Geothermal function integration in ice rinks with CO2 refrigeration system

Sammanfattning: Ice rinks are energy intense industrial applications. A typical single sheet ice rink in Sweden uses about 1000 MWh/season. A state-of-the art ice rink systems can use less than 500 MWh/season, indicating the potential for improvements. According to several investigations CO2 refrigeration system with heat recovery has proven to be energy-efficient and cost-effective solution in ice rinks.To further improve the efficiency, geothermal function may be added feature. The objective of this study is to evaluate the geothermal function from techno-economic perspective for a typical ice rink in Sweden. Modelling of several scenarios has been performed. Obtained results suggest that CO2 refrigeration system with 2-stage heat recovery, if upgraded with geothermal function, can save between 1.7 to 6.8% of energy annually. In the best case, this study suggests the geothermal function would pay back in 16.4 years.