The planning of new heat networks and the optimization of existing heat networks through dynamic simulations is becoming increasingly important with the rising complexity of systems and the integration of fluctuating heat sources. On this page, you will find information on the basics of heat network simulation in the nPro software.

Tools for heat network simulation

Heat network simulation plays a crucial role in the planning and optimization of district heating networks. An innovative solution in this area is the nPro software tool. nPro enables simulations of the physical processes in heating networks, with a focus on thermal and hydraulic simulation of the network - especially for the early planning phase of districts. The advantage of nPro lies in its flexibility: Users can create any district with different heat generation technologies and heat demands (buildings) with just a few clicks. nPro offers a simple and intuitive user interface, which makes it possible to quickly analyze and visualize the results of the simulations. The software is capable of calculating the heat demand profiles of buildings and modeling the heat transfer from the pipes to the ground based on the standard DIN EN 13941. Compared to other software packages available on the market like Wanda, ESSIM/CHESS, or DisHeatLab, nPro offers a user-friendly interface that can be intuitively used without prior training (or programming skills).

In the nPro tool, heat networks can be simulated using a user-friendly interface.

Design and planning of heat networks

The planning and design of heat networks requires a detailed analysis of various components and parameters at the building and district level. nPro facilitates this process by providing specific modules for the different components of a district energy system (buildings/load profiles, heat network, and energy center/heat generators). Different heat generation technologies (e.g. heat pumps, CHP plants, solar thermal, PVT collectors) and storage technologies (heat storage, batteries) can be considered. In addition to the technical design of heat networks, nPro also enables the economic evaluation of districts and heat networks by calculating the investment and operating costs and evaluating the economic efficiency of the system. The software also offers the possibility to evaluate the impact of heat networks on the environment by calculating the CO₂ emissions and the primary energy consumption (PEF).

Literature (German)

"Praxisbuch der Fernwärmeversorgung: Systeme, Netzaufbauvarianten, Kraft-Wärme-Kopplung, Kostenstrukturen und Preisbildung" von Panos Konstantin. ISBN: 9783662559109
Fernwärmeversorgung: Hausanlagentechnik in Theorie und Praxis (VDI-Buch) - Taschenbuch, 4. Oktober 2013
Handbuch Niedertemperatur-Wärmenetz - Fraunhofer-Institut für Energiewirtschaft und Energiesystemtechnik (IEE), 2021. Verfügbar unter: Fraunhofer IEE