Month: March 2022

District cooling improves the energy efficiency while reducing the carbon footprint of urban comfort cooling

by Danny

District cooling improves the energy efficiency while lowering the carbon footprint of urban comfort cooling.

District cooling has the potential to improve the energy efficiency while also lowering the carbon footprint of comfort cooling in urban areas. The following discussion demonstrates how district cooling technology can be used to achieve these two important objectives:

How does district cooling improve the energy efficiency of cooling energy production?

Due to economies of scale, the district cooling system can adopt energy-efficient technology such as industrial grade high-efficiency chillers, series-connected chiller modules, thermal energy storage, and cogeneration or combined heat and power.

Thermal energy storage shifts cooling energy production from peak hours to off-peak hours.

Thermal Energy Storage Technologies used in District Cooling

by Danny

Thermal Energy Storage Technologies commonly used in District Cooling

Thermal Energy Storage Classification

Thermal energy storage technologies commonly used in the district cooling industry can be classified according to the form of energy stored in the system. Cool energy can be stored either in the form of sensible heat or latent heat.

Sensible Heat Storage

In a sensible heat storage system, the energy is stored as sensible heat associated with the change in temperature of the storage media. The storage media does not undergo a phase change. The amount of energy stored in a sensible heat storage system is dependent on the sensible heat capacity of the media and the degree of temperature change during the charging process. In district cooling systems, the most popular form of sensible heat storage is the chilled water storage system.

Latent Heat Storage

In a latent heat storage system, the energy is stored as latent heat as the storage media undergoes a phase change, transitioning from liquid to solid form. The amount of energy stored in a latent heat storage system is dependent on the latent heat of fusion of the media.
In district cooling systems, the most popular form of latent heat storage is the ice storage system.

What is Thermal Energy Storage in District Cooling?

by Danny

What is thermal energy storage in a district cooling system?

Thermal energy storage, in the context of district cooling, is the process of producing and storing cooling energy during periods of low demand. The stored cool energy is then discharged to meet cooling requirements during periods of high demand. Depending on the type of thermal energy storage technology, the cool storage medium can be in the form of chilled water, ice, or some other form of phase change media.