Thermal Energy Storage – TES Pre-Purchase

This project was for the design, procurement, construction and procurement of (1) 18,400 Ton-hr TES tank with insulation/cladding pattern that would match with existing chiller plant. The TES tank was designed for both cooling and heating.

This Thermal Energy Storage (TES) tank allows the university to shift up to 6,000 tons of chiller plant operation from 3 peak hours per day (with the highest electric utility cost) into off-peak nighttime hours (with the lowest electric utility costs). It adds redundancy, reliability, and resilience to the university’s campus District Cooling system.

The site was very tight, only 15′ from the existing chiller plant, which meant working around other contractors in the area would need to be carefully scheduled. Coordination with other contractors was key to erecting this TES tank on time. Getting trucks in and out of the site was a challenge due to the limited parking available for staff and students. The trucks had to be brought in and unloaded early morning before staff and students arrived. The blasting and painting of the tank also provided a unique challenge because of the proximity to existing structures and daily traffic flow. Overall, the success of this project relied on open communication with all stakeholders that were involved.