Do you have a poorly performing heat network?
‘Dr DH’ seeks to explore low cost options to improve the operating performance of DH schemes. We can undertake a site survey and make recommendation to improve heat network efficiency. A principal focus being to undertake measures to reduce the system return temperatures. Reducing the return temperature reduces heat loss, will increase the operating efficiency of condensing boilers and will invariably reduce the system flow rates so reducing pumping energy consumption. Studies show that a 1C reduction in return temperature will typically reduce the system heat losses by 1%.
A typical survey would check:
– system flow rates and return temperatures at the energy centre, in some riser cupboards and checking the flow rates and temperature at a few customer HIUs – from this it can be deduced if the system commissioning is optimum, typical finding are that some commissioning bypasses have been left open.
– if the HIU commissioning setup be improved
– if energy centre pumps dP can be reduced
– if flows across DPCV if fitted at top of risers be reduced
– water treatment,
– if operating at lower temperatures during the summer is possible
– if pipework insulation can be improved
– if data available calculate the system heat losses
CHP / thermal store optimisation survey would check:
– is the CHP working reliably and efficiently – We can explore why not (eg return temperatures too high) and make recommendations to improve operating performance.
– is the CHP set to operate only when it’s actually delivering economic benefit.
– is the CHP dumping heat? if so what needs to be done to stop this
– is best value being achieved from the CHP O+M contract
– is the best benefit being made of the thermal store?
– the site getting the maximum benefits from CHPQA?
We can provide temporary heat meters to monitor the system where insufficient metering is installed.