Material and Geometric Design of Helical and Finned Tube Heat Exchangers for Ice Thermal Energy Storage in Infrastructure Cooling

Abstract:

Ice thermal energy storage offers an effective solution for sustainable infrastructure cooling by producing ice during off-peak hours and utilizing the stored cooling during peak demand. The performance of such systems is strongly influenced by the geometry and material selection of the embedded heat exchangers, which determine heat transfer, durability, and fabrication feasibility. This study presents a novel direct comparison of helical and finned tube coils under identical operating conditions, rarely addressed in prior ITES research. Both configurations, fabricated from copper tubing, were tested in a 200-liter insulated tank using water as the secondary refrigerant. Performance was evaluated through ice formation rate, cooling capacity delivery, and overall efficiency. The helical coil consistently outperformed the finned tube coil, producing more uniform ice distribution, a greater ice mass of 58.4 kilograms compared with 49.83 kilograms, and an extended cooling duration of 5 hours and 30 minutes compared with 4 hours and 15 minutes. The originality of this work lies in isolating coil geometry effects on ITES performance, offering reproducible evidence for design optimization. Limitations include the use of a single refrigerant and a laboratory-scale system, which may affect scalability to real applications. Nevertheless, the findings provide practical guidance for selecting coil designs that improve efficiency and reliability in infrastructure cooling systems.

• Periodical: Advances in Science and Technology (Volume 179)
• Pages: 63-68
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/p-89BuDR
• Online since: June 2026
• Authors: Suppawut Laohachote, Jetsadaporn Priyadumkol*
• Keywords: Cooling Efficiency, Finned Tube Coil, Heat Exchanger, Helical Coil, Ice Thermal Energy Storage

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