District Cooling Systems: A Practical Approach and Application for Design, Operations, and Best Practice

This book draws on the authors’ industry and academic expertise to explain the theory and practice of district cooling systems (DCS). The in-depth exploration of the design and development of DCS presents detailed best practices for their optimization in both the development and operation phases.

Readers will gain in-depth practical knowledge on all areas and considerations related to DCS technology's best practices, including current practical research areas and future potential research areas. This book addresses five areas related to DCS: the fundamentals of DCS technology, design optimization for development purposes, real-time optimization for daily operations, techno-commercial decision-making framework, and industry best practice. This information is presented through analyses of technological progress to date; case studies of current operations; and in-depth discussions of the theoretical bases and commercial, technical, and environmental benefits. Through this book, readers can recognize and apply best practices for the design, development, and operation of an optimal DCS design based on multiple factors including financial analysis, energy efficiency considerations, and practical operation issues. This will enable them to contribute to national and international sustainable development goals regarding sustainable cities and climate action.

As this book provides both industry know-how and future research directions related to DCS, it is invaluable for DCS industry professionals and advanced undergraduate and postgraduate engineering students who aim to enter this industry and develop leading, highly efficient DCS systems. Overall, it is a vital resource for anyone involved in the planning, execution, and management of DCS projects.

Khin Zaw is a Director and head of Energy-as-a-Service technology at Keppel Infrastructure, Singapore and is a leading figure in Singapore’s district cooling landscape. He was Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore from 2019 to 2023. He holds a Ph.D from the National University of Singapore and B.Eng Degree from Yangon Technological University.

Md Raisul Islam an Associate Professor at the National University of Singapore (NUS). He was awarded a research scholarship by NUS in 1998 to undertake a research project on the heat and mass transfer processes of air conditioning systems and was awarded a PhD degree. He is a Chartered Engineer.

Aung Myat is an Assistant Professor at Tennessee State University. He obtained his Bachelor’s degree from Yangong Technological University in 2004 and his Master’s and PhD from NUS in 2006 and 2012, respectively. He is also a Singapore Certified Energy Manager and a Chartered Engineer with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.

Poh Tiong Keng is an Executive Director in the Infrastructure Division at Keppel. He is a registered Professional Engineer in Singapore and holds an M.B.A. (Dean's List Recipient) and a Bachelor of Engineering (2nd Upper, Hons) from Nanyang Technological University of Singapore, and a Master of Science from National University of Singapore.

Er Aung Kywe Nyunt is a Senior Associate Director at Beca Carter Hollings & Ferner (S.E. Asia) Pte Ltd and has a three-decade career in engineering, procurement, and project management. He holds a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical) from the Yangon Institute of Technology and a Master of Science (Mechanical) from the National University of Singapore.