CH-06-11-3 - Thermal Energy Storage: Aging Gracefully in the Ocean State PDF

Roger Williams University is a predominantly undergraduate university located in Bristol, RI. Three thermal energy storage systems, totalling approximately 5000 ton-h (17,585 kWh) of cool storage, are installed and in use. All three systems utilize internal melt, ice-in-tank. The first system, 1150 ton-h (4045 kWh) in size, was installed in 1991 and is located in the University Library. It is generally acknowledged as one of the earliest thermal energy ice storage systems installed in Rhode Island. The other two systems, located in the Schools of Law and Business, are 2600 and 1000 ton-h (9144 and 3517 kWh) in size, respectively, and were installed in 1993. The systems were installed in cooperation with the local utility for the purpose of electrical peak demand reduction. They operate under a simple control strategy described in this paper. The paper describes the operating history of the systems and includes operational performance, economic performance, maintenance record, and system reliability.

Units: Dual