(52e) Implementation of Distributed Co-Simulation for Robust Design of Urban Energy Systems

Simulation can support an optimal design and operation strategy of multi-energy systems. One approach being co-simulation allows the use of dedicated software and tools for each subsystem.

Except for tools offering Functional Mock-up Interface (FMI) functionalities, there is no common standardized interface that can be used for the co-simulation of such multi-energy systems. Rather than trying to create new standards, the goal here is to create a robust and adaptable co-simulation platform, acting as a easily linkable backbone.

This presentation is the opportunity to show how we implemented a distributed multi-platform co-simulation using containerization concept and an orchestrator to link tools such as TRNSYS, EnergyPlus, Modelica, Matlab and Python based tools, with or without FMI.

Currently a lack of robust software implementation skills can lead to misused, unused or unmaintainable academic tools. The presented platform will enable non computer specialists to exploit the possibilities of co-simulation techniques while respecting standards for tool development that will make their contributions reusable by others and easily maintainable.

We will present the application of the co-simulation platform on a use case based on the city of Vevey (Switzerland) combining a low temperature district heating and cooling network with decentralized heat pumps, an electricity network with power to gas technologies and a gas powered combined heat and power production plant supplying a high temperature district heating network and compare the use of the distributed co-simulation platform with that of a classical monolithic simulation using Modelica.

This method is applied for the implementation of distributed multi-platform co-simulation for hybrid urban energy systems in the IntegrCiTy project funded by the ERA-NET Cofund Smart Cities and Communities.