Systematic Design and Techno-Economic Evaluation of Advanced Heat-to-Cooling Systems for Upgrading the Qatari Cooling Infrastructure (COOLUP)
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abstract
Qatar has a dry, subtropical desert climate, and intensely hot and humid summers. There are two systems of air conditioning and cooling in Qatar, the stand-alone cooling system (e.g., for a building or a commercial place) and the centralized production and distribution of cold water, known as the district cooling system. District cooling (DC) chills the water needed for air conditioning in a central plant then uses it to facilitate air conditioning of several buildings or an entire development. For example, the Pearl-Qatar DC plant constructed by the Qatar Cool Company, supplies 130,000 tons-cooling to the Islandâ s 45,000 residents. Another example of DC at Qatar, is at the newest planned city in Qatar, the Lusail city, which will be hosting the opening and final matches of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The 19 districts of Lusail City will include new residential, commercial, hospitality, and retail opportunities and also a complete array of community needs. Marafeq Qatar, our industrial sponsor, is in the process of constructing multiple DC plants, at the Lusail city, with a capacity of 500,000 Tons of Refrigeration, by 2030. This will be one of the largest district cooling systems in the world. The current DC plants in Qatar is fully served by the conventional electric-driven-vapor-compression systems. Air conditioning in Qatar, including the DC, accounts for more than 70% of the country-generated electricity. Qatar General Electricity & Water Corporation (KAHRAMAA) is the main supplier for electricity in Qatar, it is a government organization. The electricity, supplied by KAHRAMA, is mainly generated in natural gas-fired power stations with an efficiency around 40% (i.e., 60% of the used natural gas energy, to generate electricity for air-conditioning in Qatar, is nearly wasted). In recent years, worldwide, dual and triple Absorption Refrigeration (ABR) Chillers have emerged as a â greenerâ alternative to electric-driven-vapor-compression systems. The ABR directly use the natural gas or waste heat to fire the absorption refrigeration cycle, which results in a major improvement in the overall energy efficiency of the DC and/or power plants.........
