DEVELOPING AN INNOVATIVE BUILDING COOLING TECHNOLOGY
E.L. Morofsky, Ph.D., P.E.
ASHRAE Member
An innovative seasonal ice storage tfchnology development is followed
from conception in 1976, through preliminary design, experiment,
and pilot study to detailed design of a demonstration project.
The objective was to develop and perfect an automated, efficient
ice freezing, storage, and utilization technique with minimal
operating and maintenance costs; to determine the height of ice
that could be efficiently produced as n function of winter temperatures;
and to develop a standard modular approach applicable at any site
in cost-effective manner. The application was to cool comcrcial
and industrial buildings having a significant cooling demand.
A construction cost goal of $150 to $200 (Canadian 1985) per cubic
meter of ice was set for the system based on expected energy and
chiller savxngs in comparison with conventional cooling techniques.
This paper traces the a evolution of a comercialization strategy
to transfer the technology to the private sector and the changes
due to technical developments and market characteristics. All
of the major technical objectives have been successfully achieved.
~~11 scale demonstration awaits less expensive design alternatives.
Agricultural applications with a moditied design have been evaluated
over several seasons and give positive economic results. This
paper follows an actual project in detail to illustrate the role
of strategic aims in relation to other factors; compares the evolution
of a Research and Development project in the building construction
industry with the generally held view of technical innovation:
and attempts to clarify the role of the government as a participant
in energy Research and Development.