ICE THERMAL STORAGE: SYSTEM SELECTION AND DESIGN.

Major changes in rate structures in the electric power industry are making ice thermal storage applications more attractive to engineers and building owners. Thermal storage systems minimize energy cost by generating cooling capacity at off-peak times and storing it for future use. Cooling load applications that can benefit from thermal storage are office buildings, schools and college buildings, religious institutions, laboratories, large retail stores, libraries, museums, and public use areas of hotels (such as meeting rooms). Thermal storage also can be used for many industrial processes, such as occur in dairies, breweries and other plants with batch cooling cycles. Another thermal storage concept involving phase change materials holds promise for the future. Ice storage has an advantage over chilled water storage since the basis for storage is the latent heat of fusion of water, which is 144 Btu/lb. 'Full storage' and 'partial storage' systems are described.