Chilled Water Storage for Effective Energy Management in Smart Building

A smart building takes advantage of new highly energy-efficient technologies, which reduce the operating cost of the building. One of the key features of a smart building is some type of thermal energy storage (TES) technology. TES allows for shifting of the electrical load from peak periods to off peak periods when electrical rates are lower. One of the most common types of thermal energy storage is a chilled water storage (CWS) system. Chilled water storage systems work by cooling water overnight or during the off peak period and then using that chilled water during the day or peak period to cool the building. This results in less electrical usage throughout the day when electrical rates are the highest. This study proposed a two-agent management structure that may efficiently control the CWS system. The study further investigated and modeled the use of several strategies and scenarios of implementing a CWS system in a smart building. Each scenario takes into account different peak periods, off peak periods, and regular periods. Depending on the commercial goals and needs of the business, different strategies may be suitable for that particular application.