Study on a snow storage system in a renovated space

This paper proposes a snow storage system in a renovated space for efficient energy use and reduction of the costs related to snow utilization, and aims to clarify the system’s effectiveness. First, it gives an outline of the system together with a description of the facility used for demonstration testing. Second, it highlights the results of long-term measurements relating to snow storage characteristics, which showed that 59% of the latent energy in the initially stored snow had been used for cooling by the end of the relevant period. The authors discuss how heat balance analysis revealed a relatively high level of heat loss from the floor due to the storage facility’s location in an underground space, and confirm that the system has the potential to secure a high level of energy conservation. Finally, the paper outlines the results of analysis conducted throughout the construction and operation phases of the cooling system, which revealed that the initial cost was 96% that of a conventional cooling system.

► The concept of a snow storage system in a renovated space and its use was presented. ► It was found that 50–60% of the initial amount of snow was used effectively. ► The primary energy reduction rate as compared to the conventional cooling system was 74.6%. ► The system could be constructed at an initial cost similar to that of a conventional cooling system.