Thermal storage systems

Journal Article · Sat Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1985 · Heat., Piping Air Cond.; (United States)

OSTI ID:5856066

Stamm, R H

Thermal storage technology is not new. The industrial sector has used ice for thermal storage for at least 70 years, and ice banks were used extensively for air conditioning churches shortly after World War II. What is new is the push for thermal storage by the electric utility industry. Government policy and regulation, interest rates, and construction costs are all making it impractical to build additional electrical generation and distribution capacity to handle short period peak loads. In addition, the cost of fuel for base load generation is only a small fraction of the cost for fuel for fast response equipment for peak loads. In a nutshell, electric utilities and power users can benefit from load shifting that results from HVAC thermal storage. To encourage load shifting, the rate structures are changing. Higher demand charges, fewer ratchets, forced time-of-day rates for smaller users, and a greater differential between on-peak and off-peak energy prices are all affecting electrical rates. A look at the cost of air conditioning using a current power rate will show why there is an increasing interest in using thermal storage to shift loads.

• Research Organization: Industrial Refrigation Inc., Mount Prospect, IL
• OSTI ID: 5856066
• Journal Information: Heat., Piping Air Cond.; (United States), Journal Name: Heat., Piping Air Cond.; (United States) Vol. 57:1; ISSN HPAOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320100* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Buildings
AIR CONDITIONING
BUILDINGS
CAPACITY
CAPITALIZED COST
COST
COST BENEFIT ANALYSIS
ENERGY STORAGE
EQUIPMENT
HEAT STORAGE
HYDRATES
PERFORMANCE
REFRIGERATORS
STORAGE
TABLES
THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE EQUIPMENT
THERMOCHEMICAL HEAT STORAGE