Guidelines for improved performance of ice storage systems

This paper describes simulation-based results of an investigation of a commercial cooling plant with an ice storage system. Various ice storage systems, chiller compressors, and building types were analyzed under four different control strategies. Optimal control as the strategy that minimizes the total operating cost (demand and energy charges) served as a benchmark to assess the relative performance of three conventional controls (chiller-priority, constant-proportion, and storage-priority control) and to determine aspects in need of improvement in order to apply these conventional controls better and to enhance the cost saving potential of ice storage systems.