Exploiting Flexibility of District Heating Networks in Combined Heat and Power Dispatch

Combined heat and power dispatch (CHPD) is utilized for energy-efficient coordination of integrated electricity and heat systems. By incorporating district heating networks (DHNs) into CHPD, the thermal storage capability of network pipelines can be exploited to increase the operational flexibility for high penetration of renewable energy. This article proposes a flexibility evaluation method based on a generalized thermal storage model to systematically characterize and quantify the flexibility of DHNs in CHPD. In particular, systematic flexibility metrics are introduced to define the parameters of the proposed thermal storage model, including heat ramping capability, heat input limits, and heat storage capacities. A direct quantification method is proposed to explicitly derive these metrics without extensive simulations required in traditional methods. Besides, four different control modes of district heating systems are identified and modeled according to the controllability of mass flow rates and supply temperature at heat sources. A simplified CHPD model is developed based on sequential linear programming and a lumped heat loss model to enhance the computational efficiency. Comprehensive case studies validate the effectiveness of the proposed method in evaluating the flexibility of DHNs in CHPD. It is demonstrated that the flexibility of DHNs in CHPD can be exploited as far as possible in the control mode with adjustable mass flow and supply temperature.