Heat loss optimization and economic evaluation of a new fourth generation district heating triple pipe system

In response to the heat loss caused by the temperature difference between the heating pipes and external environment during the pipe transportation, heat contradiction between the total heat loss of the piping system and heat transfer between tubes, as well as economic balance between the cost of heat loss and cost of material loss. Based on TOTS (Two-supply/One-return, triple pipe structure) heat loss theory of the fourth-generation district heating system, this paper optimizes structure of pipes by setting dimensionless characteristic parameters θ and β. Finally, a mathematical model is proposed to calculate economic efficiency of pipeline network by considering the cost of initial construction material loss and operation heat loss of the pipe. Results show that, from energy perspective, comprehensive heat as system energy consumption evaluation index is positively correlated with θ, decreases first and then increases as β increases. Total heat loss of system dominates comprehensive heat. Lowest comprehensive heat of system is 18.12 w/m for θ of 0.1945 and β of 0.0739. From economic perspective, total system loss cost as system economic evaluation index is positively correlated with both θ and β. Total system heat loss cost dominates total system loss cost. Lowest total system loss cost is $29.39/m for θ of 0.1945 and β of 0.0509.