Abstract
District cooling systems (DCSs) are networks able to distribute thermal energy, usually as chilled water, from a central source to industrial, commercial, and residential consumers, to be used for space cooling/dehumidification. As cooling demand will increase significantly in the next decades, DCSs can be seen as efficient solutions to improve sustainability. Although DCSs are considered so relevant for new city developments, there are still many technical, economic, and social issues to be overcome to let such systems to spread out. Thus, this paper aims to highlight the advantages and issues linked to the adoption of DCSs for building cooling when cold is recovered from a specific application. A case study based on liquified natural gas (LNG) cold energy recovery from the transport sector is presented. Starting from the estimation of the free cooling availability, a DCS design method is proposed and the potential energy saving is investigated. Results show that a DCS using the cold waste derived from LNG can provide a relevant amount of electricity saving (about 60%) for space cooling compared to traditional solutions, in which standard air conditioning systems are installed in every building.
Highlights
Buildings are responsible for about 40% of worldwide energy use [1], and their cooling demand is increasing
Geothermal and biomass waste energy are not as used as in district heating systems because of poor efficiencies due to energy conversion [13], liquefied natural gas (LNG) is in this study considered as a suitable source for District cooling systems (DCSs)
The simulation results of the coupling between the DCS and the L–compressed natural gas (CNG) vaporizer
Summary
Buildings are responsible for about 40% of worldwide energy use [1], and their cooling demand is increasing. In European Union (EU) countries the cooling demand will increase of almost 60% in 2030 respect to nowadays [3,4]. These statistics are even more valid in regions with tropical climates [5]. RESs such as wind and solar energy are intermittent, they cannot be controlled and predicted. For this reason, it is harder and harder to keep the balance between generation and use of electricity, with an associated increasing risk of black-outs
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