Prestressed

Concrete
Tanks
For Thermal
Energy Storage

THE CRO M CO RPO RA TIO N

 Page 1

Introduction - Thermal Energy Storage

Institutional electrical energy usage follows a bell curve with peaks during the day and valleys
overnight. Local power plants must have the capacity to handle the peak periods. Power plants are
often oversized to meet high demand peak periods and are forced to charge demand fees to offset the
cost of excess capacity. During periods of low demand (evenings), plants must be kept running and
producing electricity, often with excess capacity. In many cases, energy produced during low demand
periods is offered to large commercial users at a reduced rate. Thermal Energy Storage (TES) takes
advantage of these low rates by chilling water for the cooling systems at night and storing it in insulated
tanks for use during times of peak demand. This is known as load shifting or peak shifting. Depending on
the specific geographic location and utility incentives, the payback of the initial construction cost can be
very short. Typical Peak Cooling Load Profile Typical Peak Cooling Load Profile
with TES
Cooling Load Demand

Cooling Load Demand

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
OFF PEAK PEAK RATE OFF PEAK OFF PEAK PEAK RATE OFF PEAK
Time of Day Time of Day

Another potential use of Thermal Energy Storage is to store chilled water during periods of low
demand then use it to increase the capacity of the chiller plant by combining it with flow from the
chillers to meet the needs during periods of high demand. This is called peak shaving and can allow
owners to defer purchasing expensive chiller plant equipment.
Stored Thermal Energy can also be utilized as a source of emergency back-up for cooling systems. In
the event of a sudden power loss, TES can be used to keep the cooling system running until the
emergency back-up generators can be brought on line.
The concept of thermal energy storage results in a win/win relationship between the owner of the
facility and the power company. Many times the benefit to the power producer is enough for it to offer
financial incentives for the construction of these projects.
Cover Photos
1 Devon Energy - Devon Consolidated Data Center
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
80,000 Gallon TES Tank
30’ ID x 15’ SWD
Consulting Engineers:
Franfort-Short-Bruza Associates, P.C.

2 Walgreen Company - Southeast Distribution Center

Williamston, South Carolina
1,610,000 Gallon TES Tank
65’ ID x 65’ SWD 1 2 3
Consulting Engineers:
Korte Design, Inc.

3 Broward Community College - Central Campus

Davie, Florida
750,000 Gallon TES Tank
68’ ID x 27’6” SWD
Consulting Engineers:
Engineering Matrix

4 Nielsen Media Research - Oldsmar, Florida

Two 750,000 Gallon TES Tanks
46’ ID x 60’ SWD
Consulting Engineers:
Alfonso Architects & FL/Engineering Matrix, Inc. 4
 Page 2

Crom Thermal Energy

Storage Tanks
The Crom Corporation provides a turnkey service from
tank and diffuser design through complete construction of the
TES tank. The combination of the virtually maintenance-free
tank and the PVC internal diffuser system insures many years
of uninterrupted service and very low life-cycle costs. The
purpose of Thermal Energy Storage is to save money, not to
shift costs from one department to another. If you cut your
energy costs, you do not want to then spend your savings on
maintenance. Diffuser System
The Crom Corporation designs thermal storage for the
greatest possible return. The union of Prestressed Concrete
Tanks and thermal storage is ideal. A Prestressed Concrete
Tank provides you with the lowest maintenance structure
which will deliver years of uninterrupted service. Additionally,
the internal diffuser system is designed to provide the most
usable volume from the tank.
No one likes delays in the construction process. The
internal diffuser is built at our fabrication shop under
controlled conditions to insure fast and accurate field
installation. Our own specially trained and experienced 2.0 MG Chilled Water Storage Tank
Fort Jackson, South Carolina
construction crews construct the tank on site and install the
internal diffuser piping.
Our standard installation includes an external insulation
and finish system (EIFS) that can provide great flexibility in the
final appearance of the installation.

Design - Tank Structure

Watertightness of the tank wall is made possible by the Steel Sheel Diaphragm
combined performance of a steel shell diaphragm, shotcrete
encasement, and wire prestressing. The steel shell extends
continuously the full height of the tank wall, thus precluding by
positive means any through-wall leakage. The diaphragm has
no horizontal joints. The vertical joints which connect the
steel shell panels are sealed by epoxy injection after the
diaphragm is encased inside and outside with shotcrete. The
corrugations in the steel cylinder, running in a vertical
direction, provide a mechanical bond between the diaphragm Shotcrete Application
and the shotcrete encasement. Mild steel reinforcement is
included to resist bending moments, shrinkage, and
temperature stresses. Circumferential prestressing assures
permanent ring compression in the tank core wall.
The Crom Corporation designs its structures under the
supervision of professional engineers; trains and certifies its
key employees; selects and uses the best available construction
materials; and adheres rigidly to high standards of quality
Prestressing
construction.
 Page 3

Design - Tank Structure - continued

Economy is a natural by-product of the prestressed
concrete tank design - lesser quantities of materials and labor
are utilized than is possible under conventional reinforced
concrete design. Of greater significance is the quality of
permanence inherent in the construction materials used.
Shotcrete is a durable, high-strength building material whose
long life is universally recognized. Interior surfaces of the tank
do not require painting. This is a major cost benefit.
The Crom Corporation has designed and built over 3800
storage tanks for water and wastewater since 1953.

