THERMAL ENERGY STORAGE TANK CONTAINING SUBMERGED ICE MASS

摘要

A flooded thermal energy storage tank (10) holds an agglomerated ice mass (14) that is fully submerged in water by a counterbuoyant top (18). The thermal energy stored in the tank is used to satisfy a cyclical thermal cooling load that is uncoupled from the power supply that produces the ice for the tank. A water supply loop (60, 62, 74A, 74D) for supplying cold water to the thermal load assures that the relatively colder water in the tank is supplied by withdrawing the water from an upper location within the ice mass. The supply loop also assures that water returned from the load to the tank is recooled by the ice mass in a thermodynamically efficient manner. The essential symmetry of the ice mass is retained during repetitive ice mass melting and rebuilding in an operational cycle to assure continual stability of the ice mass and tank top.