Characteristics and Challenges in Prosumer-Dominated Thermal Networks

Abstract Prosumer-dominated thermal networks interconnect distributed prosumers. These networks form the infrastructure that allows to execute the trading of thermal energy as desired in the context of local energy markets. However, the significantly different behavior of such networks compared to conventional district heating and cooling networks has not yet been comprehensively investigated. This paper provides a compilation of instrinsic characteristics of prosumer-dominated thermal networks and discusses challenges that arise from these characteristics. As a basis for the investigations an underlying reference concept for the considered type of networks is described. Simulative case studies are combined with scientific deduction and literature references to gain new insights on the design and operation of this type of networks. It is found that due to the variability in these networks, the definition of a design case is a challenge for the dimensioning of concrete network implementations. To anticipate the strong coupling between prosumers and the nonlinear network behavior, it is concluded that centralized control combined with a model of the physical network behavior is necessary. The discussion of characteristics and challenges in prosumer-dominated thermal networks indicates open points in this field and thus provides a starting point for consecutive studies.

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Holism, Chinese Medicine and Systems Ideologies: Rewriting the Past to Imagine the Future

10.3366/edinburgh/9781474400046.003.0003 ◽

2018 ◽

Author(s):

Volker Scheid

Keyword(s):

Eighteenth Century ◽

Chinese Medicine ◽

Medical Humanities ◽

Science And Technology Studies ◽

Human Beings ◽

The Past ◽

Starting Point ◽

The Us ◽

Shared Objective ◽

Definition Of

This chapter explores the articulations that have emerged over the last half century between various types of holism, Chinese medicine and systems biology. Given the discipline’s historical attachments to a definition of ‘medicine’ that rather narrowly refers to biomedicine as developed in Europe and the US from the eighteenth century onwards, the medical humanities are not the most obvious starting point for such an inquiry. At the same time, they do offer one advantage over neighbouring disciplines like medical history, anthropology or science and technology studies for someone like myself, a clinician as well as a historian and anthropologist: their strong commitment to the objective of facilitating better medical practice. This promise furthermore links to the wider project of critique, which, in Max Horkheimer’s definition of the term, aims at change and emancipation in order ‘to liberate human beings from the circumstances that enslave them’. If we take the critical medical humanities as explicitly affirming this shared objective and responsibility, extending the discipline’s traditional gaze is not a burden but becomes, in fact, an obligation.

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Modelling a fifth-generation bidirectional low temperature district heating and cooling (5GDHC) network for nearly Zero Energy District (nZED)

Energy Reports ◽

10.1016/j.egyr.2021.04.054 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Matteo Bilardo ◽

Federico Sandrone ◽

Guido Zanzottera ◽

Enrico Fabrizio

Keyword(s):

Low Temperature ◽

District Heating ◽

Zero Energy ◽

Heating And Cooling ◽

Fifth Generation

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Life cycle performance of a distributed energy system in comparison with a conventional energy system for district heating and cooling in China

Journal of Cleaner Production ◽

10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.125663 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 288 ◽

pp. 125663

Author(s):

Zhiqiang Liu ◽

Yifang Tang ◽

Huairong Zhou ◽

Sheng Yang

Keyword(s):

Life Cycle ◽

District Heating ◽

Energy System ◽

Cycle Performance ◽

Distributed Energy ◽

Heating And Cooling ◽

Distributed Energy System

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Upgrading a District Heating System by Means of the Integration of Modular Heat Pumps, Geothermal Waters, and PVs for Resilient and Sustainable Urban Energy

Energies ◽

10.3390/en14092347 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (9) ◽

pp. 2347

Author(s):

Elżbieta Hałaj ◽

Jarosław Kotyza ◽

Marek Hajto ◽

Grzegorz Pełka ◽

Wojciech Luboń ◽

...

Keyword(s):

