Off-peak electrical energy is always on sale, compared to peak electrical energy costs. The ice-enhanced, air-cooled chiller plant, the latest EarthWise system from Trane, allows building owners, mechanical system designers and operators to take advantage of less expensive off-peak energy by making ice during those periods which will be stored and used for cooling during expensive peak periods. The ice-enhanced, air cooled system offers lower operating, water and life cycle costs than conventional cooling systems.

Trane developed this thermal storage solution in collaboration with Calmac. While the system itself is not new, this solution provides a pre-designed package that streamlines the process of creating and deploying a cooling system that’s ideally suited for reducing operating costs and supporting the smart grid. Standard system configurations include details like customizable control logic, dashboards, wiring diagrams and supporting drawings that are ready to use.

“Customers are faced with high energy costs and Trane and Calmac have collaborated together to provide a simple, proven, cost-effective way to deal with them,” said Mark Weldy, vice president of integrated systems at Trane. “This innovative solution gives everyone an advanced starting point that saves time and money.” “A prepackaged design using our combined expertise minimizes first costs while assuring proper operational integrity to maximize savings,” said Mark MacCracken, chief executive officer of Calmac. “Customers installing this system will get the knowledge and experience our companies have gained by working together for more than 20 years.” A packaged skid with pumps, valves, sensors, and ancillary items is also available, which allows for controls and functional testing to be completed at the factory. With no moving parts, ice tanks are virtually maintenance-free. The system comes with a 10-year warranty. More information is available at: trane.com/EarthWise. Trane and Calmac also support ice storage applications in many other system configurations with air-cooled and water-cooled chillers.