Abstract:
A system for cooling residential, commercial, and industrial buildings using renewable cold energy, accessible from the ambient environment, that is stored, at little or no incremental cost, in a large mass of cold water or ice. The cold mass is sized based on the building. The cold storage mass can be constructed using a variety of methods, depending on the climatic region, zoning requirements, terrain, size of land, and availability of water sources, amongst other considerations.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates to the field of renewable energy. Specifically, this invention relates to the large-scale creation and storage of ice using ambient environmental conditions. 
       BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
       [0002]    Currently, most of the world&#39;s economies are reliant on fossil fuels. Fossil fuels have many drawbacks. Fossil fuels pollute. This pollution is largely responsible for the greenhouse effect. Additionally, the pollution from fossil fuels makes the air in many major cities, such as Mexico City, Beijing, and Los Angeles, unhealthy to breathe for many people. The procurement of fossil fuels, whether in mining coal or drilling for petroleum, is inherently polluting. Mountain top removal for coal and fracking for natural gas both contaminate ground water, endangering the life and health of those living nearby. Drilling for petroleum is also fraught with hazard. Witness the BP drilling catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico in 2010 or the grounding of the Exxon Valdez in 1989. 
         [0003]    Fossil fuels give undue influence to the governments who control exportable quantities of the resource. The majority of exported crude petroleum comes from areas of the worlds that have potentially unstable governments, or governments that are in tension with the West. For instance, much of the exported oil that America receives comes from the Middle East. Many of the regimes that export oil are openly hostile to the United States, notably Iran. Many of the other regimes are run by autocratic governments, such as Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, which can be seen as potentially unstable, in light of the Arab Spring. The U.S. secures additional petroleum from Venezuela, which, in recent history, has had a strained relationship with the U.S. Western Europe procures much of its fossil fuels from Russia, an historic competitor with the West. To the extent that fossil fuels are imported, needlessly, a nation is exporting its wealth, needlessly. 
         [0004]    Fossil fuels are also becoming increasingly scarce, meaning that their price is rising. The International Energy Agency states that 2006 was the peak year of petroleum production. The global output of petroleum will now slowly decline. Meanwhile, the BRIG countries (Brazil, Russia, India, and China) are rapidly growing, driving demand for petroleum upwards. This has led to volatility in the oil markets, with the cost of a barrel of oil peaking at $140 in 2008. Since then, the price for crude oil has varied from a low of $70 per barrel to a high of $110 per barrel. All indicators are that the price of a wide variety of fossil fuels will steadily increase, faster than other goods, until they are exhausted. 
         [0005]    In response to the drawbacks of fossil fuels, industry, governments, and academic institutions have been pouring resources into finding renewable energy sources for years. To date, the results have been mixed. Current renewable resources have three drawbacks: cost, environmental impact, and consistency of availability. The cost of a renewable energy source is measured by various metrics: Return on Investment (“ROI”), cost per kilowatt hour (“CPKH”), levelized cost of energy (“LCE”), etc. In order to be competitive, the CPKH must be comparable to that of fossil fuel. Alternately, the ROI must have a realistic payback, in terms of the number of years required for a given installation to save money. Currently, no renewable sources are cheaper than fossil fuels. 
         [0006]    Many renewable energy sources have a significant environmental impact. Environmental impact means not only pollution, but also a visible, intrusive installation foot-print. For example, in order to generate usable quantities of solar energy using photo-voltaic cells (“PV”), one needs to have a sunny location and a very large surface area. In order to produce wind energy economically, most developers use wind farms, requiring acres of wind-turbines. In order to produce hydro-electric energy, a dam must be built, disturbing wetlands and delicate eco-systems. In order to produce ethynol, farmers must grow corn on industrial scales, using significant amounts of lands, water, petroleum, and pesticides (to date, no ethynol growers are doing so organically). 
         [0007]    Last, many renewable energy installations are limited as to the times that they can provide power. For example, PV only provides power when it is sunny. Peak electricity demand is typically in the hours around and after dusk, right when the PV loses its generating capacity. Wind turbines only provide power when it&#39;s windy. This means that a wind turbine can only add to the grid when there is wind. When the wind dies down, the grid must be able to provide power using other means. The inconsistency of power generation reduces the appeal of these renewable energy resources. 
