Revealing the Secrets - Ice Bank System vs.

Chiller System Energy

Savings -
The basis of this study is to evaluate the true world cost effectiveness of Ice Bank Systems vs. Chiller
Systems in 24 Hour a day Data Center Cooling Environments in PG&E’s Service Area under an E-19
(Commercial) Rate Schedule. This study is evaluating the energy and the cost of the energy used by
the chiller to cool the Data Center load 24 hrs a day. This study assumes that the cost and energy
used by the ancillary equipment will be the same in both systems. This study is based on the
following equipment for evaluation. This study also assumes no matter what type of equipment or
ancillary equipment is used for the study the equipment efficiencies may improve or decrease but
the results will be the similar.

 Carrier 30HXC Water Cooled Screw Chillers

 BAC TSU Thermal Storage Equipment

The programs and selection manuals used for the energy needed in this study are the following.

 Carrier Electronic Catalog / 30 Series Chiller / Version 2.8

 BAC Thermal Storage Products Manual

 PG&E Revised P.U.C. Sheet #24873- E-19 Rate Schedule

The Data Center Cooling System we are evaluating is a 12 Build Hour / 600 Ton Hour Ice Storage
Chiller System vs. Chiller System in 100 ton increments located in San Jose, California. For the sake
of this study the facility runs 24 hours a day additional chilling capacity is needed during the
charging cycle to handle both the charging of the ice banks and the cooling load of the facility. Note:
Due to the ease of performing this review and the efficiency of the overall systems we are using
separate chillers for charging the ice bank and the operation of the data center (requiring almost
1/3 more equipment). This was the only way to make the ice bank system look better than they
would have if the same chillers were used for both operation and charging. The efficiency of the
chillers is dramatically less efficient for the charging chiller due to the lower operation
temperatures 22˚F, than the operation chiller at the higher temp 45˚F. Assume this system is
connect to typical CRAC units with no economizing. The following calculations are only for the
chillers alone and again does not include the ancillary equipment.
Chiller and Ice Bank Cost of Summer Operation per Month
System Parameters & Assumptions

Load 100 tons Per Hour Data Center Load/ 24 Hours a Day Constant Facility Load
Chilled Ice Builder Chiller Fluid Temperatures 22°F CWT / Operation Chiller Fluid
Temperature 45˚F
Condenser Water Set-Point 70° F Manufactures Minimum
Water Tower Sizing based on 8°F off of Wet-Bulb Temperature
Ice Bank Charge & Discharge Cycle 6 Hour Discharge / 12 Hour Charge

Summer Months - May through October

Peak Energy Hours 12:00 Noon – 6:00 PM
Part Peak Hours 8:30 AM – 12:00 Noon / 6:00 PM – 9:30 PM
Off Peak Hours 9:30 PM – 8:30 AM
Demand Charges - Peak / Peak / Max

Chiller Unit & Ice Bank Operation - Energy Cost Evaluation for Summer Hours E-19 Rate Schedule

Monthy Demand
Mode Chiller Efficiency Hours Tonnage Total kWh Price Per kW Cost Per Day
Charge
System Off - Peak $0.00
Charging Load - Part Peak 0.92 1 50 46 $0.11 $5.06
$423.66
Operation Load - Part Peak 0.62 7 100 434 $0.11 $47.74
Charging Load- Off Peak 0.92 11 50 506 $0.09 $45.54
$741.21
Operation Load - Off Peak 0.62 11 100 682 $0.09 $61.38
Note: 12 hour charge time on Ice Bank Total Cost Per Day $159.72
Total Cost Per Month $1,164.87 $4,791.60
Average Energy Cost Monthly $5,956.47

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Chiller and Ice Bank Cost of Winter Operation per Month
System Parameters & Assumptions

Load 100 tons Per Hour Data Center Load/ 24 Hours a Day Constant Facility Load
Chilled Ice Builder Chiller Fluid Temperatures 22°F CWT / Operation Chiller Fluid
Temperature 45˚F
Condenser Water Set-Point 70° F Manufactures Minimum
Water Tower Sizing based on 8°F off of Wet-Bulb Temperature
Ice Bank Charge & Discharge Cycle 6 Hour Discharge / 12 Hour Charge

