Do upgraded heating installations achieve the expected energy savings? In a joint project with Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW Hamburg), the Hamburg Environment and Energy Authority (BUE) and engineering consultancy Ratiocalor, TÜV NORD wants to evaluate the energy efficiency of large heating installations by means of random checks during normal operation, and to find potentials for optimisation.
Reducing energy consumption is one of the greatest challenges of the energy revolution. The Federal Government wants to lower primary energy consumption by 20 per cent by the year 2020 – starting from 2008 as the base year. “Savings in the use of primary energy can play a large part in the energy revolution, particularly when applied to buildings”, confirms Gerhard Dreier, responsible for thermal energy generation strategy at TÜV NORD.
In order to reduce energy consumption, energy efficiency has to be raised. And that is exactly the focal point for TÜV NORD and its partners: in the joint project, a total of 30 large upgraded heating installations with a capacity of more than 100 kW, with all their constituent parts and heating circuits and the interactions between them, will be tested for achievement of the planned energy savings. At the heart of the project is online measurement of temperatures and mass flows in order to determine weaknesses in the systems and then eliminate them. The measurement process will be led by a student, who will incorporate the knowledge gained into his or her masters degree thesis.
“Different players can benefit from an independent energy-related assessment of their systems”, explains Jörg Heermann, Regional Manager for Hamburg South at TÜV NORD Systems, who will also review the masters thesis. “Heating engineers can demonstrate that their installation fulfils current efficiency criteria, house owners receive a seal of quality for their heating systems and tenants of rental properties can be sure that their heating costs are reasonable. So this is a win-win situation for everyone.”
Primary energy savings in buildings simply have to be achieved, and there is still a great deal of potential available. “Quite a lot of heating installations are not running at full efficiency despite the fact that their individual components are of good quality”, says Günter Wolter, general manager of engineering consultancy Ratiocalor, which is bringing the measuring technology and a great deal of know-how to the project.
“The fact that several heating circuits and heating sources are being used together – such as in the combination of solar-thermal plant with gas or oil heating systems – means that the installations and control systems are becoming ever more complex and liable to faults”, confirms Prof. Bernd U. Sankol from Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, who will act as supervisor for the masters diploma. All the project partners are therefore working to precisely determine energy consumption, correct any weaknesses and ensure optimum energy efficiency.
About TÜV NORD GROUP
With over 10,000 employees, TÜV NORD GROUP is one of the largest technical service providers, offering its advisory, service and inspection expertise in over 70 countries throughout the world. Areas of activity include Industrial Services, Mobility, IT and Training. TÜV NORD GROUP occupies a unique position in the sector based on its work in the fields of natural resources and aerospace and is firmly committed to its guiding principle and watchword: “Excellence for your business”.