         [0008]    Clearly, the world is searching for a renewable energy resource which is cost-effective, has a low environmental impact, and is consistent in its generating capacity. Ideally, such a system would be able to capture energy, and store it, for later use. One potentially under-appreciated component of such a system is water. 
         [0009]    Water has both a high thermal capacity and a high latent heat needed to be fuse. A high thermal capacity means that water can absorb significant heat without extreme changes in its temperature. Likewise, water can radiate significant heat without extreme changes in its temperature. Water is also unique in that its heat capacity does not drastically change when it changes phase. For example the specific heat of ice is still half that of liquid water. The latent heat necessary to fuse water into ice is, also, substantial. A metric ton of ice measures is approximately one cubic meter, and contains in excess of 90 kW-hr of energy due to latent heat of fusion. Additionally, a cubic meter of water (a metric ton of water) will release approximately 20 kW-hr of energy, when rising 0° C. to 18° C. As a rough rule of thumb, every cubic meter of ice (every metric ton of ice) contains 110 kW-hr of energy between its fused state (as ice) and its liquid state at 18° C. 
         [0010]    To put that in perspective, according to a study by U.C. Irvine, the average, annual household consumption of energy in southern California in 2007 was 6 MW-hr. To store 6 MW-hr of energy in the latent heat of ice would require a block of ice approximately 64 m 3 , or about 4 meters on a side. According to the Energy Information Agency, in 2001, the average household that had central air-conditioning used 2.8 MW-hr to power the air conditioner. To store 2.8 MW-hr of energy in the latent heat of ice would require a block of ice approximately 30 m 3 , or about 3.1 meters on a side. 
         [0011]    In most of the temperate part of the world, it is relatively easy to sequester water from the environment, either through precipitation or ground-water. Additionally, the relatively low-cost of water from municipal sources makes large-scale water impoundment economically feasible. 
         [0012]    The combined latent heat and thermal capacity means that ice can store a substantial amount of energy. Said another way, ice can provide a substantial amount of cooling to the ambient environment. 
         [0013]    The trick is to make the ice large enough that the environmental losses when the temperature is high (i.e., summer) is relatively low compared to the overall amount of stored energy. The combined latent heat of fusion and thermal capacity is proportional to volume. The environmental losses (radiation losses) are proportional to surface area. As a result, the larger the block of ice, the more efficient it is as an energy storage solution. 
         [0014]    No large scale energy storage systems exist, which use ice or cold-water on such a large scale. Before modern refrigerators, work-men used to cut blocks of ice from lakes, and store them in caves or icehouses until the summer. In the summer, the blocks of ice would be sold. Due to the weight of the ice, the largest blocks had to remain small enough to efficiently move them. Although the ability of ice to hold cold energy has been known for at least a century, the prior art does not anticipate the use of ice to cool on an industrial scale. 
         [0015]    Currently, multiple manufacturers offer ice forming systems to level-load their air-conditioner system, reducing load at peak demand times. The blocks of ice used are modest in size, being about the size of a small refrigerator. The reason for the size limitation is that roof-mounted air-conditioners cannot add the weight needed to use ice as a large scale cooling source. Ice Energy Inc. makes such a unit, which uses 450 gallons of water, or approximately 1.75 cubic meters of ice. This volume would be capable of storing about 160-170 kW-hr of energy. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    The present invention is to store ambient environmental energy in cold water or ice, on a large enough scale, that it becomes practical as part of a renewable energy system for residential, office, and industrial uses. It is a technology that is practical both in areas where there are freezing temperatures in the winter and in places that never freeze. In climates where the winter brings freezing conditions, it is possible to freeze large amounts of water. In much of the world, the night is significantly colder than the day, allowing for ice formation, or cold water retention. 
