Where to put high energy storage ice crystals

What is ice energy storage?

The building technology company leitec® took a different path: an ice energy storage system provides the necessary energy. WAGO technology controls the interplay among the systems, plus all the building automation. Energy is created when water freezes to form ice.

What is stored ice used for?

Stored ice or chilled water is used as a heat sink to offset the considerable air conditioning load of large commercial buildings or campuses. Electricity is purchased during off-peak hours, when electricity price is low, to chill water or make ice.

Who uses ice energy storage technology?

Users of the technology include leitec® Gebäudetechnik GmbH, a full service energy and building technology provider, headquartered in Heilbad Heiligenstadt in Thuringia. Their ice energy storage system, consisting of an underground cement tank ten meters in diameter and six meters deep, holds up to 400,000 liters of water.

What is encapsulated ice storage?

Encapsulated ice storage is a technique by which cool thermal energy is stored and released by means of the water (as PCM) being encapsulated using HDPE containments or small steel containers. The typical charging and the discharging processes of encapsulated ice storage system depicted in Fig. 5.28. Figure 5.28.

How does an ice energy storage system work?

Because the ice thaws slowly and reaches a higher energy level during melting, heat is stored again for the winter. The ice energy storage system operates even more economically when the electricity required to operate the heat pump is self-produced. At leitec®, photovoltaic modules on the roof provide most of the power.

Why is ice used in cool thermal storage?

Among all the available cool thermal storage systems, the use of ice due to its high latent heat of fusion (hsf = 334 kJ/kg ) was considered as the most popular technique during the past decade, especially when the available space is limited. Employing the ice allows the greater part of the base load to be stored for further use .