Sommer Tobias HSLU T&A

Tobias Sommer Tobias Sommer

Senior Research Associate

Sommer Tobias HSLU T&A

Lucerne School of Engineering and Architecture

Room C5
Technikumstrasse 21
6048 Horw


Institute of Building Technology and Energy IGE

Center for Integrated Building Technology

Senior Research Associate

+41 41 349 38 47

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Biography

Mr. Tobias Sommer obtained his university degree in physics from the University of Heidelberg and his PhD in Environmental System Sciences from ETH Zurich. For his doctoral thesis, he was awarded the ETH medal in 2014.

From 2014 to 2016, Mr Sommer worked as a PostDoc at Eawag (Kastanienbaum) and as a lecturer of physics at the Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts.

Since 2017, Mr Sommer is project manager of the NODES-Lab at the Zentrum für Integrale Gebäudetechik (ZIG).

Mr Sommer is interested in physical processes in water, from mixing in lakes to hydraulics in thermal networks. He works at the interface of experiments, theory and modelling.

Professional competencies
  • Hydraulics and Fluid Mechanics
  • Thermal networks for district heating and cooling
  • District heating and cooling
  • Heat pumps
  • Lecturer of Mathematics and Physics
  • Dozent Mathematik und Physik

Project Manager NODES-Lab

The NODES Lab is a lab for district heating and cooling networks to develop, test and validate new hydraulic and thermal concepts for thermal networks.

Projects

Research projects

  • SCCER FEEB&D Work Package 2 (WP2) «Renewable Energy Systems from Building to District»
  • Dezentrale Stationen für Niedertemperaturnetze
  • IGE Innovationswettbewerb 2019
  • Variable Expansion
  • Swiss Competence Center for Energy Research, Future Energy Efficient Buildings and Districts (SCCER-FEEB&D)
  • Future Energy Efficient Buildings & Districts (FEEB&D)
  • Phase-change dispersions
  • NODES - PIM

Publications and presentations

Publications and presentations - Article, review; peer reviewed

  • Sommer, Tobias; Sulzer, Matthias; Wetter, Michael; Sotnikov, Artem; Mennel, Stefan & Stettler, Christoph (2020). The reservoir network: A new network topology for district heating and cooling. Energy, 2020, 117418. doi: 10.1016/j.energy.2020.117418
  • Sommer, Tobias; Sulzer, Matthias; Wetter, Michael; Sotnikov, Artem; Mennel, Stefan & Stettler, Christoph (2019). The reservoir network : A new network topology for district heating and cooling. Energy Journal, submitted.
  • Sommer, Tobias; Mennel, Stefan & Sulzer, Matthias (2019). Lowering the pressure in district heating and cooling networks by alternating the connection of the expansion vessel. Energy, 2019, 991-996. doi: 10.1016/j.energy.2019.02.010
  • Stettler, Christoph; Schluck, Thomas; Sulzer, Matthias; Mennel, Stefan & Sommer, Tobias (2019). Electricity Consumption of Heat Pumps in Thermal Networks depends on Network Topology. Building Simulation Rome 2019, 2018, 1.
  • Sotnikov, Artem; Sandmeier, Ernst Peter; Sulzer, Matthias; Sergi, Thomas; Mennel, Stefan & Sommer, Tobias (2019). Thermal stability and heat transfer in the reservoir low temperature network. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 2019, 1343.
  • Sommer, Tobias; Sotnikov, Artem; Sandmeier, Ernst Peter; Stettler, Christoph; Mennel, Stefan & Sulzer, Matthias (2019). Optimization of low-temperature networks by new hydraulic concepts. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 1343(012112),
  • Sulzer, Matthias; Sotnikov, Artem & Sommer, Tobias (2018). Reservoir-Niedertemperatur Netztopologie für die Vermaschung von thermischen Netzen. 20. brenet Status-Seminar, Tagungsband, 390-401.
  • Sommer, Tobias; Berg, Jasmine; Constantinecu, George; Danza, Franceso; Schubert, C.J.; Sengupta, Anupam; Sepulveda Steiner, Oscar; Tokyay, Talia; Tonolla, Mauro & Wüest, Alfred (2017). Bacteria-induced mixing in natural waters. Geophysical Research Letters, 2017(44), 9424-9432. doi: 10.1002/2017GL074868
  • Sommer, Tobias; Toffolon, Marco & Wüest, Alfred (2015). Minimal model for double diffusion and its application to Kivu, Nyos, and Powell Lake. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 2015(120), 6202-6224. doi: 10.1002/2015JC010970
  • Sommer, Tobias; Pawlovicz, R.; Scheifele, B. & Wüest, A. (2014). Double diffusion in saline Powell Lake, British Columbia. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 2014(44), 2893-2908. doi: 10.1175/JPO-D-14-0070.1
  • Sommer, Tobias; Carpenter, J.R.; Lueck, R.G.; Schmid, Martin & Wüest, Alfred (2013). Revisiting microstructure sensor responses with implications for double-diffusive fluxes. Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology, 2013(8), 1907-1923. doi: 10.1175/JTECH-D-12-00272.1
  • Sommer, Tobias; Carpenter, J.R.; Lueck, R.G.; Schmid, Martin; Schurter, Michael & Wüest, Alfred (2013). Interface structure and flux laws in a natural double-diffusive layering. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 2013(118), 6092. doi: 10.1002/2013JC009166
  • Sommer, Tobias; Carpenter, J.R. & Wüest, Alfred (2012). Stability of a double-diffusive interface in the diffusive convection regime. Journal of Physical Oceanography, 2012(5), 840. doi: 10.1175/JPO-D-11-0118.1
  • Sommer, Tobias; Carpenter, J.R. & Wüest, Alfred (2012). Simulations of a double-diffusive interface in the diffusive convection regime. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 2012(711), 411. doi: 10.1017/ jfm.2012.399
  • Sommer, Tobias; Buxmann, J.; Neary, T.; O'Dowd, C.; Pöhler, D.; Platt, U.; Seitz, Katja; Sommer, T. & Tschritter, J. (2010). The spatial distribution of the reactive iodine species IO from simultaneous active and passive DOAS observations. Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 2010(5), 2117-2128.