         [0017]    The present system is comprised of a system or method for making and storing large scales of ice or cold water, a cover or other method of insulating the ice and water store, a piping system connecting the storage area to a heat exchanger, a liquid-to-air heat exchanger, a controller that regulates the flow of cold liquid to the heat exchanger, and a device that allows the cold energy to be removed from the storage area. The liquid medium can be the melt water from the storage area or a closed glycol system. In systems in which the liquid medium is melt water, the device that allows for the removal of cold energy from the storage area is a drain. In systems in which the liquid medium is glycol, the device that allows for the removal of cold energy from the storage area is a liquid-to-liquid heat exchanger. 
         [0018]    The system or method for making and storing large scales of ice can vary, depending on the application, the terrain, local zoning ordinances, access to natural or man-made bodies of water, the cost of installation, and other building factors that are evident to those skilled in the trade. The systems and methods for making and storing large scales of ice listed in this patent application are meant to be illustrative in nature, and do not limit the breadth or scope of the claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  shows a side view of an ice-making system, called the Ice Ditch, in which it is containing a mound of snow and ice. 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  shows a side view of the Ice Ditch, in which the retention basin is holding ice. 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  shows a side view of an alternative embodiment of ice-making system, called the Tippy Bucket, in which cold water is captured and retained, temporarily, until it is time to discharge it in order to further build an ice mass. 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  shows the side view of an alternative embodiment of an ice-making system, called the Ice Cube, in which the snow and/or ice is stored, and the melt-water is captured, at grade, with the assistance of a free-standing structure. 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  shows a front view of waste melt-water being used to evaporatively cool the roof of an industrial building. 
           [0024]      FIG. 6  shows a front view of waste melt-water being used to evaporatively cool the roof of a residential structure. 
           [0025]      FIG. 7  shows a front view of waste melt-water being used to evaporatively cool the driveway of a residential structure. 
           [0026]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the ice-making system called Ice Cube, in which the structure is temporary and removable. 
           [0027]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a mechanism called Ice Tray, which is used fill an Ice Cube. 
           [0028]      FIG. 10  is a front view of an alternative embodiment of the Ice Tray, in which ice is made in flat pans. 
           [0029]      FIG. 11  is a side view of the alternative embodiment of the Ice Tray, which shows that the added water is purged, in order to facilitate ice formation. 
           [0030]      FIG. 12  is a side view of the alternative embodiment of the Ice Tray, which shows the ice being ejected from the forming trays into an Ice Cube. 
           [0031]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of another alternative embodiment of the Ice Tray. 
           [0032]      FIG. 14  is, yet, another perspective view an alternative embodiment of the Ice Tray. 
           [0033]      FIG. 15  shows a side view of an ice-making system, called the Iceberg. 
           [0034]      FIG. 16  shows a side view of an alternative embodiment of the Iceberg. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0035]    The following description represents the inventors&#39; current preferred embodiment. The description is not meant to limit the invention, but rather to illustrate its general principles of operation. Examples are illustrated with the accompanying drawings. A variety of drawings are offered, showing the present invention, using different methods for forming ice and storing ice. 
         [0036]    The invention is a renewable energy system for use in residential, commercial and industrial buildings. The system uses, as one of its components, a large-scale energy storage system. The large-scale energy storage system ice or cold water, and is designed with due consideration of the climate, terrain, zoning, property size, and installation cost. The cold mass is connected to a liquid-to-air heat exchanger. The heat exchanger uses the cold from the cold mass to cool the ambient temperature in the building. 
         [0037]      FIG. 1  shows a method and system for storing cold energy in the preferred embodiment called Ice Ditch This method for forming and storing ice or cold water is used when the property size, zoning ordinances, terrain, climate, and installation costs, among other considerations, allows for the construction of a swale. When used in this application, swale means a low basin, whether formed naturally or man-made, which collects water.  FIG. 1  shows a large mass of ice and cold water  40  held in a swale. The bottom of the swale has a moisture-barrier liner  2 , which can be made out of materials, including, but not limited to, nitrile rubber, butyl rubber, thermoplastic elastomers, or thermoplastics. The moisture-barrier liner  2  can be made out of the same material as a swimming pool liner, and, in fact, the swale can be constructed in the same fashion as an in-ground swimming pool. The bottom of the swale or retention basin has been lowered, substantially, from the original contour of the ground  1 . Over the top of the cold water and ice mass  40  is a thermal cover  3 . If the swale is a man-made construction, the material removed from the bottom of the swale can be used to raise the top of the retention basin  11 . When used to collect snow, the maximum capacity  12  can actually exceed the top of the retention basin  11 . 
