Deep below scenic Lake Ontario’s surface is Toronto’s most valuable source of renewable energy — cold, cold water.
Traditional commercial water-cooling systems often involve towers that evaporate water as a means of expelling heat. Deep Lake Water Cooling System (DLWC) avoids that evaporation, and Enwave estimates that the Toronto system saves roughly 220 million gallons of water annually — equivalent to 350 Olympic-sized swimming pools.
How does the DLWC system bring so much energy savings to Toronto?
1. Intake pipes extend 5 kilometers into Lake Ontario.
2. The pipes draw water from a depth of 83 meters.
3. Cold water is pumped to the Island Filtration Plant operated by Toronto Water.
○ The water moves itself through these pipes using relatively little energy.
○ These 3 massive pipes are situated about half a mile distant from each other.
○ A fourth pipe is in the planning stage. When installed, it could add up to 60% more capacity.
4. The cold water is treated for use as drinking water before it’s conveyed to a pumping station.
5. Large heat exchangers — rather than energy-intensive air conditioners and chillers — transfer thermal energy between two systems.
6. Heat exchangers transfer heat, or coolness, between water loops and are located where those water loops meet — at each customer site and where the lake water pipes meet the city pipes.
7. Water identified for potable city needs is minimally heated.
8. The water supplied to downtown buildings to substitute for traditional air conditioning is chilled.
9. Once the lake water makes it to the city, the DLWC system operates via a series of water loops.
○ One loop moves the lake water;
○ Another loop moves water within the downtown area; and,
○ Loops in each building interact with the system serves.
10. After the chilled water has circulated through and cooled the buildings, Enwave recycles the heat, returning the warm water to the pumping station to repeat the process…
Read more at https://cleantechnica.com/2021/12/06/what-is-the-worlds-largest-deep-lake-water-cooling-system-like/
*Source: https://www.enwave.com/resources/what-is-the-worlds-largest-deep-lake-water-cooling-system-like/