Winter Months – November through April

Part Peak Hours 8:30 AM – 9:30 PM
Off Peak Hours 9:30 PM – 8:30 AM
Demand Charges - Part / Max

Chiller Unit & Ice Bank Operation - Energy Cost Evaluation for Winter Hours E-19 Rate Schedule

Monthy Demand
Mode Chiller Efficiency Hours Tonnage Total kWh Price Per kW Cost Per Day
Charge
Charging Load - Part Peak 0.92 0 50 0 $0.10 $0.00
$158.70
Operation Load - Part Peak 0.62 6 100 372 $0.10 $35.34
Charging Load- Off Peak 0.92 12 50 552 $0.08 $46.37
$741.21
Operation Load - Off Peak 0.62 12 100 744 $0.08 $62.50
Note: 12 hour charge time on Ice Bank Total Cost Per Day $144.20
Total Cost Per Month $899.91 $4,326.12
Average Energy Cost Monthly $5,226.03

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Chiller Cost of Summer Operation per Month

System Parameters & Assumptions

Load 100 tons Per Hour

PG&E Rate Schedule E-19 Demand Rate
Chilled Fluid Temperatures 44°F During Cooling
Condenser Water Set-Point 70° F Manufactures Minimum
Water Tower Sizing Based on 8°F off of Wet Bulb Temperature
Load 100 tons Per Hour Data Center Load/ 24 Hours a Day Constant Facility Load

Summer Months - May through October

Peak Energy Hours 12:00 Noon – 6:00 PM
Part Peak Hours 8:30 AM – 12:00 Noon / 6:00 PM – 9:30 PM
Off Peak Hours 9:30 PM – 8:30 AM
Demand Charges Peak / Peak / Max

Chiller Unit Energy Cost Evaluation for Summer Hours E-19 Rate Schedule

Monthy Demand
Mode Chiller Efficiency Hours Tonnage Total kW Price Per kW Cost Per Day
Charge
Operation - Peak 0.62 6 100 372 $0.15 $816.54 $55.80
Operation - Part Peak 0.62 7 100 434 $0.11 $187.24 $47.74
Operation - Off Peak 0.62 11 100 682 $0.09 $494.14 $61.38
Total Cost Per Day $164.92
Total Cost Per Month $1,497.92 $4,947.60
Average Energy Cost Monthly $6,445.52

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Chiller Cost of Winter Operation per Month

System Parameters & Assumptions

Load 100 tons Per Hour

PG&E Rate Schedule E-19 Demand Rate
Chilled Fluid Temperatures 44°F During Cooling
Condenser Water Set-Point 70° F Manufactures Minimum
Water Tower Sizing Based on 8°F off of Wet Bulb Temperature
Load 100 tons Per Hour Data Center Load/ 24 Hours a Day Constant Facility Load

Winter Months – November through April

Part Peak Hours 8:30 AM – 9:30 PM
Off Peak Hours 9:30 PM – 8:30 AM
Demand Charges - Part / Max

Chiller Unit Energy Cost Evaluation for Winter Hours E-19 Rate Schedule

Monthy Demand
Mode Chiller Efficiency Hours Tonnage Total kW Price Per kW Cost Per Day
Charge
Operation - Part Peak 0.62 12 100 744 $0.10 $71.30 $70.68
Operation - Off Peak 0.62 12 100 744 $0.08 $494.14 $62.50
Total Cost Per Day $133.18
Total Cost Per Month $565.44 $3,995.28
Average Energy Cost Monthly $4,560.72

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Conclusion
The following chart show that the chiller has an annual energy savings of about $1000 per 100 tons,
what this chart does not show is that the chiller system also uses far less total energy. Since a
majority of the cost and energy is shifted to off peak at a very inefficient rate the chiller not only
cost less to operate but it also produced far less green house gases. In conclusion with the
additional cost of the secondary chillers and ice banks the system has no ROI.

Annual Energy Costs for Each Type of System Per 100 tons

System / Mode Summer Cost Winter Cost Annual Cost

Ice Bank / Chiller $35,738.82 $31,356.18 $67,095.00

Chiller $38,673.12 $27,364.32 $66,037.44

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