Steam distribution systems

[kwakuwulf]

As discussed in Vienna I'm adding some issues from the viewpoint of industrial process modelling:

I was wondering how one would define a steam system in the EnergyADE. Two areas of concern:

• ThermalDistributionSystem: most distribution system in industries are based on steam. For that purpose the returnTemperature and supplyTemperature are insufficient information. The pressure of the supply line and the condensate return percentage would be important information. Maybe we could add another inheritance to EnergyDistributionSystem named SteamDistributionSystem that specifically addresses the requirements of steam distribution and does not affect the "normal" distribution systems of buildings.
• Similary a SteamBoiler could be added to EnergyConversionSystems to allow a more specific definition of a steam boiler

[RomainNouvel]

• Then, we could replace the general ThermalDistributionSystem by a LiquidDistributionSystem and a SteamDistributionSystem. Are all existing attributes of ThermalDistributionSystem relevant (although not sufficient) for SteamDistributionSystem? If not, we could create inherited classes.
• which additional SteamBoiler attributes would you like to add?
• Should we also adapt the ThermalStorageSystem definition in relation to Steam? Are further attributes necessary for it?

[RomainNouvel]

For non-reisdential buildings (and american residential building), we might miss also a AirDistributionSystem solution, with attributes different from those of other EnergyDistributionSystem...

[mlauster]

@kwakuwulf, are all attributes of the current ThermalDisributionSystem applicable for steam systems? For me it looks like this. Then I would propose leave the ThermalDisributionSystem as it is and add attributes nominalPressure, pressureDrop, supplyTwoPhaseRatio and returnTwoPhaseRatio. @RomainNouvel, what for attributes would you like to add for AirDistributionSystems?
For ThermalStorageSystem, we could add nominalPressure and twoPhaseRatio.
In consequence, we should split our energy conversion systems inheritances into thermal and electrical, e.g. by adding ElectricalConversionSystem with attribute voltage and nominalCurrent as inheritance of EnergyConversionSystem with inheritances to _SolarEnergySystem and CombinedHeatPower. Then a ThermalConversionSystem with attributes nominalPressure, pressureDrop, supplyTemperature, returnTemperature, supplyTwoPhaseRatio and returnTwoPhaseRatio as inheritance of EnergyConversionSystem with inheritances to Boiler, ElectricalResistance, HeatPump, CombinedHeatPower, DistrictNetworkSubstation and MechanicalVentilation.

So our module gets more complex if we really want to describe multi-phase flows, for what we need temperatures and pressure of all subsystems. Any opinions on that?

[mlauster]

I think we should skip this for v0.8 and discuss this in more detail.

[mlauster]

Let's first see the impacts of #137, we could pick up that topic here later again with this new structure. Will not be part of v0.9.0