Daikin Delivers High-Performance Cooling for CERN’s High-Luminosity LHC Project
Daikin has recently supplied eight water-cooled chiller units to CERN, delivering essential cooling for the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (LHC) project. This initiative aims to significantly enhance the performance of the LHC, increasing its potential for ground-breaking discoveries from 2029 onwards.
Enhancing CERN’s LHC for Future Discoveries
The High-Luminosity LHC project is designed to boost the integrated luminosity of the collider by a factor of ten beyond its original design. This upgrade will allow researchers to collect a far greater quantity of data and observe rare particle interactions, further advancing our understanding of fundamental physics.
Cooling Solutions Supplied by Daikin
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Total Cooling Capacity: 3.8 MW
About the Large Hadron Collider (LHC)
The LHC is the most powerful particle accelerator ever built. It is located 100 metres underground at CERN, the European Laboratory for Particle Physics, situated on the Franco-Swiss border near Geneva. The 27 km-long accelerator is used to boost beams of particles to high energy levels before colliding them. These collisions provide physicists with crucial insights into particle interactions and the fundamental laws of nature.
To enhance performance, the project aims to increase luminosity, a key measure of an accelerator’s effectiveness. Luminosity is directly linked to the number of particle collisions occurring within a given timeframe, enabling scientists to gather more detailed experimental data.
The Challenge: Managing Increased Heat Output
Higher power levels mean increased data generation, but they also result in significantly higher heat output. Effective cooling is essential to ensure the reliability and longevity of the equipment used in the High-Luminosity LHC experiments.
CERN required a cooling solution that could:
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Deliver precise temperature control at a large scale
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Provide absolute reliability to support continuous operation
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Offer energy-efficient performance, crucial in today’s high-cost energy market
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Comply with environmental regulations and sustainability targets
Daikin’s High-Efficiency Cooling Solution
To meet CERN’s stringent requirements, Daikin supplied water-cooled screw inverter chillers featuring low Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerants. The combination of Daikin VZ and J Series chillers was an ideal fit, leveraging Daikin’s proprietary Single Screw Compressor technology to deliver exceptional energy efficiency and reliability.
Key Features of Daikin’s Solution:
- Advanced energy efficiency – Reducing operational costs and carbon footprint
- Low-GWP refrigerants – Using HFO R-1234ze and R-513A to minimise environmental impact
- Compact footprint – High performance in a space-saving design
- Enhanced reliability – Optimised screw compressor technology for long-term durability
Innovative Daikin Screw Compressor Technology
Unlike standard screw compressors, Daikin’s single screw compressor features one main screw meshing with twin star rotors, ensuring volume-matching compression. This design provides multiple benefits:
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Longer lifespan – The main rotor is balanced both radially and axially, reducing wear on bearings and extending operational longevity.
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Higher reliability – With only three moving parts, failure risk is minimised, and maintenance costs are kept low.
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Optimised for low-GWP refrigerants – The redesigned screw profile maximises efficiency while using environmentally friendly refrigerants.
A Proven Track Record in High-Performance Cooling
Daikin has a long history of leadership in single screw compressor technology, with its chillers installed worldwide for over 20 years. CERN’s decision to implement Daikin’s advanced cooling systems further reinforces the company’s reputation for delivering cutting-edge, sustainable HVAC solutions.
By supporting the High-Luminosity LHC project, Daikin is contributing to one of the most significant advancements in modern physics while demonstrating its commitment to energy efficiency, reliability, and environmental responsibility.
The Daikin screw compressor is renowned for its efficiency. Unlike standard screw compressors, it features a single main screw that meshes with twin star rotors, ensuring a volume-matching compression cycle.
The main rotor is balanced both radially and axially, enhancing the bearing’s reliability and significantly extending the compressor’s lifespan compared to conventional screw compressors.
Additionally, with only three moving parts, the risk of failure is minimised, leading to lower maintenance costs and improved operational efficiency.
Frequently Asked Questions
Daikin's chillers utilise advanced single screw compressor technology and low Global Warming Potential (GWP) refrigerants, delivering high energy efficiency and aligning with CERN's environmental sustainability goals.
The High-Luminosity LHC plan is an upgrade to the existing collider, aiming to increase luminosity tenfold, allowing scientists to observe more particle interactions and gather extensive experimental data from 2029 onwardsany
The HL-LHC is an upgraded version of the original Large Hadron Collider, designed to increase its luminosity by a factor of ten. This enhancement will allow scientists to collect more data and observe rare particle interactions.