Automated Generation and Multi-Level Validation of District Heating Network Models

This paper presents a novel automated workflow for the generation of validated digital models of district heating networks to support the decarbonization of urban heating systems. While highresolution models are essential for optimizing urban heating, synthetic models can serve for planning of future heat grids. As such, synthetic network models constitute a central planning instrument for the heat transition, enabling the design and strategic assessment of future heat grid topologies before costly infrastructure investments are made. However, a significant gap remains between simplified synthetic models and computationally expensive full-scale simulations. To address this challenge, this paper presents an automated workflow that translates GIS data into Modelica models using comparative optimization algorithms for topology generation and automated hydraulic sizing. The framework’s accuracy is proven through a rigorous three-level validation procedere using real-world data from the KIT Campus Nord (Germany), evaluating physical consumer behavior, topological fidelity, and computational efficiency. Through diagnostic simulations of network deficits, the present paper demonstrates that the proposed method achieves a critical balance between efficiency and physical accuracy. ... mehrThis framework provides a scalable tool for the rapid sensitivity analysis and optimization of urban heat networks, essential for the transition toward sustainable smart city infrastructures.