Presentation of PipingTool

Name	PipingTool
Version	3.0
Authors	MEUNIER G., KUMMERT M.
Licence	MIT
Last update	October 2026
Documentation	Wiki

A tool for sizing and aggregating pipes in thermal networks for three different topologies.

1.1 Overview

PipingTool employs a network formalism inspired by directed graph theory and uses CSV files containing buildings/units load data to size all pipes for three levels of topological accuracy. Following figure provides an overview of the methodology used by this tool.

This package have built-in functions for doing

1. Defining the network using built-in functions based on graph theory.
2. Selecting pipes from a database ¹ that satisfy pressure loss constraints (this yields the sizing data for the network’s detailed topology).
3. Agregating network using simplification method based on the calculation of an equivalent node and segment that preserves the sum of loads, pressure drops, and fluid volume.
4. Agregating network using reduction method based on two well-known algorithms for network aggregation: the tree-collapsing algorithm and the Danish method algorithm (Well described by Larsen H. et al²).
5. Visualization of network topologies.
6. Build loads for each network clusters
7. Export results for pipe characteristics and cluster loads as CSV files.

See section for methodological details and code documentation.

1.2 Example of network

The following figure shows an exemple of a real network and its two equivalent network for the reduced method and the simplified method proposed in PipingTool.

See section for a step-by-step tutorial on how to use the package for this example network.

Footnotes

1. Nussbaumer et al., Handbook on Planning of District Heating Networks. ↩

2. Larsen et al., « Aggregated dynamic simulation model of district heating networks ». ↩