Ice Build
During the off-peak period, the glycol chiller is operational. The glycol chilling system generates low temperature glycol that circulates through the tubes of the thermal storage coils. The circulating glycol removes heat from the water in the tanks, causing the water to freeze onto the exterior surface of the thermal storage coils.
Melt-Out
During the melt-out phase, the refrigeration system is off. Depending on the melt-out type, either glycol circulates through the tubes of the coils or the tank water circulates over the coils to extract the energy from the ice. This cold glycol or ice water then circulates through the primary side of a heat exchanger. Simultaneously, the building’s chilled water circulates through the heat exchanger where it is cooled and sent to the air handling units to provide cooling for the building.