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Charles R Upshaw, Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin
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Joshua Rhodes, Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin
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Michael Webber, Ph.D., University of Texas
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Residential air conditioning represents nearly half of peak electrical demand on the Texas electricity grid during the summer, so finding ways to reduce peak demand have significant value for homeowners and grid operators. Thermal storage systems provide a means of shifting air conditioning load off-peak while maintaining cooling operation and thermal comfort levels, but are typically not deployed at the residential level due to cost constraints. This paper discusses the design and pilot testing of an integrated thermal energy and rainwater storage system (or ITHERST) for a small residential house. The paper summarizes the system design, describes the testing process and preliminary results, and concludes the report with a discussion on lessons learned and future work.
