Experimental Characterization of a Direct Contact Latent Cold Storage with Ice

Patrick Estermann (), Pascal Gürber, Stefan Krimmel, William Delgado-Díaz, Rebecca Ravotti, Manuel Häusler and Anastasia Stamatiou
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Patrick Estermann: Competence Centre Thermal Energy Storage (CCTES), Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, 6048 Horw, Switzerland
Pascal Gürber: Competence Centre Thermal Energy Storage (CCTES), Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, 6048 Horw, Switzerland
Stefan Krimmel: Competence Centre Thermal Energy Storage (CCTES), Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, 6048 Horw, Switzerland
William Delgado-Díaz: Competence Centre Thermal Energy Storage (CCTES), Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, 6048 Horw, Switzerland
Rebecca Ravotti: Competence Centre Thermal Energy Storage (CCTES), Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, 6048 Horw, Switzerland
Manuel Häusler: EuroTube Foundation, 8600 Dübendorf, Switzerland
Anastasia Stamatiou: Competence Centre Thermal Energy Storage (CCTES), Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, 6048 Horw, Switzerland

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 16, 1-21

Abstract: Effective thermal management is crucial for Hyperloop vehicles to ensure the reliable operation of onboard systems and to prevent overheating under high-speed and vacuum-like conditions. Due to the near-vacuum environment in which a Hyperloop operates, passive cooling is largely ineffective, making an active thermal management system necessary. This study investigates the application of a direct contact latent heat storage system, which leverages the high energy density of phase change materials. Ice is used as the phase change material and water as the heat transfer fluid, forming a system that avoids emulsion formation and simplifies design by eliminating complex heat exchangers. An experimental setup was used to evaluate the impact of three ice shapes and three flow directions on cooling performance. The results indicate that neither crushed ice nor ice block alone provide the optimal thermal performance for Hyperloop cooling requirements in terms of both effective capacity and dynamic response. Crushed ice offers fives times faster thermal response but has a 42% less packing density, while ice block provides greater thermal mass but responds more slowly to dynamic cooling demands. Therefore, a balance between the two configurations must be identified to combine adequate heat transfer performance with sufficient cooling capacity.

Keywords: thermal energy storage; direct contact; latent heat storage; ice; phase change material; Hyperloop; thermal management system (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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