         [0038]    At the bottom of the cold mass  40  is a drain  4  to regulate the removal of energy from the mass, through the removal of melt-water. The drain  4  will have a controller/valve  5 , which controls when melt-water is removed. The drain  4  is connected with piping  6 . The piping  6  sends melt-water to a pump  7 . The arrows on the piping  6  indicate the direction of cold energy flow and material flow. The pump  7  pumps material to the feed pipe  35 , which connects to a liquid-to-air heat exchanger  10 . Cold air is then sent into the building  38 . 
         [0039]    The destination of the return melt-water can be routed in three different directions. The melt-water can flow through a return pipe  8 , which can route melt-water to either the bottom of the cold storage mass or to the top of the cold storage mass. The routing of water through the return pipe  8 , and the pressurization of the return pipe  8 , is accomplished with a plurality of multi-ported pumps  14 . Each multi-ported pump  14  contains a controller, which will correctly route the water depending on environmental conditions and the amount of mass in the cold storage basin. In the summertime, a multi-ported pump  14  can route water to the roof, through a feed pipe  15 . The system contains a pressure valve and cleaning port  9 . 
         [0040]    In order to compact the mass  40 , the system may, optionally, includes a dosing rod  36 . When forced into the mound of snow, the dosing rod  36  splays at the bottom. Each end of the dosing rod  36  contains a water hose. The dosing rod  36  can be used to reduce a snow mass to liquid, so that more mass can fit in the basin. The dosing rod  36  can be connected to the melt-water return pipe  8  in a melt-water system. 
         [0041]      FIG. 2  shows the Ice Ditch system and method for storing cold energy, when the climate is advantageous for the formation of ice  39 . This version still includes a swale liner  2 , a thermal blanket  3 , a drain  4 , a controller/valve  5 , piping  6 , a pump  7 , a liquid-to-air heat exchanger  10 , forced cold air into the building structure  38 , a return pipe  8 , a relief and cleaning port  9 , a swale top  11  formed out of the material removed from the bottom of the swale, a plurality of multi-ported pumps  14 , and a return pipe leading to the roof  15 . In an ice system, the cold energy transport medium is always melt-water. 
         [0042]    Without additional measures, the maximum height of ice storage  20  is lower than that when using snow  FIG. 1 ,  12 . Looking at  FIG. 2 , the swale contains netting  13  to promote ice formation. If it is advantageous to increase the mass beyond what the swale construction allows  20 , fence posts  37  can be installed in the swale mound  11 . The netting  13  can then be extended up the swale mound  11  and the fence posts  37  to increase the overall mass of the ice formation. 
         [0043]    In climatic areas where ice routinely forms in the winter, the system can be augmented to both collect melt-water from the roof, and cool the roof in the summer. In such a system, the pipe  15  extends to a roof-mounted sprinkler (not shown) so that it reaches the roof. The pump  14  can then pump water onto the roof. At the bottom of the gutter, the system would contain a control box  16  that would send melt-water into the retention basis via a pipe  17 , if the melt-water was cold and there was room in the retention basin. Otherwise, the water would be sent through a shunt pipe  18  to irrigate the land. 
         [0044]    The Ice Ditch is the preferred embodiment for cost of installation and efficiency, in cold climates. In an installation without a natural swale, and in which a man-made swale is not practical, either because of zoning, terrain, or cost, the storage capacity of an Ice Ditch may make that method of forming cold water and ice less than ideal. If a swale is not possible, it may be possible, on some installations, to build a small structure to facilitate cold energy storage.  FIG. 4  shows such an implementation. This system and method for creating a cold energy storage mass contains a steel silo or other structural walls  21 . The structure  21  can be placed at grade  27 , partially subterranean  28 , or fully subterranean  29 . The structure  21  will include insulation  22 , netting to promote ice formation  23 . The system will use a temperature controlled blower  25  to let in air when it is colder outside than it is inside the structure. The building is vented  30  to prevent overflow. 
