What is Ice Storage? Ice Storage utilizes a standard packaged chiller to produce ice during the night and consequently stores it, in modular energy storage tanks. The stored ice then provides the cooling medium to meet the following day’s air-conditioning requirement for the building.
- Energy storage provides short term payback and improved cash flows for the life of the facility that can add up to millions.
- Energy storage is an important part of a high-performance, sustainable design. Provides a demand-responsive cooling system with fuel-source flexibility in an unregulated energy market.
- Energy storage systems can garner rebates from the local power company.
How does Ice Storage work?
Basically a standard chiller is run at night and cools a fluid (antifreeze coolant) which is then pumped to a coil of tubing that is submerged in an insulated tank of water. The coolant removes the heat from the water and returns to the chiller. The removal of heat from the water causes it to freeze. During the day the chiller is turned off and the coolant is used to melt the ice and then circulates to the building to cool the building.
How complicated are Thermal Energy Storage systems?
Thermal Energy Storage is not much more complicated than conventional chilled water or the water heater in your home. TES systems require ice tanks, a diverting valve, a modulating control valve, some added control sequences, and heat transfer fluid. The ice tanks have no moving parts and no parts that can rust or corrode. The ice systems of today use standard air conditioning chillers with factory mounted ice-making controls.
Is full storage or partial storage the right choice for me?
Full storage would involve the chillers not running at all during the day due to their ability to use the stored capacity in the ice tanks to cool the building for the entire day. Partial storage would involve some portion of the chiller capacity to run during the day but then shave off the peak load, saving the demand charges from the power company. Each application is different, so the best system is dependent upon the rate structure and anticipated changes in cost structure; rebates available; the size of the system; and first cost. So there are some calculations required to determine which option is best for the application.
Tank Features
Tanks contains a spiral-wound, polyethylene-tube heat exchanger surrounded with water. ICEBANK tanks are available in a variety of sizes ranging from 45 to over 500 ton-hours.
IceBank Features
- Engineered to provide efficient operation with minimal maintenance
- Seamless one-piece tank provides structure and containment
- No moving parts to maintain
- Each module contains a welded counter-flow, all polyethylene heat exchanger for superior ice-making performance and long life
- Backed by limited 10-year warranty
CALMAC & BCH Mechanical
CALMAC is the world leader in product design and manufacture of Thermal Energy Storage. BCH Mechanical is currently doing a system for Sun Hydraulics in Sarasota. They are employing a full storage system and obtaining substantial rebates that will achieve a 4-5 year payback on their investment. The system consists of four(4) 300 ton air cooled chillers–two(2) working off-peak to produce ice and two(2) working off-peak to handle the building load–and 39 Calmac ice storage tanks. Eighteen of the tanks are brand new while the other twenty-one are being relocated from Sun’s existing central energy plant.
BCH Mechanical has been a trusted name in Florida construction since 1976, delivering innovative design, high quality craftsmanship and excellent customer service. BCH capabilities include HVAC, plumbing, medical gas, piping, sheet metal, LEED, Design/Build, 3D-CAD/BIM coordination, and HVAC service. Visit BCH on the web: www.bchmechanical.com.