Users testimonials
As part of our internal engineering activities and expertise in monitoring the energy performance of our facilities, we were looking for a comprehensive and easy-to-use thermal-hydraulic simulation software solution that could model both chilled water networks and heating networks. The software solution also needed to be capable of handling the complexity inherent in our networks, whose production mix combines geothermal, biomass, gas, and other energy sources, and ideally could eventually migrate to a ‘digital twin’ as an operational optimization tool.
After a comparative analysis and testing of various solutions available on the market, we chose the DistrictLab-H SimulationStudio software. »
« PLANAIR (Engineers for Energy Transition) has been active in the field of heating and cooling networks since 1985. Faced with the growing complexity of these systems and to meet the challenge of decarbonising them, PLANAIR decided to train in Districtlab-H™ Simulation Studio because this solution combines a high level of modularity, accurate and reliable calculations, high computational efficiency and highly responsive support. Districtlab-H™ Simulation Studio enabled us, for example, to size a meshed network undergoing major expansion and incorporating a complex waste heat recovery system with thermal storage. In addition to sizing, the solution enabled us to define optimised operating strategies. »
« SIG (Services Industriels de Genève) is responsible for a highly ambitious program to roll out district heating and cooling networks in the canton of Geneva. In a highly constrained urban context (pressure on land, availability of sources, etc.), achieving our environmental objectives (CO2 content, renewable energy rate, price for the end user, etc.) will only be possible by deploying a large number of producers on the same network. Our strategic objective is also to automate the operation of this system. With this in mind, DistrictLab has been involved in formalizing and simulator-testing a multi-generator control and regulation strategy for the Palettes network, located in the GeniTerre sector. Specifically, an accurate thermal-hydraulic simulator was coupled with a dynamic simulation of the control and command system. In less than 2 months, the Simulation Studio tool validated that the proposed strategy was well suited to the thermal-hydraulic sizing of the facilities. In addition, the hydraulic stability of the control system was demonstrated. These results are essential and we are now able to look forward with confidence to the stages of programming the PLCs and then commissioning the facilities. This work also paves the way for scaling up our strategy. »
« Our company operates several district heating and cooling networks in the city of Lausanne. Under the impetus of the Climate Plan, these networks are about to undergo major changes. The objectives of energy efficiency and decarbonization of networks are forcing us to push back the limits, whether in the design, sizing or operation phases. In this context, DistrictLab.H™ is an invaluable aid in guiding our investment choices and mitigating project risks in the existing networks for which we are responsible. The completeness of the DistrictLab.H™ solution enables us to study all aspects of the network, from generation to distribution to the substation.For example, thanks to the solution’s high degree of modularity, we have studied an innovative three-pipe network concept that reconciles an existing infrastructure with low-temperature waste heat recovery. »
« We were looking for a solution to help optimize our thermal network operation. In particular, to calculate optimal control trajectories for temperature and differential pressure. With DistrictLab.H™, we can reduce the energy injected into the network. The economic and environmental benefits are tangible, with DistrictLab.H™ helping us to limit the use of fossil fuel plants. We have a precise view of the operation and behavior of our network. »
« DistrictLab.H™ enables us to operate the network optimally, day in, day out, all year round. In concrete terms, it enables us to lower the forward temperature (currently potentially 160°C). The software also enables technical savings in terms of heat production, both in terms of temperature and pressure. We’ll be able to limit thermal and hydraulic losses. A significant gain. »
« We used DistrictLab.H™ to optimize the operation of a heating network with 60 kilometers of piping, distributing 45 gigawatt-hours of energy per year. The network was historically fuelled by gas. The results convinced the stakeholders to switch part of the system to hot water, thereby reducing operating risks, heat loss and maintenance costs. In addition, DistrictLab.H™ enabled us to identify the cause of malfunctions at numerous consumers, and to propose corrective actions. DistrictLab.H™ offers significant advantages in terms of calculating optimum operating temperatures to reduce losses, and analyzing multi-producer systems.They have enabled us to make significant savings in analysis time. We are currently pursuing our mission by studying with DistrictLab.H™ the implementation of high-temperature heat pumps to decarbonize our heat production. »
