ICEPAK -- Modeling the ice-filling and ice-melting processes of thermal energy storage tanks

This paper summarizes the capabilities of the ICEPAK software to model the ice-filling and ice-melting processes for rectangular ice storage tanks with multiple harvesting icemakers. The ICEPAK numerical model describes the geometry and quantity of ice filling a rectangular storage tank and the ice-melting behavior of particulate ice stored in the tank and calculates the tank exit water temperature as a function of time. Verification of the accuracy of the model was accomplished during ASHRAE research project RP707, and the model results compare well with the experimental data for water level, exit water temperature, and quantity of remaining ice mass. ICEPAK is applicable to particulate ice in a tank with a bottom perimeter water outlet, rectangular storage tanks with up to four ice openings/harvester icemakers, for either ice-opening melt waterflows or uniformly distributed meltwater flows over the plan area of the tank.