UAE-based National Central Cooling Company (Tabreed) and the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, a part of the Khalifa University of Science and Technology, have announced the successful completion of a three-year research and development (R&D) pilot project to deliver energy efficiency through enhancing operational performance in district cooling plants.

A leading regional district cooling utility company, Tabreed said the project, called ‘Optimal Chiller Plant Control’, was aimed at developing and operating a proprietary next-generation digital ‘smart controller’ capable of intelligently managing district cooling plants to improve operational performance by decreasing energy consumption.

The pilot project, conducted at Tabreed’s plant in Mohammed bin Zayed City, Abu Dhabi, created
a prototype for an optimal control system which was implemented following various testing
phases.

CEO Jasim Thabet said: "We are delighted with the results of the pilot project conducted with the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology. Partnering with such forward-thinking organisation reflects our commitment to innovation and to deliver on the country and region’s energy efficiency goals."

"We believe that breakthrough innovation such as this smart model will set new standards in performance, energy and operational efficiency and deliver the energy reductions required for the region’s sustainable development," he added.

Dr. Steve Griffiths, the vice-president for research and interim associate provost, Masdar Institute,
and interim executive vice-president for Research at Khalifa University of Science and Technology, said: “Research and innovation for advanced cooling technologies is a priority for the Masdar Institute. However, the innovation achieved in this work would not have been possible without strong collaboration from a leading organization such as Tabreed."

Tabreed and Masdar Institute successfully developed a prototype digital module that was integrated with the district cooling plants’ control system to measure key external variables that impact the operational efficiencies of the plant, such as flow and temperatures of chilled water supply and return, outside temperature and humidity levels.

The system then automatically decides at what capacity major equipment such as chillers, water pumps and cooling towers need to operate to meet customers’ cooling requirements in the most economical and energy efficient way.

"We are very proud of this demonstration of academic and industry collaboration that provides tangible impact for the UAE’s most pressing demand-side energy challenge," he added.

Dr Peter Armstrong, the associate professor of mechanical engineering at Masdar Institute, was the
principal investigator for the project.

On the success of the pilot project, Dr Armstrong said: "The successful demonstration and positive results of the optimised chiller control system is a critical project milestone for cost-effective, energy-efficient and environmentally sustainable district cooling plants across the UAE and region."

"The models embedded in our optimal control system can also help to identify faults, such as
refrigerant loss, fouling of heat exchangers, and problems with cooling tower packing or water
distribution," he added.-TradeArabia News Service