Network Capacity Assessment of Combined Heat and Power-Based Distributed Generation in Urban Energy Infrastructures

The growing penetration of distributed generation (DG) and use of combined heat and power (CHP) techniques have made electrical distribution systems and water distribution systems increasingly interdependent. This paper proposes an integrated dispatch model that offers a generalized means for determining the potential accommodated DG capacity along with appropriate DG sitting for given urban electricity and water system configurations. The AC optimal power flow (ACOPF)-based system model was developed for each phase of a modified electrical distribution test feeder. A corresponding water distribution system was then designed with its mathematical model developed. A mathematical model of the CHP-based DG system was also developed to couple the electricity and water systems. Results indicate the optimal DG capacity and its optimal sitting based on urban electricity and water infrastructures. The present water network cannot support the complete recovery of the exhaust heat. The mutual impacts on operational performances of CHP-based DG units and urban energy infrastructures were also investigated.