Dispatch Model for Warmtebedrijf Rotterdam
Industry in the Port of Rotterdam generates significant amounts of residual heat during primary production processes. Much of this heat previously went to waste, but that changed in the autumn of 2013 when Warmtebedrijf Rotterdam (WBR) commissioned a brand-new network of underground pipelines. This 26-kilometer heat transport network conveys residual heat from port industries to households across the city and to facilities such as the Maasstad Hospital an environmentally and economically friendly method of heat supply, especially when the deployment of production assets has been optimized by CQM.
The new heat transport network in Rotterdam South also connects to the existing district heating network in Rotterdam North. Thanks to the low-cost residual heat from the port supplied by the waste processing company AVR the reliance on more expensive gas-fired heating plants in Rotterdam North can be significantly reduced. This yields not only environmental benefits but also substantial cost savings. However, these gains depend heavily on the efficiency of the overall heat transport system a system that is highly complex. In addition to the underground pipelines, there are various main off-take points where residual heat is transferred to the energy distributor for delivery to end-users. There are also above-ground booster stations that ensure sufficient pressure is maintained within the network at all times to transport the heat along the entire route. And then there is the heat hub on Brielselaan, featuring, among other things, a heat buffer with a capacity of over 5,000 m³ and two heat exchangers for connection to the existing heat network.
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Optimization
For WBR, achieving optimal ‘dispatching’ is the key challenge. This entails the efficient deployment of production assets within the heat network, ensuring that the right amount of heat is drawn and stored in the buffer at the right time. Only then can the highest economic and environmental returns be achieved. Since dispatching is a daily task, WBR asked CQM to develop optimization software to support this process. There was a tight deadline: the tool had to be ready in time for the first delivery of industrial waste heat. WBR and CQM collaborated closely to build an optimization model using AIMMS, a user-friendly optimization software platform. Due to the complexity of the heat network and the production assets, the initial models took too long to calculate. Through smart modeling and strategic choices regarding levels of detail and time horizons, a model was ultimately created that WBR now uses daily with great satisfaction.
Expansions
“We now have an excellent, user-friendly model for optimal dispatching within the current setup,” says Andrew Mol, Operations Manager at Warmtebedrijf Rotterdam. “But the model also allows us to assess the impact of future network expansions. What is the best way to expand the network? And which new heat suppliers and customers are attractive prospects? In short, the model gives us optimal control over current operations while providing insight for future decisions. An outstanding achievement by CQM.”
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