PhD Thesis - Energy Systems Research Unit - University of Strathclyde

Before going forward for use in the matching procedure, the fuel availability
profiles are chosen using the window shown in Figure 4.8, and are changed from
being an amount of fuel available in kW, litres/h or kg/h, to an amount available
for each timestep interval (kWh, litres or kg, per timestep interval). This is done
by dividing the fuel produced per hour figure by the number of timesteps per
hour (equal to 2 when looking at half-hourly intervals).
The flow chart in Figure 4.15 represents the matching procedure. A number of
different demands, intermittent supplies and load following supplies are chosen
for matching by pressing their relevant buttons on the matching window (see
Figure 4.10). When the ‘Get Match’ button is pressed, the chosen equivalent
demands are added together, along with any demands required by the fuel
supply process. Transport demands are not added together, but are taken
through separately. The chosen equivalent intermittent supply and fuel supply
profiles are also added together. The supplies of electricity, heat and hot water
are then subtracted from their relevant demands in order to produce a profile of
residual demand and excess supply. If there are no load following supplies, the
supply and demand graphs and residual and excess graphs are drawn.
If load following supplies have been chosen, if more than one transport demand
has been chosen, the windows shown in Figure 4.14 appear to allow the user to
link each demand with the relevant vehicle. Each chosen load following supply
is then considered in the order in which it was chosen, and the output of each of
these technologies is predicted by applying the residual demands, excess
supplies, fuel availabilities, and defined plant parameters to the appropriate
algorithm (as described in Chapter 5). Only the appropriate transport demand is
considered for each vehicle as necessary. Each algorithm returns amended
residual demand, excess supply, and fuel availability information for use in the
next supply, and this process is repeated for each chosen load following supply
in order. Each time fuel is used, it is subtracted from the amount of fuel
available at that particular timestep. If there is not enough fuel available, the
demand that can be satisfied with the available fuel is calculated by the supply
algorithm and the user is alerted that there is not enough fuel to run the plant at
the desired capacity. If there is some fuel remaining after all supplies have been
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