         [0045]    As in previous systems, there will be piping  6 , pumps  7 ,  14 , a liquid-to-air heat exchanger  10 , forced cold air into the building structure  38 , feed pipe  35  to the heat exchanger, a return pipe  8 , a relief and cleaning port  9 , a melt-water pipe  15  designed to pump water onto the roof, a control box  16 , a melt-water routing pipe  17  back to the cold mass, and a shunt pipe  18 . The return pipe  8  feeds another set of pipes  31  that return the melt-water to the structure. 
         [0046]      FIG. 4  contains optional elements. To promote ice formation, the structure may be outfitted with air-bubblers  24 ,  39 . The air bubbler can either be a panel of perforated tubes  24 , that extend down into the cold water or ice; or, the air bubbler  39  can be a plurality of tubes, mounted individually, which can be raised or lowered depending on the density of the water. 
         [0047]    The structure may, also, have a refrigeration pipe  26 , filled with glycol and sealed at both ends. This pipe  26  will be affected by both the temperature gradients of the substances touching it (ice, melt-water, air inside the structure  21 , and external air). When the air outside is colder than the material inside the structure  21 , the pipe  26  will facilitate ice formation. 
         [0048]    The structure can also have cooling panels  42 ,  44 , which capture ambient cold energy from the roof, and feed it to a cooling panel  43  in the structure  21 . The interior cooling panel  43  is made of a plurality of pipes, bounded or molded together, through which the transport medium can flow. The panels  42 ,  43 ,  44 , use glycol as an energy transport medium through hoses or pipes  41 . Ice build-up on the cooling panel  43  within the structure  21  can be reduced or prevented by, among other things, torqueing and/or twisting the panel  43  headers intermittently; running warmed glycol through the panel  43 ; increasing and decreasing the fluid pressure within the panels  43 ; and using acoustic exciters to knock ice off the panels  43 . 
         [0049]      FIG. 8  shows an alternative embodiment of the system and method, called the Ice Cube for storing energy in ice. In  FIG. 8 , the frame  101  holds a net  102 . The net  102  may be added in sections. Ice is formed when it is freezing outside. Ice formation beings when the nozzle  103  sprays a fine mist of water onto the plastic sheeting  111 . The ice builds up, layer after layer. The nozzle  103  is supplied by a pipe system  104 ,  108 ,  110 . The water supply is controlled by a water controller  109 . Once ice has formed, the ice can be wrapped in a thermal blanket  105 ,  106 ,  107 . As currently envisioned, the Ice Cube is the preferred embodiment for warmer climates, dryer climates, and flatter terrains. 
         [0050]      FIG. 3  shows a method for creating ice, which can be used in conjunction with the Ice Berg or the Ice Cube. In order to maximize ice formation, only a small, thin layer of water should be evenly applied at appropriate intervals of time. The intervals of time depend on the ambient temperature where the ice is being formed. The mechanism in  FIG. 3  is called the Tippy Bucket. A water feed tube  304  supplies water from melt-water, municipal water sources, ground water, or other available sources of water for impoundment. The water fills the bucket  301  at a trickle  305 . The bucket is mounted on a rotatable axis  303 . The bottom of the bucket is weighted  302 . When the water level  306  gets high enough, the bucket  301  becomes unstable about its axis  303 , and spills out the water  307 . 
         [0051]    In some installations, it may be desirable to make and store ice in locations not adjacent to the ground (e.g., commercial or industrial roof-tops). In any installation where it is desired to make ice using energy provided by the environment, ice formation is possible with a method called the Ice Cube.  FIG. 9  shows a method for making ice, called the Ice Tray, which can be used in conjunction with the Ice Cube ( FIG. 4  and FIG.). An ice forming carousel  204  is positioned over a storage cooler  206  (such as the Ice Cube). The carousel  204  is fed by a spigot  203 , which is connected to a controller  201  and a feed pipe  202 . The carousel  204  has a mechanism to eject ice  205  out the bottom and into the Ice Cube  206 . The carousel  204  is turned by a motor  207  and a drive shaft  208 . When necessary, the Ice Tray is shaded by a shading device  221 . The water for the Ice Cube can be pre-cooled using an outdoor cooling panel. Water is run through the panel through a series of pipes  216 , thus cooling the water when ambient temperatures are low. 
