Stratified thermal storage; A new/old technology

In recent years, experience has been gained from laboratory tests and field installations, which demonstrates that stratified water storage exhibits repeatable, predictable performance in systems operating with a variety of temperature differences and satisfying a wide range of loads. These advances have coincided with increased application of stratified water storage in existing and new buildings, campuses and industrial facilities. The expansion of total capacity of stratified storage has been roughly proportional to that for all forms of thermal storage. Stratified storage is currently used to meet peak instantaneous cooling loads ranging from 60 tons to more than 10,000 tons. It is used in applications ranging from heat a 55,00 sq. ft. building to cooling an automobile assembly plant with a conditioned floor area of 3.3 million sq. ft. Although some stratified storage tanks are small, most are large and are used in systems with large loads.