Hydraulic modeling of double-source and ring-shaped heating networks

To investigate the hydraulic characteristics of double-source and ring-shaped heating networks, this paper proposes a new hydraulic modeling method that, to a large extent, solves the modeling problem of hydraulic intersection users (HIUs) and common pipes (CPs). Additionally, an experimental network and its hydraulic model including double heat sources, double rings, and 12 users were established, and simulations and experiments under three sets of typical hydraulic conditions were carried out. The results indicate that the maximum relative error between the simulated and experimental data of the pressure drops in the users were −2.83%, −2.40%, and −3.17%, and the maximum relative errors of the flow rates in the user were −2.07%, −3.60%, and 2.18%. The HIU of the simulation model was in good agreement with that of the experimental network regarding both number and position. Thus, the proposed modeling method and simulation model are validated.