         [0052]      FIG. 10  shows an alternative method of achieving the Ice Tray. The system still contains a spigot  203 , a feed pipe  202 , a controller  201 , a shading device  221 , and a storage cooler or Ice Cube  206 . The trays  211  are contained in a formation cooler  212 . In the evening, and on cool days, the water may be circulated to a roof panel chiller  215  through a series of pipes  216 . The system may also include an optional blower  217  to pre-chill the water. 
         [0053]      FIG. 11  shows the alternative method of the Ice Tray purging excess water from the trays  211  by tilting them. The purged water  209  falls to a storage basin  210 , from which it can be recycled by the controller  201 . In  FIG. 12 , when the ice is formed, the trays  211  are tilted to drop the ice  214  into the storage cooler or Ice Cube  206 . 
         [0054]      FIG. 13  shows another alternative method of the Ice Tray. In this method, the ice is formed through the use of a conveyor belt  220 . The conveyor  220  holds the ice forming cups  219 . This alternative method still relies upon a controller  201 , a spigot  202 , a drive motor  218 , a shading device  221 , and a storage cooler or Ice Cube  206 . The ice is poked out of the cup by a rod  222 , which pushes a rubber-, thermoplastic-, or elastomer-covered cut-out in the cup  209   
         [0055]      FIG. 14  shows an additional alternative method of the Ice Tray. In this method, the ice forming cups  219  are a thin, rectangular profile. The forming cups  219  are made out of a flexible material, such as neoprene, foam rubber, rubber, elastermers, or thermoplastics. The other elements are largely the same. This alternative method still relies upon a controller  201 , a spigot  202 , a drive motor  218 , a shading device  221 , and a cold storage container  206 . 
         [0056]      FIG. 15  shows an alternative method and system for creating cold energy storage mass called the Iceberg. The Iceberg can be a preferred embodiment on land that already has a natural or man-made impoundment of water, that freezes in the winter. On bodies of water that ice over in the winter, it is possible to significantly add to the ice formation. In this case, the water  306  is a body of water that ices  307  over in the winter. By applying additional water through a nozzle  310 , the system build-ups a thicker layer of ice  308 , faster. The nozzle  310  is fed by a pipe  309 , which, in turn, is fed by a pump  313 . The pump  313  is supplied water by a submerged collector  314 . The pump  313  is powered by a photo-voltaic collector  311 , which feeds electricity to the pump through a wire  312 . The water only needs to be supplied periodically, so the system works well, even in northern environments without significant sunshine in the winter. 
         [0057]      FIG. 16  shows an alternative embodiment of the Iceberg concept. An insulated bag  302  floats in water  306 . The water  306  could be a man-made pool, a man-made retention pond, or a naturally occurring body of water. The insulated bag  302  contains ice  301 , which can be naturally occurring ice collected and placed in the bag, or ice that is formed specifically for this application. The system includes two pipes  303 ,  304 , which collect and return cold water to the bag. The cold water being transported to a heat exchanger, which is not pictured. The bag is sealed with a plug  305 . This alternative embodiment extends the usefulness of the Iceberg concept to warmer climates. 
         [0058]    The Iceberg, Ice Ditch, or Ice Cube can all three use a drain to remove melt-water.  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6  show an optional mechanism, which would cool the roof on commercial and residential roofs, respectively, using such melt-water. On a commercial roof, the melt-water pipe  8  sends the water to a roof sprinkler  33  after the heat-exchanger  38 , providing the building with evaporative cooling on its roof. On a residential roof, the melt-water pipe  8  sends the water to a roof sprinkler  34  after the heat-exchanger  38 , providing the building with evaporative cooling on its roof. 
         [0059]    The concept of using the melt-water for evaporative cooling also applies to parking lots.  FIG. 7  shows an evaporative cooling option for a parking lot or parking area. The melt-water pipe  8  sends the water to a ground-level sprinkler  32  after the heat-exchanger  38 , providing the parking area with evaporative cooling.