Sea Water Air Conditioning (SWAC): A Resilient and Sustainable Cooling Solution for hot and humid climates - Energy Performance and Numerical Modeling

Sea Water Air Conditioning (SWAC) is a highly efficient alternative to conventional air conditioning that uses deep seawater as a cooling source (Free Cooling). There are three SWAC installations in the world dedicated to cooling production in real-operating conditions, all located in French Polynesia due to its suitable bathymetry for SWAC installations and the high cooling needs of tropical climate. These installations provide cooling for two hotel complexes and a hospital center respectively in Bora Bora, Tetiaroa, and Tahiti.
The efficiency of SWAC has been demonstrated through the experimental assessment of the Tetiaroa installation, which showed that its Coefficient of Performance (COP) can range from 20 to 150, depending on the length of the distribution loop. These experimental results can also allow an accurate validation of a numerical model designed to study various operating scenarios to optimize performance, reduce costs, and expand the technology to areas with less favorable bathymetry than French Polynesia.
The development of such a design tool model is a necessary step for improving future installations and providing an accurate estimation of the capital costs (CAPEX) and operating costs (OPEX), which would greatly accelerate the development of SWAC technology and its visibility worldwide. This article presents a comprehensive examination of the SWAC technology as a resilient cooling solution for tropical climate. It includes a numerical model created using EnergyPlus and Python plugins, along with its experimental validation using Tetiaroa measurements for an operating period of one month.