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Title: Water Resources Research Program. District heating and cooling utilizing temperature differences of local waters. Preliminary feasibility study for the Chicago 21, South Loop New Town project

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/7286487· OSTI ID:7286487

This report examines the feasibility of cooling and heating buildings of Chicago's South Loop New Town (SLNT) project by using cool Lake Michigan water and warm water from Commonwealth Edison Company's Fisk Generating Station. Three systems are considered for the heating/cooling requirements of the SLNT project: conventional, conventional with lake-water cooling, and modular heat-pump systems. Characteristics of the source waters and institutional constraints to their use are also considered. The modular heat-pump system, using water-to-water heat pumps, is the most attractive type of system for the SLNT project both from an economic and an energy-savings point of view. The modular heat-pump system offers an initial reduction in both the required capital investment for the heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning (HVAC) system when compared to a conventional system and also a significant reduction in annual operating expenses. The heat-pump system, however, requires a significant additional capital investment for the water supply and return system. Even with this investment, the heat-pump system savings in annual operating expenses and reduced capital investment for the HVAC system could pay for the cost of the water supply and return system in less than five years. Added to the economic savings would be an energy savings equivalent of about 450,000 barrels of fuel oil per year when the modular heat-pump system is compared to a conventional system.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Lab., Ill. (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-31-109-ENG-3
OSTI ID:
7286487
Report Number(s):
ANL/WR-77-1
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English