Cooling storage using water, ice or other phase change materials is widely used in countries where summertime cooling requirements are high.

1.   ADVANTAGES

The greatest benefit of this system is delivered to buildings which have relatively low nighttime compared to their daytime peaks. Additional benefit may be gained through the use of electricity to generate cooling on potentially lower cost off-peak tariffs. The advantages in a well-designed and operated system can include:

• Reduced installed chiller and heat rejection capacity;
• Decoupling of cooling demand from production allowing the opportunity to use lower energy tariffs;
• Possibility to use lower night time ambient temperatures for heat rejection giving improved COPs and energy performance;
• Potential to more easily operate variable flow systems due to the buffering effect reducing rapid changes in operation; and
• The non-instantaneous nature of cooling production can give higher reliability than reliance on the chiller operation. 

In order to fully optimize the system’s capital investment and operating costs of the cooling equipment and infrastructure the correct sizing of the equipment is critical.

2.   DESIGN RECOMMENDATIONS

When designing the cooling systems to be utilised, the profiles of the required cooling load are key. The demands placed on plant over periods of 24 hours and weekly are required in conjunction with the peak values for the design of the cooling accumulator systems. This is to ensure that the total cooling loads are accounted for during the whole storage cycle which may extend beyond the commonly used 24 hour period. The cooling storage system must be designed carefully to be able to meet the extended loads over time as well as peak demands.

Air conditioning is the process of removing heat from a confined space, cooling the air, and removing humidity.

This process can be used in domestic and commercial environments and is used to achieve a comfortable interior environment for humans. However, air conditioning is also used to cool/dehumidify rooms filled with heat-producing electronic devices, such as computer servers, power amplifiers, and even to display and store artwork.

Air conditioners often use a fan to distribute the conditioned air to an occupied space such as a building or a car to improve thermal comfort and indoor air quality. Electric refrigerant based AC units range from small units that can cool a small bedroom, which can be carried by a single adult, to massive units installed on the roof of office towers that can cool an entire building. The cooling is typically achieved through a refrigeration cycle, but sometimes evaporation or free cooling is used. Air conditioning systems can also be made based on desiccants (chemicals which remove moisture from the air) and subterranean pipes that can distribute the heated refrigerant to the ground for cooling.

In the most general sense, air conditioning can refer to any form of technology that modifies the condition of air (heating, cooling, dehumidification, cleaning, ventilation, or air movement). In common usage, though, “air conditioning” refers to systems which cool air. In construction, a complete system of heating, ventilation, and air conditioning is referred to as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning.

For more information, please read the full description of our Air Conditioning service. 

One of the most common types of heat pumps is the air-source heat pump. An air source heat pump is a system which absorbs heat from the outside air transfers it to a water source and pumps it inside a building. This heat can then be used to heat radiators, underfloor heating systems, or warm air convectors and hot water supply in your home.
Heat from the air is absorbed at low temperature into a fluid. This fluid then goes through a compressor where its temperature is increased, and transfers its higher temperature heat to the heating and hot water circuits of the house. There are two main types of air source heat pump system;

An air-to-water system delivers heat via your wet central heating system. Heat pumps work much more efficiently at a lower temperature than a typical boiler system would. This makes them more appropriate for underfloor heating systems or larger radiators, which give out heat at lower temperatures over longer periods of time.
An air-to-air system produces warm air which is distributed by fans to heat your home. They are unlikely to provide you with hot water as well. For the warmer times of the year, particularly the summertime from June to August, air to air systems work like air conditioners to provide you with cold air.
Installing a typical system, costs around €8,500 to €13,000. Operating costs will vary depending on a several of factors including the size of your home, how well insulated it is and what room temperatures you are intending to achieved.

The payback period (the time required to depreciation the cost of the system in energy savings) depends on how efficiently your system works, the type of system you’re replacing, and how you’ll be using the heat generated from the pump.

Heat pump systems typically come with a warranty of two to three years. You can expect them to operate for 20 years or more, nevertheless they do demand programmed maintenance. A yearly check by you and a more detailed audit by a professional installer every three to five years should be adequate.

An air source heat pump system can assist to lower your carbon footprint as it utilizes a renewable, natural source of heat – air. The amount of CO2 you’ll save depends on the fuel you are replacing. For instance, it will be higher if you are replacing electric heating rather than natural gas.

A heat pump also requires a supplementary source of power, usually electricity, to power the pump, so an air source heat pump can’t be regarded entirely zero-carbon unless this is provided by a renewable source, such as solar power or a wind turbine.

Via Seai

The amount of cooling or heating required by an air conditioning unit varies depending on the external temperature and the amount of heat in the room. When the inverter air conditioning is switched on, the compressor operates at a high speed in order to cool or heat the room quickly. On the other hand when normal temperature is modest, the compressor slows down maintaining a constant temperature and saving energy.

However in non-inverter air conditioners, there is no way of controlling the compressor. It operates either at maximum capacity or none at all, causing unnecessary energy consumption.

When compared to non-inverter air conditioner, inverter air conditioners are much friendlier to the environment. Any sudden fluctuation in the room temperature will be sensed and instantly adapted to bring the room temperature back to set temperature. As soon as the room temperature reaches the set temperature, compressor slows down, thereby maintaining a constant temperature. This highly helps to save energy. Inverter air conditioners need between 30-50% less electricity to operate than non-inverter air conditioners.

The only demerit of inverter air conditioners is the huge price. The price is justified because an inverter air conditioning can reduce your energy bill than non-inverter air conditioner. It will be worth paying more for an inverter air conditioning if you use it for all year around or used for heating.