Publications and presentations - Article, review; not peer reviewed

  • Sommer, Tobias (10.2.2019). Hydraulik in Niedertemperaturnetzen. Haustech, 14.

Publications and presentations - Chapter/legal commentary/lexicon article

  • Sommer, Tobias; Carpenter, J.R.; Schmid, Martin & Wüest, Alfred (2012). Diffusive-type of double diffusion in lakes - a review. In Rodi, W. and Uhlmann, M. (Hrsg.), Environmental Fluid Mechanics: Memorial Volume in Honour of Prof. Gerhard H. Jirka, IAHR Monograph (S. 271-284). Karlsruhe: CRC Press / Taylor & Francis Group.

Publications and presentations - Theses (Bachelor/Master/Dissertation/Habilitation)

  • Sommer, Tobias (2013). Double Diffusion in Lake Kivu. Dissertation, ETH Zürich, Schweiz.

Publications and presentations - Presentation (conference/report/lectures)

  • Sommer, Tobias (16.01.2020). Thermische Netze in Modellen und im Labor. BauSim 2020, Basel.
  • Sulzer, Matthias; Sotnikov, Artem & Sommer, Tobias (19.09.2019). Reservoir-Niedertemperatur Netztopologie für die Vermaschung von thermischen Netzen. brenet, Zürich.
  • Sommer, Tobias (10.09.2019). The reservoir low temperature network: A new topology for simultaneous heating and cooling. Smart Energy Systems Conference Copenhagen, Copenhagen.
  • Sommer, Tobias; Mennel, Stefan; Sandmeier, Ernst Peter; Sotnikov, Artem; Stettler, Christoph & Sulzer, Matthias (04.09.2019). Optimization of low-temperature networks by new hydraulic concepts. Cisbat Konferenz 2019, Lausanne, Lausanne.
  • Sommer, Tobias; Mennel, Stefan & Sulzer, Matthias (21.03.2019). Klick klack – Druckreduktion leicht gemacht. Planerseminar, Hochschule Luzern.
  • Sommer, Tobias; Mennel, Stefan & Sulzer, Matthias (13.11.2018). Lowering the pressure in district heating and cooling networks by alternating the connection of the expansion vessel. 4th International Conference on Smart Energy Systems and 4th Generation District Heating, Aalborg.
  • Sommer, Tobias; Mennel, Stefan & Sulzer, Matthias (03.10.2018). Pressure reduction in hydraulic systems. International Sustainable Energy Conference - ISEC 2018, Graz.
  • Sotnikov, Artem; Schluck, Thomas; Sommer, Tobias & Stettler, Christoph (03.10.2018). Hydraulic Simulations of Low Temperature Networks. International Sustainable Energy Conference – ISEC 2018, Graz, Austria.

Achievements

    • Sommer, Tobias; Mennel, Stefan; Provini, Markus & Sulzer, Matthias (20.03.2018). Selbsttätiges Dreiwegventil zum Anschluss eines Ausdehnungsgefässes in einem Fernwärmenetz und ein Fernwärmenetz mit einem solchen Ventil No. CH 714273 A1. Schweiz, Liechtenstein: Eidgenössisches Institut für geistiges Eigentum.

    • Sommer, Tobias (14.03.2014). ETH Medaille für Doktorarbeit.

Achievements - Patent

  • Sommer, Tobias; Mennel, Stefan; Provini, Markus & Sulzer, Matthias (20.03.2018). Selbsttätiges Dreiwegventil zum Anschluss eines Ausdehnungsgefässes in einem Fernwärmenetz und ein Fernwärmenetz mit einem solchen Ventil No. CH 714273 A1. Schweiz, Liechtenstein: Eidgenössisches Institut für geistiges Eigentum.

Achievements - Awards and honours

  • Sommer, Tobias (14.03.2014). ETH Medaille für Doktorarbeit.