Wang, Anqing, Wang, Haichao, Wang, Tianyu, Li, Muyan, Luo, Zhiwen  ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2082-3958 and Lahdelma, Risto
2026.
Precise control of district heating secondary networks: a dynamic simulation approach with room temperature feedback.
Energy Conversion and Management
353
, 121217.
10.1016/j.enconman.2026.121217
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Abstract
As a critical infrastructure for building heating, district heating systems face the urgent dual challenge of decarburization and improving operational efficiency under increasingly dynamic demand.The traditional regulation of district heating systems is mainly based on the central control in heat plants and/or in the substations. However, the end-user control is becoming increasingly important in saving District Heating energy consumption. This study presents an integrated control strategy for district heating systems combining thermodynamic inlet temperature feedback regulation with an optimized heat exchange station supply temperature determination method. By synergistically coordinating these approaches with variable-frequency pump operation, the system achieves dual objectives of stabilizing end-user thermal comfort and reducing energy consumption. The research establishes a validated Modelica-based simulation model of a residential secondary heating network, benchmarked against operational field data. Implementation of PID-controlled inlet valves using room temperature feedback demonstrates precise thermal regulation capability, maintaining stable indoor conditions at 19 ± 0.1°C. Comparative analysis reveals significant performance improvements, including 62.7–92.5% reduction in temperature standard deviation across monitored users and system-wide energy savings of 11.68% (thermal) and 15.98% (electrical). The proposed methodology shows substantial carbon reduction potential exceeding 2.16 kgCO2/m2 when scaled, offering a comprehensive solution for modernizing the control paradigms of district heating systems while addressing both hydraulic and thermodynamic optimization challenges.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Date Type: | Publication |
| Status: | Published |
| Schools: | Schools > Architecture |
| Additional Information: | RRS policy applied |
| Publisher: | Elsevier |
| ISSN: | 0196-8904 |
| Date of First Compliant Deposit: | 2 March 2026 |
| Date of Acceptance: | 8 February 2026 |
| Last Modified: | 02 Mar 2026 15:00 |
| URI: | https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/185354 |
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