US 11,927,930 B2
Controlling heat outtake from a heat distribution system
Per Rosén, Lund (SE); Jacob Skogstrom, Lomma (SE); and Fredrik Rosenqvist, Helsingborg (SE)
Assigned to E.ON SVERIGE AB, Malmo (SE)
Appl. No. 17/250,906
Filed by E.ON SVERIGE AB, Malmo (SE)
PCT Filed Sep. 13, 2019, PCT No. PCT/EP2019/074551
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Apr. 2, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/064371, PCT Pub. Date Apr. 2, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 18196426 (EP), filed on Sep. 25, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0397147 A1, Dec. 23, 2021
Int. Cl. F24D 10/00 (2022.01); F24D 19/10 (2006.01); G05B 19/042 (2006.01); G05D 23/19 (2006.01)
CPC G05B 19/042 (2013.01) [F24D 10/003 (2013.01); F24D 19/10 (2013.01); G05D 23/1904 (2013.01); F24D 2200/13 (2013.01); G05B 2219/2614 (2013.01)] 12 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for controlling a heat distribution system, the system comprising:
a district thermal energy distribution grid for a fluid based distribution of heat,
one or more production plants configured to produce heat and to deliver the heat to the district thermal energy distribution grid, and
a plurality of local control units, each local control unit being associated with a local heat distribution system, the local heat distribution system being configured to distribute comfort heating in one or more buildings associated to the local heat distribution system, each local control unit further being configured to control the outtake of heat of the associated local heat distribution system from the district thermal energy distribution grid,
wherein the method comprises:
determining a time period of forecasted elevated overall outtake of heat from the district thermal energy distribution grid by local heat distribution systems connected to the district thermal energy distribution grid, wherein the time period of forecasted elevated overall outtake of heat from the district thermal energy distribution grid is a time period during which the overall outtake of heat from the district thermal energy distribution grid is above a predetermined threshold, wherein the predetermined threshold is a relative threshold based on a relative amount of energy outtake from the district thermal energy distribution grid compared with a total amount of available energy in the district thermal energy distribution grid, wherein the relative threshold is in the range of 75-90% of a total amount of available energy in the district thermal energy distribution grid; and
determining, at a control server, a control signal associated with a respective one of the plurality of local control units, wherein each respective control signal is time resolved and comprises:
information pertaining to a temporary increase in heat outtake from the district thermal energy distribution grid before the determined time period,
information pertaining to a temporary increase in heat outtake from the district thermal energy distribution grid after the determined time period, and
information pertaining to a temporary decrease in heat outtake from the district thermal energy distribution grid during the determined time period,
wherein a time period of the temporary increase in heat outtake from the district thermal energy distribution grid before the determined time period of forecasted elevated overall outtake of heat is in the range of 25-150% of the determined time period of forecasted elevated overall outtake of heat, and
wherein a time period of the temporary increase in heat outtake from the district thermal energy distribution grid after the determined time period of forecasted elevated overall outtake of heat is in the range of 25-150% of the determined time period of forecasted elevated overall outtake of heat;
wherein the method further comprises:
sending the each respective control signal from the control server to the respective local control unit;
receiving the each respective control signal at the respective local control unit; and
regulating, at the each respective local control unit and based on the each respective control signal, the outtake of heat by the respective local heat distribution system from the district thermal energy distribution grid.