What is a thermal energy tank?

Thermal energy tanks are reservoirs for storing energy in chilled water district cooling systems. Water has a better thermal transfer than air. Thermal energy storage has been around for decades and continues to prove an efficient and economical storage method.

What are thermal energy storage strategies?

There are two basic Thermal Energy Storage (TES) Strategies, latent heat systems and sensible heat systems. Stratification is used within the tank as a strategy for thermal layering of the stored water. Colder water is denser and will settle toward the bottom of the tank, while the warmer water will naturally seek to rise to the top.

What are the applications of energy storage systems?

The application for energy storage systems varies by industry, and can include district cooling, data centers, combustion turbine plants, and the use of hot water TES systems. Utilities structure their rates for electrical power to coincide with their need to reduce loads during peak periods.

What is a cool TES energy storage media?

The most common Cool TES energy storage media are chilled water, other low-temperature fluids (e.g., water with an additive to lower freezing point), ice, or some other phase change material. Cool TES technologies shift electricity use by decoupling chiller operation from instantaneous loads.

What is a hot water storage tank?

Hot water storage tanks can be sized for nearly any application. As with chilled water storage, water can be heated and stored during periods of low thermal demand and then used during periods of high demand, ensuring that all thermal energy from the CHP system is eficiently utilized.

How do thermal energy storage systems work?

Thermal energy storage systems utilize chilled water produced during off-peak times – typically by making ice at night when energy costs are significantly lower which is then stored in tanks (Fig. 2 below).