Retrofitting a Fifth Generation District Heating and Cooling Network for Heating and Cooling in a UK Hospital Campus

Abstract

There is an increasingly rich literature on the decarbonisation of heat and the evolution of heat networks. This paper investigates whether a novel fifth Generation District Heating and Cooling Network (5GDHC) could be retrofitted to an existing National Health Service (NHS) hospital campus for the purpose of heating and cooling. The building load was simulated and input into a custom-written script to carry out a series of parametric studies and optimise design options. The model was calibrated against site data available from hospital facilities management. The research found that it is feasible to use a 5GDHC consisting of a large single mass of water to utilise inter-seasonal thermal storage. A natural water resource such as an aquifer was not required. The model tested sizing options and found that larger thermal storage, heat pumps and chillers reduce operating costs and improve flexibility. The paper closes with a discussion of the practical factors in retrofitting 5GDHC networks to a densely occupied and highly constrained campus environment. The findings are novel in further describing the circumstances for which 5GDHC networks are suitable.