Refrigeration battery

[begreen]

It's a salt-water battery, but it doesn't store electricity. It stores cold. Axiom is installing refrigeration batteries to offset peak demand power costs. It works by freezing the battery solution during the night and releasing the cold during peak hours. The refrigeration battery is simple, reliable and cost effective. Installations are going into some large stores like Whole Foods and Walmart. Pretty cool, eh?
(broken link removed to https://www.greenbiz.com/article/how-whole-foods-uses-saltwater-cut-costs-and-boost-resilience)
http://www.axiomexergy.com/

 

[EatenByLimestone]

Heard of similar used for air conditioning too.

 

[woodgeek]

My enterprise has a huge one of these (the size of a building) to run chilled water for AC to its dozens of buildings.

 

[peakbagger]

I think Sundanzer had a model that was equipped with freezer packs on the interior walls and floor. The packs are used by caterers and are basically rectangular plastic containers filled with salt water to get a lower freezing point. The freezer packs extend the periods of time between the compressor needing to run.

I took a regular chest freezer and had some spare 4" insulation I glued it to the front and sides and left it higher then the top cover I also cut a removable plug that sets down over the top. Its noticeable in hot weather how cool the top of the freezer is when I remove the plug. I cant insulate the back wall as the coils are buried under the outer case.