Opened in November 2016, Icehotel, located in Jukkasjärvi in northern Sweden, uses an Advansor CO2 transcritical refrigeration system to maintain a 2000 m2 cold room.
Feedback received so far has been positive, according to Denmark-based system manufacturer Advansor, which stated in a press release that the “cold rooms are available all year and the racks run smoothly, making the project a huge success”.
The temperature inside the hotel is maintained at -5°C (23°F) all year round. The refrigeration unit keeps Icehotel cold during the summer.
The project was completed with help from Swedish installer TEO-Kyl Hässleholm using two Advansor water-cooled compSUPER XS 2×0 VP racks with heat recovery.
The racks are connected to a brine system that cools the roof of the cold-room. A snow/water mix is also sprayed inside the hotel to create a snow cave effect.
The installation has an overall cooling capacity of 70 kW, with possible heat recovery of 50 kW.
The heat recovery system provides the hotel showers with 2,000 litres of hot water, which is also used in 10 suites fitted with jacuzzis.
“According to our calculations, Icehotel will reduce its total energy requirements. This is because our solar cells take advantage of the nearly continuous daylight during the summer months.”
Yngve Bergqvist, founder and creator of Icehotel.
In summer, the hotel employs solar energy to benefit from the 100 days of constant daylight experienced in northern Sweden. It is located some 200 km north of the Arctic Circle where the sun never sets during summer.
“According to our calculations, Icehotel will reduce its total energy requirements. This is because our solar cells take advantage of the nearly continuous daylight during the summer months,” said Yngve Bergqvist, founder and creator of Icehotel.
“Consequently, we’ll be able to produce roughly 75 kilowatts from April to September, which gives us an energy surplus that we can use to run our existing buildings, like our restaurants, offices and warm rooms.”
