热能储存系统能有效降低冷却设备的运行成本。通过在非高峰时段运行制冷设备，在高峰时段为储罐充电并排放，cm峰值电力需求和能耗的很大一部分转移到非高峰时段。成本节约是因为公用事业费率有利于能源消耗模式的均衡。存在两种类型的热能储存介质:单相和两相。冷冻水系统是单相的，因为水箱内的水在不发生相变的情况下被冷却。共晶盐系统使用的盐在高于水冰点的温度下从溶解状态转变为固态。 这些两相系统提供了较高的存储密度，无需在较低的蒸发器温度下操作冷却器，但需要使用昂贵的化学品。冰蓄冷系统的特点是使用廉价的存储介质，即水，具有较高的存储密度，但在制冰时要求冷却器以较低的效率运行。本研究专门研究冰蓄冷系统的特性和性能。

Thermal energy storage systems are effective in reducing the operating cost of cooling equipment. By operating the refrigeration equipment during off-peak hours to recharge the storage tank and discharge it during onpeak hours, a significant fraction of cm-peak electrical demand and energy consumption is shifted to off-peak periods. Cost savings are obtained because utility rates favor leveled energy consumption patterns.Two types of thermal energy storage media exist: single-phase and two-phase. Chilled-water systems are single-phase as the contents of the tank is cooled without undergoing a phase change. Eutectic salt systems employ a salt that changes from the dissolved to solid state at a temperature above the freezing point of water. These two-phase systems provide a high storage density without the need for operating the chiller at low evaporator temperatures but require the usage of expensive chemicals. Ice storage systems feature a high storage density using a cheap storage medium, i.e. water, but require the chiller to operate at lower efficiencies when making ice. This research deals exclusively with the characteristics and performance of ice storage systems.