How District Cooling Impact The Development of Smart Cities?

 

The rapid advancement of information and communication technologies has influenced many aspects of daily life, including how we work, spend our leisure time, do business, and travel. All of these trends have influenced and will continue to influence the growth of so-called "smart cities." New issues are emerging, such as constant population expansion in major cities combined with global warming as a result of climate change. To address these issues, more effort will be put into improving the efficiency of critical services such as water and energy delivery. In order to properly approach the cooling requirements of residents in the future, a holistic approach will be required. 

District cooling in residential areas

District Cooling Energy System centralizes the production and distribution of cooling energy in a neighbourhood or a district. The creation of smart district cooling systems aims to improve energy demand management and use. The development of digital products and technologies has been critical in the evolution of domestic energy management. Furthermore, the use of modern technologies such as the Internet and digital solutions has an impact on the optimization of thermal energy resources in temperature metres and chiller substations. 

Using local resources such as sea or lake water (free cooling) or combining diverse renewable energy sources, depending on local conditions and user needs, is one way now employed in district cooling systems. New equipment, on the other hand, is being tested and implemented to reduce energy consumption and water usage. 

Integrating renewable resources makes the water-cooled air conditioning system more eco-friendly.  Some districts in the United Arab Emirates, notably in Dubai, have already built their first smart district cooling networks, marking a significant step in the future of district cooling.

Smart District Cooling: Using New Technologies to Improve Performance

Efforts have been made in various areas of research and development (R&D) related to smart district cooling in recent years, including the development of new materials for components and technologies, evolution in supply and distribution system management, ICT applied to smart metering, and new urban planning solutions, to name a few.

More specifically, smart district cooling networks will manage supply needs by making use of new innovations such as adsorption or absorption chillers, as well as appropriate control systems utilising information treatment via two-way telecommunication networks and other smart components. Those systems will be capable of balancing the heating and cooling available, taking into account the availability of stored energy, residual cooling streams, and power generation. Furthermore, current advancements in AI and machine learning, as well as big data management, are paving the way for new initiatives and pilot tests aimed at capturing waste heat and cool streams from industries. private consumers and municipal facilities as energy sources to improve district cooling efficiency. Among other new technologies and innovations, absorption chillers, microgrids, and artificial intelligence systems will provide the necessary optimization to achieve new district cooling infrastructures for smart city models.

Conclusion

When compared to traditional air-conditioning systems, Smart District Cooling is a more energy-efficient option, saving up to 35 percent. It reduces carbon footprint by improving energy efficiency and lowering emissions by using environmentally friendly chilled water instead of harmful ozone-depleting refrigerants.