Cold District Heating
5GDHC networks, dimensioning and prosumer concepts
Cold district heating networks (5GDHC) operate at a low temperature close to ambient and tap ambient, waste and solar heat decentrally via heat pumps. They enable bidirectional exchange between consumers and producers – the prosumer principle. This topic area covers the fundamentals, dimensioning and prosumer concepts of cold networks.
10 articles in this category
Low-Temperature District Heating: Fundamentals
Cold district heating (5GDHC) explained: operating principle, heat sources, decentralized heat pumps and network hydraulics of 5th-generation networks.
Dimensioning 5GDHC Networks
5GDHC simulation and dimensioning of cold district heating networks: passive vs. active networks, pressure-loss criteria and ground coupling.
Prosumers in District Heating Networks
How do prosumer concepts work in district heating networks? Heat feed-in, bidirectional networks and operating models
Cold District Heating (5GDHC): Pros & Cons
Advantages and disadvantages of cold district heating (5GDHC): under 3 % heat losses and free cooling versus decentralized heat pumps and more complex planning.
Anergy Networks and 5GDHC: Terms and Definitions
Anergy network, cold district heating, 5GDHC, LowEx and 4GDH: definitions, distinctions, single- and two-pipe systems and a 4GDH vs. 5GDHC comparison.
Cold District Heating: Costs and Economics
What does cold district heating cost? 5GDHC network cost per metre, boreholes per drilled metre, collectors, decentralized heat pumps and operating costs.
Soil and Ground Temperature in Cold District Heating
Annual ground temperature cycle, the Kusuda model, soil thermal conductivity, burial depth, frost protection and regeneration of uninsulated 5GDHC pipes.
Seasonal Storage in Cold District Heating Networks
Ground as seasonal storage in 5GDHC networks: borehole fields, collectors, agrothermal fields, regeneration, heating/cooling balance, long-term cooling.
Cold District Heating in Existing Neighbourhoods
Cold district heating for existing buildings: flow temperatures, radiators, heat pump SPF at 55–65 °C, routing in built-up streets and phased expansion.
Cold District Heating Projects in Germany: Overview
Realised cold district heating networks in Germany and Switzerland: size, heat sources, commissioning and key features — every data point with a source.
Overview: Cold District Heating
Cold district heating networks differ fundamentally from conventional heat networks in hydraulics, sizing and operation. Because the temperature difference between supply and return is only a few kelvin, much larger volume flows are needed for the same capacity; at the same time heat losses are low, and the network can even take up heat from the surrounding ground. The articles in this topic area discuss what this means for planning and assessment.
The fundamentals of cold district heating introduce components, typical design values and application examples. Dimensioning 5GDHC networks shows why the pressure gradient rather than heat loss becomes the governing quantity for pipe sizing, what role the balance of heating and cooling demand plays, and why pumping energy has to be considered early.
The article on prosumers covers buildings that both draw and feed in heat, and the hydraulic variants for doing so. For the concept decision, the overview of advantages and disadvantages summarises under which boundary conditions a cold network makes sense compared with a conventional heat network.