Quick check of house connections in the heating network

The heatbeat Digital Twin allows you to check the connectivity of new buildings in the existing heating network very efficiently. In this example, we use a demo network at a hypothetical location in Aachen. By calculating the network, the digital twin provides a precise picture of the current utilisation of the network. The performance under design conditions immediately reveals where capacity is still available and where potential bottlenecks could occur – an essential basis for a reliable assessment of potential house connections.

Directly integrate municipal heat planning

A major advantage is that data from municipal heat planning can be imported directly, provided it is machine-readable. Often, this is not a problem in terms of data protection, at least at the level of building blocks. In many cases, additional information on existing heat generators or even building-specific heat registers can be used. In the heatbeat Digital Twin, this data can be used directly with the heating network. This provides a comprehensive overview of the heating requirements of the surrounding area – ideal for strategic network planning and expansion decisions.

Better decisions in sales for heating network operators

The combination of network simulation and heat demand data gives the sales department a consistently up-to-date picture of connection options. Interested parties can be qualified much more quickly, enquiries can be classified on a sound basis and potential customer relationships can be actively developed. Feedback or binding commitments can be entered directly in the web interface and remain up to date at all times.

Plan new lines and dimension them automatically

When a potential connection becomes concrete, the digital twin immediately shows how the connection can be technically implemented. In the example, an existing line is almost at full capacity, while there are still reserves available on the main line. A new route can be easily drawn in edit mode. As long as no nominal width is set, it appears as a dotted line – it can either be set manually or dimensioned automatically via the Design Cockpit.

To do this, the required power is first assigned to the building in question. This allows even larger expansion areas to be prepared efficiently . In the Design Cockpit, you can specify that only the new line sections should be dimensioned. In addition , design temperatures and limit values for specific pressure losses can be set. The calculation takes just a few seconds and also includes a complete update of the network simulation, so that the effects on the main line are immediately visible.

Added value through a true digital twin

This example clearly shows how closely network simulation, municipal heating data and sales processes are linked in the heatbeat Digital Twin. The platform thus offers considerable added value compared to isolated calculation tools: it provides consistently up-to-date data, enables quick decisions, simplifies planning and creates a consistent basis for the expansion of heating networks.

If you would like to use these functions for your own heating network, we look forward to hearing from you – we will be happy to show you how heatbeat Digital Twin can support your network planning and sales.