Heat network Modelling and Simulation

Stories ​​​​​​​Systems Engineering ​​​​​​​DYMOLA ​​​​​​​3DEXPERIENCE CATIA ​​​​​​​

In the course of the ModeliScale R&D collaborative project, a French consortium (8 partners) is working within a common workplan together with Dassault Systemes (leader).

The topics is to address very large scale and multi mode energy systems, to be modelled then simulated with Modelica technology.


Challenges are multiple: 

  • to handle large scale multi physics models that represent the behavior of these systems
  • to enable the proper handling of multi modes (needed eg. for switch between sub systems, controlling systems, change to degraded, taking the physical changes such as phases)
  • to ensure the proper initialization (states) of these models.


Illustration of ModeliScale cases - (c) Dassault Systemes


Dassault Systemes technology used are in CATIA systems engineering;  and more precisely to Dymola technology which proposes the most advanced implementation of Modelica language.


Several industrial case studies are used to define the needs and to demonstrate the capability of tools involved along the project progress. These studies address the energy grid from production to transport, storage and consumption, in multiple multi physics approaches; in multiple areas at the level of cities.


Hereafter a demonstrator of the evolution of a heat network study, done through 3DEXPERIENCE, together with DPS & ENGIE Cylergie.

The study is based on a scenario extension of adding a sub station in an existing city network. Several activities are performed from the needs management  to 2D architecture update, and 3D DMU design and insertion  with new behavior simulation. 


Heat Network evolution - Demonstrator video - ModeliScale project
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More information about the project : ModeliScale project pages 


This work was partially funded and supported by BPIFrance and Region Ile de France through the French FUI ModeliScale research project.


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