Experimental analysis of heat prosumers under low temperature thermal network

This study investigated the applicability and thermal performance of heat prosumers in a bidirectional thermal network through experimental analysis. To realize the bidirectional thermal network and heat prosumers, the existing small-scale centralized district cooling and heating system was retrofitted to form a small-scale heat network with three thermal energy prosumers. The existing small-scale centralized district cooling and heating network consists of seven buildings: high schools, management center, childcare center, baby care center, youth center, library, and public health center. Among these, high school and childcare center were retrofitted from heat consumers to heat prosumers. Control logic for the proposed heat prosumer was also demonstrated. For the case study, the operation of the specific day was selected. The amount of heat supplied from the STES in the management center was 798.7 kWh that contained 17% of the total load. The heat supply from the TES connected to the heat pump in the management center was 2,270.5 kWh, the absorption heat pump for high school. The amount of heat supply for public buildings and schools was 824.0 kWh and 513.8 kWh, respectively, and the heat supply from the childcare center through geothermal heat pump was 295.2 kWh.