SPF Competencies Heat Pumps

Ice Storage and PCM

Ice storages are used as heat source for heat pumps and are suitable for short-term up to seasonal storage of solar heat or waste heat. Ice storages use the fact that water releases much heat when it freezes and absorbs much heat when it melts which allows for compact storage sizes.

SPF develops components for ice slurry storages and analyses ice storage heat exchangers and casings and their optimal system integration. In addition to the modelling and simulation of ice storage components and systems, we realize and monitor field installations and analyse cost drivers that are affecting the heat generation costs of these heating systems. Moreover, SPF is engaged in the development of dynamic PCM storage systems, which store energy at higher temperatures relevant to industry, depending on the melting temperature of the PCM used.

Sample projects are High-Ice, Ice-Ex, ModIceCrys and HT-PCM as well as the pilot and demonstration project Lattenhofweg. The work on modelling and simulation of solar ice systems was also published in various journals – please find in our Publications.