HEAT NETWORKS


Priorities for future heat networks


Broader planning and adaptable design in heat networks are crucial for maximising energy efficiency and enabling sector coupling across multiple energy sources and storage methods, argues Andrew Harrop.


Andrew Harrop


Global director, regional sales enablement centres Armstrong Fluid Technology


armstrongfluidtechnology.com T


he continued investment in heat networks and other major projects is without doubt a positive development for the


UK’s energy security. However, there is an argument to be made that broader thinking is needed in earlier design and planning phases if we want to extract everything from every opportunity presented. In the present environment of investment in many diff erent types of energy sources, we need to commit to absolute energy agnosticism, and organise our projects to allow for adaptability in terms of energy sources. This, in turn, will create opportunities for sector coupling. Heat networks and district energy


systems open up a framework for sector coupling, the concept of capturing wasted energy and redeploying it to power or heat local buildings. The approach has seen great success with data centres, with heat energy being captured and used to heat local housing and swimming pools. There are much wider implications than one-off interesting projects however. Sector coupling should be thought of as a framework of thinking that advocates recycling of waste energy within an integrated network, minimising waste and running as effi ciently as possible. Sector coupling typically divides


energy supply into four key power grids: electricity, gas (a mix of natural, hydrogen, biogas, etc), district cooling and district heating. These four networks are then divided into four areas regarding how the energy


EIBI | JULY � AUGUST 2025


is ‘obtained’, stored, converted or used. The source and the use are straightforward to understand. The storage and conversion however, are the two key areas that create fl exibility and allow for energy to fl ow across the four diff erent power grids. The four grids and the four stages are connected. Even the end users can be consumers or prosumers, taking or giving energy into the system. Sector coupling therefore can be thought of as a fl ow chart with energy travelling in all directions across every strand. Let’s look more closely at the four stages: energy source, energy storage, energy conversion and energy end use. Energy of all types can move from, or to, the storage, conversion and end use sectors.


Energy storage Storage is extremely important as it increases the fl exibility of the supply. Wind energy could be stored as electrical energy in batteries or can be used to pump water up to high reservoirs and stored, as potential energy ready to be released to


produce hydro-electricity via turbines. Gas, biogas and hydrogen can be stored using traditional methods, whilst thermal storage allows energy to be stored as LTHW, for example. ‘Smart’ sector coupling will also be able to predict peaks in the requirement for certain types of energy. Heating and DHW demand in domestic homes normally peaks early morning and again later in the evening. Knowing this allows the smart network to increase thermal storage ahead of this known peak in demand. As technology in AI and machine learning improves, the future is optimistic in terms of effi ciency levels we can reach.


Converting energy Energy can be converted into diff erent types of energy depending on what is required at any particular time. Electrical energy directly from solar or wind, or indirectly from storage batteries in the storage phase, can be used to produce hydrogen or used by heat pumps to create LTHW or chilled water, for example. Consumer waste can be incinerated and turned


Design Envelope Tango pump for HVAC system


pumping and control


Smart energy transfer stations like Armstrong’s System Envelope optimise flow and heat exchange in plant rooms


into LTHW or electricity at waste- to-energy plants. Electrical energy (be that directly from source, or from batteries or gas powered CHP from the conversion sector) can all be used to pre-charge LTHW thermal stores in the storage sector ready to meet the predicted district heating peak. The CHP, of course, also produces electricity. Why not use this electrical output to also power heat pumps that can further augment the LTHW store?


Efficiency in the plant room As wonderful as all these new sources of energy will no doubt be, it’s also important to look at the effi ciency and reliability of the system itself. In order to achieve the best results in district energy, it’s important to maintain low return temperatures and wide Delta-T. Achieving and maintaining these conditions means taking advantage of the best equipment in terms of the energy transfer process, as well as utilising the newest technology in pumps to meet loads with the least amount of energy expenditure required. Armstrong’s System Envelope


Energy Transfer Station, for example, has exact heat transfer curves embedded into its control software. Bringing together optimised brazed plate heat exchangers with latest generation pumps as an integrated package, the station can proactively adjust fl ow, resulting in savings of up to 30%.


Another benefi t of the latest


generation of connective smart pumps and heat exchangers is their compatibility with maintenance and monitoring software. Internal sensors and monitoring functions provide alerts and trending related to fl ow and heat transfer, vibration, power draw, RPM, sensor failure, heat imbalance, clogging and communication errors. Without proper planning and


investment in our technology, we risk leaving millions on the table in missed opportunities. To maximise on our opportunities, we should make sure everything in the system is set up for supporting as many diff erent energy sources as possible. Also, we should make sure our equipment is well set up for connectivity to support currently available and future AI integration in control and maintenance. Finally, we should ensure our systems are well set up for plenty of thermal storage and the possibility for future growth. If the UK is to meet its targets in terms of heat network uptake percentage (20% by 2050), nothing can be left on the table. ■


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