Design of district heating networks through an integrated thermo-fluid dynamics and reliability modelling approach

This paper aims to describe a newly developed analysis tool for supporting District Heating Networks (DHNs) grid design and energy-reliability optimization procedures. The tool couples a Thermo-fluid dynamic Module to simulate the energy and physical behaviour of the analysed network, and a Monte Carlo Module to manage grid failure and repair processes: as a consequence, it is able to investigate both the fluid dynamics and the reliability aspects of the entire network, from the production plants to the final users.