Conventional heating networks are to be transformed into highly efficient heating and cooling networks by integrating a new type of exergy transformer

Solutions developed

The project upgrades the heating network by integrating new exergy transformers at transfer stations, driven by district heating. These transformers provide cooling, simultaneous heating and cooling, and minimize network losses. Technologies include absorption and ejector technology, offering novel thermally driven processes. With expertise from FH Burgenland, TB Beckmann, and Wien Energie, system solutions are developed and simulated for ExTra, evaluating economic and ecological integration into heating and cooling networks.

Main results

In its current climate and energy strategy, the Austrian federal government has set itself the goal of significantly reducing Austria’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2030. In order to achieve this goal, the energy demand of buildings must be significantly reduced and sustainably covered – highly efficient district heating and cooling is to replace conventional grids here. The project ExTra – ExergieTrafos for heating and air-conditioning by district heating focuses precisely on this challenge and sheds light on the potential of the promising coupling element power-cooling-coupling in relation to an urban energy network (cooling, heating, electricity).