Online Calculators for Heat Network Planning
Free calculators for heat network planning
Five freely usable calculation tools for the preliminary design of heat networks — right in your browser, no sign-up required. Each calculator documents its method and links to the related article in our knowledge base.
Pipe Sizing (DN Calculator)
Determine the nominal size of a heat network pipe from connection capacity, temperature spread and allowable pressure gradient — for hot networks and cold district heating (water or water-glycol), checked against the pressure-gradient and velocity criteria.
Open calculatorPump Sizing (Network Pump)
Determine the operating point of the network pump from heat output, temperature spread and the pressure losses of the most critical supply path — with flow rate, pump head, electrical power, annual electricity demand and a check of the pump electricity share.
Open calculatorHeat Loss (EN 13941)
Calculate the heat loss of buried pre-insulated pipes per trench metre — from nominal size, insulation series 1/2/3, supply and return temperature, laying depth and soil, including thermal coupling of supply and return.
Open calculatorLevelized Cost of Heat (VDI 2067)
Calculate annual costs and LCOH using the VDI 2067 annuity method — from investment, funding, discount rate, energy and operating costs, including price-dynamic energy costs and a breakdown by cost group.
Open calculatorBEW Operating Cost Subsidy (Heat Pump)
Calculate the subsidy rate and total under BEW Module 4 for central heat pumps — from SCOP and electricity supply (grid or direct renewable), with the annual subsidy and the total over the 10-year funding period.
Open calculatorWhat the calculators are for
The calculators cover typical questions in concept and preliminary design: Which nominal size does a pipe need for a given connection capacity and temperature spread? What pump head and electrical power does the network pump have to deliver? How high is the heat loss of a buried pre-insulated pipe per trench metre? What does the heat cost under the VDI 2067 annuity method, and which operating cost subsidy does a large heat pump receive under BEW Module 4?
They are based on the usual standards and guidelines — EN 253 for pipe dimensions, EN 13941 for heat losses, VDI 2067 for economics and the German BEW guideline for funding. The assumptions (fluid properties, guide values, simplifications) are listed below each calculator. All calculations run locally in your browser; entered values are neither transmitted nor stored.
The results are suitable for plausibility checks, variant comparisons and rough calculations of individual pipes or components. They do not replace a network calculation: simultaneity, network branching, part-load operation and time-varying temperatures are not covered. For a thermo-hydraulic simulation of the entire network over a full year, use VICUS Districts.