Air conditioning system with ice storage

Abstract

An air conditioning system includes a condenser and an evaporator configured to remove thermal energy from a water flow through the evaporator via a refrigerant flow through the evaporator. A refrigerant conduit is configured to convey a refrigerant flow through the evaporator and the condenser. An ice storage tank is fluidly connected to the refrigerant conduit such that the refrigerant flow is flowable through the ice storage tank to transfer thermal energy between the refrigerant flow and a volume of frozen water disposed in the ice storage tank.

1 . An air conditioning system comprising:
 a condenser;   an evaporator configured to remove thermal energy from a water flow through the evaporator via a refrigerant flow through the evaporator;   a refrigerant conduit configured to convey a refrigerant flow through the evaporator and the condenser; and   an ice storage tank fluidly connected to the refrigerant conduit such that the refrigerant flow is flowable through the ice storage tank to transfer thermal energy between the refrigerant flow and a volume of frozen water disposed in the ice storage tank.   
     
     
         2 . The air conditioning system of  claim 1 , wherein the ice storage tank is disposed external to a chiller of the air conditioning system. 
     
     
         3 . The air conditioning system of  claim 1 , further comprising a pump configured to urge the refrigerant flow from the ice storage tank to the evaporator. 
     
     
         4 . The air conditioning system of  claim 1 , further comprising an ice tank conduit extending through the ice storage tank configured to convey the refrigerant flow through the ice storage tank. 
     
     
         5 . The air conditioning system of  claim 4 , wherein the ice tank conduit is connected to the refrigerant conduit via one or more valves. 
     
     
         6 . The air conditioning system of  claim 5 , wherein opening the one or more valves allows the refrigerant flow to flow through the ice storage tank. 
     
     
         7 . The air conditioning system of  claim 1 , wherein the water flow is urged from the evaporator to a chiller to cool a desired space. 
     
     
         8 . A method of operating an air conditioning system comprising:
 urging a refrigerant flow along a refrigerant pathway and through a compressor;   conveying the refrigerant flow through a condenser disposed along the refrigerant pathway;   flowing at least a portion of the refrigerant flow through an ice storage tank via an ice tank pathway; and   freezing a volume of phase change material disposed in the ice storage tank via the refrigerant flow thus storing cooling energy in the ice storage tank.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein a refrigerant flow temperature is about −3.0 to −7.0 degrees Celsius below a freezing point of the phase change material. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising opening at least one valve between the refrigerant pathway and the ice tank pathway to allow the refrigerant flow to flow to the ice storage tank. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 flowing at least a portion of the refrigerant flow from the condenser to an evaporator;   transferring thermal energy from a water flow to the refrigerant flow thus cooling the water flow, the water flow flowing through the evaporator via a water pathway;   conveying the water flow to a chiller via the water pathway; and   cooling a desired space via the chiller.   
     
     
         12 . A method of operating an air conditioning system comprises:
 conveying a refrigerant flow through a refrigerant conduit to an ice storage tank, the ice storage tank containing a volume of frozen phase change material therein;   transferring thermal energy from the refrigerant flow to the volume of frozen phase change material, thereby cooling the refrigerant flow;   urging the refrigerant flow from the ice storage tank to an evaporator;   conveying a water flow to the evaporator via a water pathway;   transferring thermal energy from the water flow to the refrigerant flow via the evaporator, thereby cooling the water flow; and   conveying the water flow to a chiller to cool a desired space via the chiller.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein a temperature of the ice storage tank is lower than a refrigerant temperature, thus the refrigerant flow is conveyed to the ice storage tank via thermal forces. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the refrigerant flow is urged from the ice storage tank to the evaporator via a pump. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the refrigerant flow bypasses a compressor, a condenser, and/or an expansion valve disposed along the refrigerant pathway. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein a refrigerant flow temperature is about −3.0 to −7.0 degrees Celsius below a freezing point of the phase change material.