Continuous ice formation in a tube by using water–oil emulsion for dynamic-type ice-making cold thermal energy storage

A dynamic-type of ice-making cold thermal energy storage system using water–oil emusion with silane-coupler agent was investigated. In order to establish a suitable method by which slurry ice can be formed continuously in a tube without ice adhesion to the cooling wall, the effects of the tube materials of the heat exchanger, heat exchanger types and phase change materials on ice formation process were investigated. Experiments of ice formation were operated under various cooling conditions of flow rate of the mixture and temperature of cooling brine. It was found that using a fluoroplastics tube prevented ice from adhering to the tube under a wide range of the cooling conditions. By making thickness of the tube thinner and increasing heat transfer coefficient on the outside of the tube, performance of heat exchanger as an ice-making equipment was improved. The range of the suitable cooling conditions by using the water–oil emulsion as a phase change material was wider than that by using ethylene glycol aqueous solution.