Natalia Kozlowska has presented a research paper entitled "Optimizing a Multi-Vector Energy System with Geothermal-Powered District Heating" at The 19th International Symposium on District Heating and Cooling, September 2025.
This work proposes a methodology for the preliminary design of multi-vector energy systems, enabling the identification of an economically optimal energy mix that combines centralized and decentralized technologies supported by a low-temperature district heating network. The geothermal heat pump system supplying the network accounts for natural ground regeneration during heat extraction, thereby preventing borehole freezing and preserving system efficiency. Nonlinear pipe investment costs for the district heating network are approximated using a piecewise linear formulation, allowing pipe sizing to reflect the optimal balance between building-scale and district-scale system designs. The resulting optimization problem is formulated as a mixed-integer linear programming model, enabling the evaluation of multi-scale solutions while considering multiple technologies and ground-related constraints.
First place for OPULOX-1 at the AIAA Graduate Team Aircraft Design Competition, 3rd place (ex æquo) for LIFT and Infinity jet.
