Glossary

Overview

This glossary explains the central technical terms from VICUS Districts and maps them to the English terms of the user interface and the data model. The tables are structured by subject area: network topology, heat demand and sizing, calculation and results, as well as plants and control.

Network Topology

Term	UI/data-model term (EN)	Short definition
Consumer	Consumer	Heat consumer in the network, e.g. a building. Each consumer is assigned a connection load or a demand profile.
Transfer station	SubStation	Node type for consumers: the point at which heat is transferred from the network to the building.
Energy plant	Source / Energy center	Feed-in node of the network; this is where heat generation and usually the network pump are located.
Mixer	Mixer	Branching or intermediate node without a consumer function. Pipe fittings (e.g. T-pieces, bends) are assigned at mixer nodes.
Node	Node	Collective term for all network points: transfer stations, energy plants and mixers.
Route / edge	Edge	Connection between two nodes; represents the line section with length and assigned pipe.
Supply	Supply pipe	Line that carries the warm fluid from the energy plant to the consumers.
Return	Return pipe	Line that carries the cooled fluid from the consumers back to the energy plant.
Active network	Active network	The network currently selected for editing and calculation, when a project contains several networks.

Heat Demand and Sizing

Term	UI/data-model term (EN)	Short definition
Connection load	Connection power	Nominal heat output of a consumer in kW; the basis of pipe sizing. A distinction is made between connection load (nominal) and connection load (installed capacity).
Simultaneity	Diversity	Temporal overlap of the peak loads of several consumers. The simultaneity optimization shifts demand profiles in time to obtain realistic aggregate loads.
Part load ratio	Part load ratio	Share of the connection load applied as the load of a consumer in the steady-state calculation.
Pipe fitting	Pipe fitting	Shaped parts such as bends and T-pieces; they cause additional pressure losses and are counted in the bill of materials.
Bill of materials	Bill of materials	Tabular listing of the installed pipe lengths and fittings of the network, e.g. for cost estimation and tendering.

Calculation and Results

Term	UI/data-model term (EN)	Short definition
Operating point	Operating point	Load case of the steady-state calculation (e.g. full load or a part-load case); results are stored and displayed per operating point.
Worst point	Index point / worst point	Hydraulically most unfavorable point of the network, at which the differential pressure is hardest to maintain.
Pressure maintenance	Pressure maintenance	Point in the network with a prescribed pressure; it sets the absolute pressure level and serves as the reference point of the pressure calculation.
Temperature difference (spread)	Temperature difference	Difference between supply and return temperature; together with the power, it determines the mass flux.
False color	False colors	Coloring of the network elements in the 3D scene according to a result quantity, e.g. pressure loss or temperature.

Plants and Control

Term	UI/data-model term (EN)	Short definition
Plant	Sub network	Reusable hydraulic circuit made of components (e.g. pump, heat exchanger, heat pump) that is assigned to a network node.
Simplified energy plant	Simplified energy center (pump + heater)	Predefined plant for the energy plant, consisting of a pump and an ideal heat generator.
Simplified consumer	Simplified consumer (pressure loss only)	Predefined consumer plant that only represents the pressure loss.
Heating curve	Heating curve	Supply temperature as a function of the outdoor temperature; controls the outlet temperature of the energy plant.
Worst-point controller	Index point controller	Controller that monitors the pressure difference at the worst point of the network and controls the pump accordingly.

Related Topics

• The network model
• Pipe sizing: method
• Plants: concept