Abstract
This study examines the applicability of the ice storage systems in the small commercial refrigerated showcases through experimental analysis. R-404A is used as the working fluid and various influence of parameter settings and improvements, are discussed in details. In the ice storage system, the condenser is changed from air-cooling (refrigeration mode) to an immersion type that is placed in an ice storage tank, the corresponding condensing temperature and pressure are reduced appreciably. This increased the efficiency and can effectively reduce the peak power consumption. The reduction of the condensing temperature and pressure increased the coefficient of performance (COP) from 3.6 (refrigeration mode) to 6.35 (melting mode), effectively enhancing the refrigeration efficiency. The results indicated that the ice storage system could effectively increase the coefficient of performance from 3.6 to 6.35 during ice melting when compared to the conventional refrigeration system. It also can shift approximately 35% of the power during peak hours and lower the energy cost by USD$ 17.13 per month.
Highlights
Effective energy management is a must-have upon nowadays energy technology.Among the available management approaches, thermal energy storage technology can manage and adjust the energy supply demand, thereby offering efficient power management on demand
The parameter settings of the ice storage system were as follows: the ambient temperature was 20 ± 2 ◦ C; the showcase temperature was set at 4–7 ◦ C; eighty load blocks were installed inside the showcase; night screens were used during the ice storage mode for 9 h to simulate the actual operating condition; the ice storage mode was set to 9 h, starting from 10:30 p.m.; and the melting mode was switched on subsequently until the temperature of the ice storage tank reached 10 ◦ C, for a duration of approximately 15 h; the refrigeration mode was not turned on
The results revealed that the condensing pressure and temperature in the melting mode were significantly lower than those in the refrigeration mode
Summary
Among the available management approaches, thermal energy storage technology can manage and adjust the energy supply demand, thereby offering efficient power management on demand. Flexible and economical energy usage becomes feasible. This is especially viable for subtropical or tropical climate where high temperatures prevails during summer, and it requires an extremely high power demand for the refrigeration and air-conditioning systems. The massive energy demand during peak hours impact the power grid appreciably and raises serious concerns for the risk of circuit breaker trips. It is quite imperative for shifting the peak load of the power grid. Some potential Heating, Ventilation, Air conditioning and refrigerating (HVAC&R)
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