Course Description

Let us begin with the fundamental question: what exactly is thermal energy storage for air conditioning? In simple terms, TES is a technology that produces and stores cooling capacity during off-peak hours-typically at night-for use during peak cooling demand periods the following day. The stored cooling exists in the form of chilled water, ice, or phase-change materials that release cooling when melted or warmed. The most important concept to understand is that TES decouples, or separates, the production of cooling from the instantaneous demand. In a conventional air conditioning system, when you need cooling, you run a chiller. In a TES system, you can make cooling at night, store it, and use it during the day without running the chiller. This decoupling allows chillers to operate at more efficient, steady conditions rather than cycling up and down to follow a variable load. TES is especially valuable in commercial buildings, hospitals, schools, and university campuses that have predictable daytime cooling loads with sharp peaks in the afternoon.

What you'll learn in this course?

• Explain the fundamental working principle of thermal energy storage (TES) in air conditioning systems.

• Differentiate between full storage and partial storage strategies for chilled water and ice storage.

• Identify the key components of a TES air conditioning system, including chillers, storage tanks, and heat exchangers.

• Describe how TES systems shift cooling load from peak to off-peak electrical demand periods.

• Recognize the economic benefits of TES, including reduced energy bills and lower chiller capacity requirements.

• Select appropriate TES technologies (ice, chilled water, or eutectic salts) based on building type and load profile.

• Calculate basic storage capacity required for a given cooling load and storage duration.

• Explain the role of control strategies in optimizing TES charging and discharging cycles.

• Identify common operational issues in TES systems, such as stratification breakdown or ice bridging.

• Evaluate the environmental impact of TES, including reduction in peak plant emissions and support for renewable integration.

Prerequisites

• Basic understanding of HVAC systems, chillers, chilled-water distribution, and building cooling loads

• Familiarity with energy use, electrical demand, and basic engineering calculations is helpful Wiscademy | Air Conditioning with Thermal Energy Storage 2