New control concept in Sønderborg reduced heat pumps failures
Crystallization in heat pumps can lead to costly operational downtimes. In Sønderborg, we have developed a control system that prevents this issue – ensuring the system operates smoothly under all conditions.
Together with Sønderborg district heating and Frontmatec, we have created a robust solution for a complex system, where the flow is automatically adjusted according to load and operating conditions.
New control system prevents crystalization
The project purpose was to improve flexibility and availability
ABOUT THIS ARTICLE:
The district heating system consists of four absorption heat pumps, a geothermal well, and two wood chip boilers with flue gas condensation.
One of the major challenges of the system is to create the right flow conditions on the district heating side of the system's components under different loads and operating situations. If this does not happen, the heat pumps will shut down to protect themselves from crystallization.
The project consisted of several sub-tasks, such as the development of a dynamic simulation model developed in Modelica, and the development and simulation of the new analog block leader and operator user interface.
With the changes we made together with Sønderborg District Heating, Frontmatec, and the Chinese heat pump manufacturer, we significantly reduced the number of heat pump failures. This is a crucial prerequisite for improving the system's availability, operational flexibility, and user-friendliness.
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