District Heating ◽

Heating System ◽

Upper Jurassic ◽

Heat Pumps ◽

Water Levels ◽

Energy Potential ◽

Geothermal Waters ◽

District Heating System ◽

Heating And Cooling ◽

The City

Krakow has an extensive district heating network, which is approximately 900 km long. It is the second largest city in terms of the number of inhabitants in Poland, resulting in a high demand for energy—for both heating and cooling. The district heating of the city is based on coal. The paper presents the conception of using the available renewable sources to integrate them into the city’s heating system, increasing the flexibility of the system and its decentralization. An innovative solution of the use of hybrid, modular heat pumps with power dependent on the needs of customers in a given location and combining them with geothermal waters and photovoltaics is presented. The potential of deep geothermal waters is based on two reservoirs built of carbonate rocks, namely Devonian and Upper Jurassic, which mainly consist of dolomite and limestone. The theoretical potential of water intake equal to the nominal heating capacity of a geothermal installation is estimated at 3.3 and 2.0 MW, respectively. Shallow geothermal energy potential varies within the city, reflecting the complex geological structure of the city. Apart from typical borehole heat exchangers (BHEs), the shallower water levels may represent a significant potential source for both heating and cooling by means of water heat pumps. For the heating network, it has been proposed to use modular heat pumps with hybrid sources, which will allow for the flexible development of the network in places previously unavailable or unprofitable. In the case of balancing production and demand, a photovoltaic installation can be an effective and sufficient source of electricity that will cover the annual electricity demand generated by the heat pump installation, when it is used for both heating and cooling. The alternating demand of facilities for heating and cooling energy, caused by changes in the seasons, suggests potential for using seasonal cold and heat storage.

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A fault diagnosis system for district heating and cooling facilities

Proceedings IECON '91: 1991 International Conference on Industrial Electronics, Control and Instrumentation ◽

10.1109/iecon.1991.239316 ◽

2002 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

T. Kumamaru ◽

T. Utsunomiya ◽

Y. Yamada ◽

Y. Iwasaki ◽

I. Shoda ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fault Diagnosis ◽

District Heating ◽

Diagnosis System ◽

Heating And Cooling ◽

Fault Diagnosis System

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A study on the contribution to surplus power issue by District Heating and Cooling system considering the initial cost of equipment

2012 IEEE International Conference on Power System Technology (POWERCON) ◽

10.1109/powercon.2012.6401434 ◽

2012 ◽

Author(s):

K. Ogawa ◽

K. Ishikawa ◽

A. Yokoyama ◽

T. Shinji ◽

S. Tsujita

Keyword(s):

Cooling System ◽

District Heating ◽

Heating And Cooling ◽

Initial Cost ◽

Surplus Power

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Digital competences of the workforce – a research topic?

Business Process Management Journal ◽

10.1108/bpmj-06-2016-0126 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 23 (3) ◽

pp. 721-734 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Matthias Murawski ◽

Markus Bick

Keyword(s):

Research Topic ◽

Future Research ◽

Digital Competence ◽

Content Type ◽

Research Activities ◽

Starting Point ◽

Pros And Cons ◽

Definition Of ◽

The Individual ◽

Practical Implications

Purpose Considering working in the digital age, questions on the consequences for the individual workers are, so far, often neglected. The purpose of this paper is to deal with the question of whether the digital competences of the workforce is a research topic. The authors argue for the thesis that it is indeed a research topic. Design/methodology/approach In addition to a literature analysis of the top IS, HR, and learning publications, non-scientific sources, as well as the opinions of the authors, are included. The authors’ thesis is challenged through a debate of corresponding pros and cons. Findings The definition of digital competences lacks scientific depth. Focussing on the workforce is valid, as a “lifelong” perspective is not mandatory for research. Digital competence research is a multidisciplinary task to which the IS field can make a valuable contribution. Research limitations/implications Although relevant references are included, some aspects are mainly driven by the opinions of the authors. The theoretical implications encompass a call for a scientific definition of digital competences. Furthermore, scholars should focus on the competences of the workforce, including occupations, roles, or industries. The authors conclude by providing a first proposal of a research agenda. Practical implications The practical implications include the alignment of multiple stakeholders for the design of “digital” curricula and the integration by HR departments of the construct of digital competences, e.g. for compensation matters and job requirements. Originality/value This paper is one of very few contributions in the area of the digital competences of the workforce, and it presents a starting point for future research activities.

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On the Description and Definition of Human Factors/Ergonomics

Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting ◽

10.1177/154193129804201001 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 42 (10) ◽

pp. 671-674 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

Michael S. Wogalter ◽

Peter A. Hancock ◽

Patrick G. Dempsey

Keyword(s):

Human Factors ◽

Engineering Science ◽

Human Factors Engineering ◽

Lay Persons ◽

Starting Point ◽

Technical Report ◽

Definition Of ◽

Engineering Psychology

This work examines the terms most frequently used to describe our field, which has variously been named Ergonomics, Human Factors, Human Factors Engineering, and Engineering Psychology. A large number of definitions were collected, including those assembled in an earlier technical report by Licht, Polzella, and Boff (1990). First, the definitions were stripped of connector words. Second, the prefix root terms that had the same meaning were combined and third, the words were tabulated and sorted to reveal the content terms most frequently employed. These data may be used to develop core, concise definitions or longer more expository descriptions of the field. The list of terms could also be used as a starting point for the development of definitions oriented for different target audiences (e.g., lay persons vs. other engineering/science experts) as a method of disseminating information concerning what we do.

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