About Thermal Storage Air Conditioning

A heat pump is a mechanism that freely creates the temperature you want to use when you want. However, the demand for air conditioning in offices reaches a peak during daytime, and air conditioners are rarely used during nighttime. If equipment is prepared in proportion to such demand, the availability factor of such equipment remains low.

For this reason “thermal storage” air conditioning that produces and stores the heat needed for air conditioning during nighttime when the demand for air conditioning is small and utilizes the stored heat at a peak during daytime is now receiving much attention.

lf this thermal storage system is compared to a car for easy understanding, it is similar to hybrid cars that have recently come into wide use, The engines of hybrid cars differ little from that of conventional cars. However, as the former mainly uses the most efficient part of the engine, its fuel efficiency is drastically improved. As the thermal storage system can also allow heat pumps to operate more efficiently, it is congenial to heat pumps.

With this thermal storage system, large air conditioning systems that are made proportional to the peak during daytime will be unnecessary, and the basic charge of electricity contract can be saved. Moreover, as the system produces and stores heat by using an inexpensive nighttime electricity service, overall running cost is lowered. Moreover, as the heat source equipment is efficiently operated at a constant speed, it saves energy consumption by about 10%.

Thermal storage stores heat in the water and ice stored in tanks.

In Japan as a whole, a peak of 2.13GW is reduced by thermal storage. Thermal storage is expected to come into wide use as a mechanism to further exploit the advantages of eco-friendly heat pumps.

Conventional air-conditioning system

Conventional air-conditioning system

If thermal storage air-conditioning system is introduced.

If thermal storage air-conditioning system is introduced.

Image of operation of air-conditioning by “thermal storage” function

Image of operation of air-conditioning by “thermal storage” function

Types of thermal storage air-conditioning systems

As for thermal storage air-conditioning systems, the optimum system can be selected by making use of their respective characteristics in proportion to scales and spaces for installation.

Major types of thermal storage air-conditioning systems
Centralized type Water thermal storage air-conditioning system
Eco Ice [on-site construction type]
Eco Ice [unit type]
Decentralized type Eco Ice [multi-type for building]
Eco Ice [packaged type]
Eco Ice mini [packaged type]

Water thermal storage air-conditioning system

Underground space is used for installation of a water thermal storage tank.

Underground space is used for installation of a water thermal storage tank.

  • (1) Unused underground space in usual cases is used for installation of a water thermal storage tank.
  • (2) Water in the thermal storage tank can also be served as water for firefighting in the event of a fire or water for daily life in the event of a disaster.

Eco Ice [multi-type for building]

Multi-air-conditioner for building and ice thermal storage tank are centralized into a single unit.

Multi-air-conditioner for building and ice thermal storage tank are centralized into a single unit.

  • (1) Air-conditioning service is provided to individual floors by freely combining indoor units.
  • (2) Eco Ice of this type can be installed in small-to-medium buildings, factories, and large buildings.
  • (3) There are also types that can provide sufficient space-heating performance in cold climate

Eco Ice [packaged type]

Easy installation and flexible renewal

  • (1) Packaged air-conditioner for respective zones and ice thermal storage tank are centralized into a single unit.
  • (2) Eco Ice of this type can be newly introduced and can also be used for renewal of air-conditioners in existing buildings.

Eco Ice [on-site construction type]

Centralized type suited to large buildings

  • (1) Heat source equipment, thermal storage tanks and controllers can freely be selected and constructed in proportion to forms and loads on-site.
  • (2) The volumetric capacity of ice thermal storage tank can be made smaller than that of water thermal storage tank.

Eco Ice [unit type]

Centralized type that can be installed on the roof or on the ground

  • (1) Heat source equipment and ice thermal storage tank are integrated into a single unit.
  • (2) Even if there is no space underground, Eco Ice of this type can be installed on the roof and on the ground.

Eco Ice mini [packaged type]

Available in stores and offices of a wide range of industries

  • (1) The optimum air-conditioner for small (about 80-200 m2) stores and office
    * Required areas will be changed, depending on region and application.
  • (2) Compact design that does not require much space for installation