-heating supply temperature, network losses and pumping energy
Supply- and demand-side heat, temperature and flow data identify temperature margins and network-loss patterns. The proposed operating strategy preserves terminal service while adjusting temperature and pump dispatch to demand.
01 · CASE ANALYSIS
Supply-demand challenge
Supply temperature exceeded average demand-side temperature while seasonal and hourly load varied. Higher supply temperature was associated with higher distribution losses.
Temperature reduction had to maintain minimum terminal conditions; pump energy also needed to be assessed against flow, differential pressure and heat demand.
02 · CASE ANALYSIS
Data and diagnostic indicators
Align supply and customer heat quantities, flow, supply/return temperatures and pump power. Check the consistency of aggregated customer demand and supply meters before interpreting loss.
The source heat-loss ratio is (supply heat − demand-side heat) / supply heat × 100. Temperature margins are diagnostic observations, not an instruction to reduce all supply setpoints by the same amount.
| Indicator | Supply side | Demand side / interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Average supply temperature | 101°C | 86°C; approximately 15°C margin |
| Average supply-return difference | 64°C | 52°C |
| Average network losses | Supply piping 15.3% | Return piping 1.7% |
| Pump electricity | 1,305,310 kWh/year | Seasonal load dependence |
03 · CASE ANALYSIS
Proposed operating changes
Develop seasonal/hourly supply-temperature reset within the required customer service range. Evaluate pump staging and operating points using thermal demand, flow and differential pressure.
Separate physical distribution loss, meter inconsistencies and unmetered sections before attributing differences to waste.
04 · CASE ANALYSIS
Regional target quantities
The source targeted heat reduction of 1,565 Gcal/year, approximately 1.4% of 111,339 Gcal/year demand-side heat. Pump-electricity reduction was targeted at 16,617 kWh/year, approximately 1.3% of 1,305,310 kWh/year.
National extrapolations of approximately 462,247 Gcal/year and 5,032,195 kWh/year are simple reference estimates from the sample region. They are not realized national savings.
| Energy boundary | Reference quantity | Target reduction |
|---|---|---|
| Demand-side heat | 111,339 Gcal/year | 1,565 Gcal/year; approximately 1.4% |
| Supply-pump electricity | 1,305,310 kWh/year | 16,617 kWh/year; approximately 1.3% |
05 · CASE ANALYSIS
M&V requirements
Adjust the baseline for outdoor temperature, customer/hourly heat demand, flow, terminal temperature and operating conditions. Evaluate heat and electricity separately after temperature and pump changes.
A useful optimum minimizes supply-system losses while meeting actual customer demand.
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