Investigating the Performance of a Seasonal Cold Storage System for Dry and Mountainous Climates

Seasonal cold storage presents an eco-friendly and highly efficient solution for capturing natural or artificial cold energy during winter, which can then be utilised for cooling during summer. This research proposes an innovative cold storage system tailored for mountainous climates. The system harnesses refrigeration technology and cold ambient air to produce ice, offering a sustainable approach to glacier recovery. Additionally, the stored water within the ice storage system reduces surface water evaporation in arid, high-altitude regions. In this study, we detail the performance of the proposed system and examine its effectiveness using climate-specific equations for the Tafresh region. The system operates with a 5 kW refrigeration cycle and fans to direct cold air into the storage compartment at optimal speeds when the ambient temperature reaches-3°C. For the case study presented, the system not only decreased energy consumption by 13.73% during the summer months and reduced operational costs by 8%, but it also conserved 150 m³ of water, transferring it from the rainy season to the warmer months. Furthermore, the system successfully achieved peak load shaving of 2 kW during peak demand periods. This study highlights the system's dual benefits in energy conservation and water management, making it a compelling solution for sustainable cooling in mountainous regions.