Smart Materials for Sustainable Energy Storage in Refrigerated Spaces

The sustainability and high performance of refrigerated space used for the preservation of perishable products capitalize on conservation techniques that reduce environmental impact. The concept encompasses a variety of strategies including the exchange or improvement of mechanical refrigeration systems by Thermal Energy Storage (TES) that incorporate Phase Change Materials (PCM), and advanced refrigeration controls powered by cloud-based optimized algorithms. TES as a part of an integrated system improves overall efficiency resulting in lower energy costs while improving the shelf life and quality of perishable foods and other products. The system employs Thermal Energy Storage cells installed in refrigerated rooms in combination with intelligent controls. The smart PCM in TES is highly efficient at capturing thermal energy while the PCM is undergoing a phase change from solid to liquid, and collectively the PCM has a large latent heat compared to sensible heat. The Phase Change Material in the TES system provides latent heat capacity to the refrigerated environment, allowing the TES to absorb a large amount of thermal energy from the surrounding environment while remaining at the same temperature. This function allows the refrigerated environment to maintain an optimal targeted operating temperature for an extended period of time without running the mechanical refrigeration equipment, thus saving a substantial amount of electricity.