Design - Thermocline/Diffuser Internal

Diffuser
Naturally stratified Thermal Energy Storage Tanks take Warm Water
Return
advantage of the normal differences in the density of water at
different temperatures to separate the chilled water from the THERMOCLINE
warm water returning from the air handling system. By limiting
the inlet and outlet velocity of the water, internal mixing is
illustration-
minimized and buoyancy forces dominate, allowing the water diffusser &
to stratify. This allows warm water to be stacked on top of the
colder denser water without the need for a physical thermocline
Internal
Cold Water
To Air Handler
Diffuser
membrane to separate them. The layer of water that separates
the warm return water from the cold stored water is called
the thermocline. A major key to optimizing the performance Operation- Peak Hours
of thermal storage is the design of the internal diffuser to
create the thinnest possible thermocline.
The octagon diffuser configuration allows the formation of
Internal
the thinnest initial thermocline by spreading the diffuser Diffuser
Warm Water
openings across the entire surface area of the tank. Initial To Chiller
thermocline thickness is critical because it makes the biggest
impact on tank efficiency. The octagon diffuser configuration is
self- balancing, requiring no adjustments during operation.
The diffuser system is designed following the same THERMOCLINE
philosophy as the tank structure: provide a robust system that
requires as little maintenance as possible. The materials used Cold Water
Return
are designed to be long lasting and require no periodic Internal
Diffuser
maintenance or inspection. Crom Thermal Energy Storage
Tanks are designed to provide the highest return on
investment for the end user.
Operation- Off-Peak Hours
 Page 4

Versatility & Appearance

The highest standards for attractive appearance and
performance are our goals. Aesthetics can be a major
consideration because of the storage tank’s high profile
location in some facilities. The tank’s concrete construction
allows the greatest flexibility in location options. The tank
structure can be built at grade, completely buried, or anywhere
in between. The exterior walls of the tanks are covered with
EIFS (exterior insulation finishing system) which can easily 1
utilize color, texture and architectural embellishments to
match existing or planned office buildings. In addition, the
exterior insulation system can be covered with brick veneers,
vinyl siding, aluminum cladding or plaster finishes. The final
product can be designed to fit into any architectural scheme.

Applications
1.Data Storage and Processing -
ACC4 DATA CENTER
Ashburn,Virginia 2
Two-0.5 MG TES Tanks - 40’0” ID x 53’2” SWD
Consulting Engineers:
CCG Facilities Integration Incorporated

2. FacilitiesAir-Conditioning
CENTRAL HEATING & COOLING PLANT
Fort Gordon, Georgia
2.0 MG TES Tank - 85’ x 47’2”
Consulting Engineers:
Jordan, Jones & Goulding
3
3.Warehouse and Distribution Centers -
WALGREEN COMPANY - WAREHOUSE &
DISTRIBUTION CENTER
West Palm Beach, Florida
1.6 MG TES Tank - 65’ ID x 65’ SWD
Consulting Engineers:
The Korte Company
4.Learning Institutions -
BROWARD COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Pembroke Pines, Florida
4
0.652 MG TES Tank - 68’ ID x 24’ SWD
Consulting Engineers:
Engineering Matrix
5 Hospitals -
ST. MARY’S HOSPITAL, INC.
West Palm Beach, Florida
1.4 MG TES Tank - 69’ ID x 53’ SWD
Consulting Engineers:
Johnson, Levinson, Slider & Davila
5
 Capacities and Dimensions for
Inside Diameter
Thermal Energy Storage Tanks
Capacities in Millions of U.S. Gallons
in Feet

0.2 0.25 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.75 1.0 1.5 2.0 2.5 3.0 4.0 5.0 7.5 10.0 15.0 20.0
Thermal Capacities in Ton-Hours
1500 1900 2300 3000 3800 5600 7500 11,300 15,100 18,800 22,600 30,100 37,600 56,500 75,300 112,700 150,200

30 37’10” 47’4” 56’9”

35 27’9” 34’9” 41’8” 55’8” 69’6”
40 21’3” 26’7” 31’11” 42’7” 53’2”
45 16’10” 21’1” 25’3” 33’8” 42’0” 63’1”
50 14’1” 17’1” 20’6” 27’3” 34’1” 51’2” 68’2”
55 14’1” 16’11” 22’6” 28’2” 42’3” 56’3”
60 18’11” 23’8” 35’5” 47’4” 70’11”
65 16’3” 20’2” 30’3” 40’4” 60’6”
70 17’5” 26’1” 34’9” 52’2” 69’6”
75 22’9” 30’4” 45’5” 60’7”
80 20’0” 26’8” 39’11” 53’2” 66’6”
85 23’7” 35’4” 47’2” 58’11” 70’8”
90 31’7” 42’1” 52’7” 63’11”
95 28’4” 37’9” 47’2” 56’7”
100 25’7” 34’1” 42’7” 51’1” 68’1”
105 30’11” 38’7” 46’4” 61’10”
110 28’2” 35’2” 42’3” 56’3” 70’4”
115 32’2” 38’7” 51’6” 64’5”
120 Thermal energy storage in 30’0” 35’6” 47’4” 59’2”
125 ton-hours assumes a T= 32’9” 43’8” 54’6”
130 12 F. 40’4” 50’5”
135 37’5” 46’8” 70’0”
140 For Thermal Energy Storage 35’0” 43’5” 65’2”
145 the most efficient designs 40’6” 60’9”
150 require a 4 to1or greater 37’10” 56’9”
155 sidewall to diameter ratio. 53’2” 70’10”
160 This chart illustrates those 49’10” 66’6”
165 sizes. Crom Prestressed 46’11” 62’7”
170 Concrete Tanks can be built 44’2” 58’11”
175 to any size specified. 55’7”
180 52’6”
185 49’9”
190 47’6” 70’9”
195 67’2”
200 63’10”
205 60’9”
210 57’11”
215 55’3” 73’8”
220 70’4”
 THE CROM CORPORATION
250 SW 36TH TERRACE GAINESVILLE, FL 32607-2889
Phone: (352)372-3436 FAX: (352)372-6209 www.cromcorp.com
copyright c 2010 by The Crom Corporation. All Rights reserved