The Influence of Heat Accumulators on the Performance Indicators Characterizing Joint Operation of a Boiler House and Windmill in the European North Coastal Regions.

An assessment of the wind potential in the western sector of Russia's arctic zone is given, which testifies that there is high wind intensity in the Barents Sea and White Sea coastal regions. According to the meteorological stations data, the annual average wind velocities in this zone are in the range from 5 to 8 m/s at a height of around 10 m, which is an obvious prerequisite for using windmills in the power and heat-supply systems of remotely located consumers in the north. Another important prerequisite is that there is a winter maximum of wind intensity, which coincides with the winter maximum of energy demand for space heating needs. This helps incorporate the wind energy into the space heating load schedule, decrease the heating boiler house operation time, and achieve essential fuel saving. Based on the results from synchronous observations of the outdoor air temperature and wind velocity in the Kola Peninsula's northern coast, which determine the heat consumption amounts, the annual heating load schedule of coastal consumers is considered, and the possible participation of a boiler house and windmills in covering this schedule is shown. Based on the study results, it has been evaluated whether it is feasible to supplement the heat-supply scheme with heat accumulators that can store energy surpluses in the strong wind periods and then produce them, in the periods of low wind power, for covering the heating load schedule, as necessary. The incorporation of heat accumulators makes it possible to utilize the wind energy to a fuller extent, to minimize its idle rejections, decrease the boiler house operation time, and achieve lower fuel consumption and operation costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]