Thermal Mass Storage Tanks
From Green Garage Detroit
return to Sustainable Detail Design Center
Requirements
- 5,000 gallons
- heating and cooling capacity at the same time (i.e. multiple tanks)
- Temps:
- Hot: 180F max; 100F min
- Cold: 68F max; 60F min?
Design / Selection
- Ideas
- decouples supply and demand
- Design
- Tanks
- Use three 2,000 gallon tanks: Easier to get in building... more flexibility
- Purchase used stainless steel
- Seasonal Use
- Winter: 3 Hot / 0 Cold(November - February)
- Cool Shoulder: 2 Hot / 1 Cold (March - April, October)
- Warm Shoulder: 1 Hot / 2 Cold (May, September)
- Summer: 0 Hot / 3 Cold (June - August)
- Thermal Mass Room
- Insulate tanks (foam / buy insulated) 5 R (eliminates convection)
- Insulate to 30 R - use rigid insulation
- Location: Annex / South Wall
- 36" door + rigid insulation filler - tape shut
- Tanks
Rationale
- Connectedness to the earth
- net zero-energy
- simplicity
