The Technical University of Denmark (DTU) in Lyngby has 100 buildings, 6,500 students and 2,700 employees. The university has a host of experimental facilities on campus, such as server rooms with IT equipment – including Denmark’s fastest super-computer – and a processing plant for the laboratories. This generates a high level of demand for cooling, and ALECTIA delivers consultancy services for an extensive district cooling project.

District cooling is based on the same principles as district heating. The cooling effect is produced in one or more central cooling stations and distributed via water through a pipe system to the connected buildings. Over time a total of 8.2 km of key supply lines will be set up, which will provide a cooling effect equivalent to approximately 35,000 household refrigerators.

Instead of phasing out the approximately 150 local cooling plants one by one, DTU has decided to replace them with one single, new energy-efficient solution. At the same time, DTU is on the front line of phasing-out existing Freon cooling systems, as required by law. Instead, DTU wants to use natural coolants, which are far better for the environment.

This solution will give DTU a centralised, climate-friendly district cooling that will provide much greater operational reliability, save 1,000 tonnes of CO2 per year and up to 50% off their energy bill. The savings on their electricity usage will be between DKK 1-1.2 million per year. In addition, DTU will also get a solution that is easy to expand in the future, if needed.

Advantages of district cooling

• Saves CO2
• Reduces energy costs
• Replaces freon-based cooling systems
• One, centralised district cooling plant is much more efficient and stable (just like district heating)
• Limits noise and the need for space
• Lower fees for service and maintenance compared to many small local systems
• High supply reliability
• Long-term investment

Denmark’s fastest super-computer
In October 2009, DTU unveiled their new super-computer, Niflheim, which can carry out 45 billion (45,000,000,000,000) calculations per second and will be used to develop technologies for future sustainable energy supplies.

ALECTIA has a lot of experience setting up server rooms and has provided consultancy services for the design and planning of installations, including cooling, electricity and safety systems. DTU’s new district cooling system will also provide cooling for the server room for the new super-computer and ensure that it runs under optimal conditions.