TECHNICAL FEATURE

This article was published in ASHRAE Journal, December 2017. Copyright 2017 ASHRAE. Posted at www.ashrae.org. This article may not be copied and/or distributed
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Commissioning Chilled
Water TES Tank Systems
BY ROSS MONTGOMERY, P.E., BEAP, BEMP, CPMP, HBDP, FELLOW ASHRAE

Chilled water thermal energy storage systems (TES) have been used successfully in
district cooling systems for decades. According to the 2016 ASHRAE Handbook—HVAC
Systems and Equipment,1 thermal storage systems “remove heat from or add heat to a
storage medium for use at another time.” These TES systems can come in the form of
ice or cold-water storage. This article focuses on the commissioning of systems and the
sequence of operations for individual school project chiller plants and cold water ther-
mal energy storage systems using a large storage tank (Photo 1), performed on a large
group of individual educational facilities over the course of 2012 – 17. The sequences and
commissioning tasks have been refined over time to improve the final deliverables and
performance to the facilities.
The capacity design of the TES system used is tai-
lored to the individual needs of the facility itself. In
general, an example design for one school would be
an air-cooled chiller plant consisting of two 400 ton
(1407 kW) chillers operating at 42°F (5.6°C) to 56°F
(13.3°C) supply/return temperatures, chiller and charge
primary flows at 1,370 gpm (86 L/s), discharge primary
flows at 1,500 gpm (95 L/s) and secondary flows up to
3,000 gpm (189 L/s). The thermal storage tank capacity
is 4,800 ton-hours (16 880 kWh) and holds 600,000 gal-
lons (2.3 million L) of treated water. In some projects,
water-cooled chillers with cooling towers were also
used.
Building commissioning in its early days was per-
formed by its consulting engineer designer and their
staff as a part of continuing design services. Starting
in the early 1980s, when ASHRAE started to develop
its Guideline 0 and Guideline 1 on commissioning, and
later its ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 202, Commissioning
Process for Buildings and Systems, buildings can now be pro-
fessionally commissioned by third-party independent
commissioning providers.
Benefits of cold-water storage include:
•• Shifting loads and kW demand from peak- to non-
peak times (in both summer and winter) allow for par-
ticipating utility incentive payments and discounts and
current utility rebates, relative to thermal water storage;
•• Discounts and rebates from participating utility(s)
reduce costs of new equipment purchases;
•• If a time-of-use (TOU) rate is available from the
utility company, energy cost savings can be obtained by
operating the chiller equipment in a central plant more

Ross D. Montgomery, P.E., is president and owner of Quality Systems and Technology Inc., a commissioning provider company based out of Parrish, Fla.

32 A S H R A E J O U R N A L   a s h r a e . o r g   D E C E M B E R 2 0 17

during the off-peak periods, and reducing the energy
consumption during peak periods;
•• Increased energy efficiency of chiller equipment by
operating them at night in cooler ambient conditions
(cooler nighttime condensing water temperatures);
•• Reduced sizes of required HVAC and electric equip-
ment/devices in some cases;
•• Increased operating flexibility and scheduling;
•• Backup capabilities and extra capacity to the facility
in case of equipment malfunction or failure;
•• Assistance to integrate renewables into systems; and
•• Dual-purpose fire protection water supply.
Construction Commissioning Process
Commissioning can begin at predesign, design, or
during construction. This article will focus on the efforts
taken during construction commissioning. At the begin-
ning of any construction commissioning project, it is
vital to make sure the owner’s project requirements
(OPR), in the case of new construction, or current facil-
ity requirements (CFR), in the case of existing buildings,
are monitored and followed while performing the stan-
dardized commissioning tasks for new construction, as
outlined and discussed in detail in ANSI/ASHRAE/IES
Standard 202-2013.2 Those steps can be summarized as:
•• Initiating the commissioning process;
•• Writing the commissioning plan;
•• Reviewing the design and construction documents;
•• Creating and working with the commissioning
team;
•• Performing commissioning submittal review;
•• Performing construction observation and testing;
•• Performing the functional performance testing;
•• Maintaining the issues documentation and resolu-
tion logs;
•• Observing the training process including using
the systems manual and record documents as training
materials;
•• Monitoring post occupancy operations; and
•• Writing the final commissioning report.
Special attention should be paid to the following items.
The commissioning plan is a good opportunity to
inform the commissioning team about what the expec-
tations, goals and objectives are for the project; and,
reviewing the submittals and making site visits during
the construction phase near completion allows for more
accurately preparing functional performance testing
TECHNICAL FEATURE 
PHOTO 1   Typical thermal storage tank.
PHOTO CREDIT: COLLIER COUNTY (Fla.) PUBLIC SCHOOLS
protocols for the field testing phase, and helps familiar-
ize the commissioning provider with the project opera-
tions and personnel.
Before the actual functional performance testing
begins, ensure all start-ups, check-out, testing, adjust-
ing and balancing, and contractor punch list repairs
have been made. On major equipment, it is vital that
manufacturer-certified start-up representatives per-
form the start-up, calibration, and setup per the design
parameters. Precommissioning checklists are required
to be filled out and signed by the contractor to ensure
that compliance with the procedures and commission-
ing process is met.
Functional performance testing for these systems is
subdivided into the following sections and subsections:
Thermal Energy Storage Tank
•• Checking the exterior of the tank area for security,
a fence, a ladder, overflow drain, piping attributes, con-
nections, and supports installed properly, etc.
•• BAS control panels installed correctly with fiber op-
tic communication (because of surge protection require-
ments), supported for wind damage, conduits installed
with proper supports and wiring, etc.
•• Internal tank temperature array installed and
reading (typically one to two sensors per foot of vertical
height).
•• Tank level sensor installed and operating.
•• Tank fill valve installed and operating to maintain
proper fill level and not overflowing.
•• Check the tank control valves/actuators that feed
cold and warm water to the tank. Make sure valves are
D E C E M B E R 2 0 17   a s h r a e . o r g   A S H R A E J O U R N A L 33
TECHNICAL FEATURE 
able to close tight and not leak-by.
•• Signage is on all equipment and control devices.
•• Verify expectations of design parameters, and re-
port discrepancies on issues log.
Chilled Water Plant
•• Request and review start-up reports and hydronic
test reports for all piping and major equipment.
•• Chiller is programmed with correct setup informa-
tion, setpoints, and start-up completed by the manufac-
turer’s technical representative.
•• Chiller coils and external parts are undamaged and
in operational condition.
•• Cooling tower components and safety devices (vi-
bration, overflow, etc.) are installed and operating.
•• Ensure all chiller plant components and piping are
identified, supported, insulated and labeled per the
design and record documents.
•• Inspect and verify that flow switch and differential
pressure transducers across chiller barrels are installed
and operating.
•• Test chiller-related temperatures and pressure read-
ings with testing, adjusting and balancing (TAB) contrac-
tor gauges and local gauges to ensure they all agree.
•• Inspect and verify ambient shutdown of chiller
systems.
•• Test manual and automatic chiller plant shutdown
processes. If emergency power sources are used, test on
generator.
•• Verify proper start-up and TAB have been complet-
ed on chiller plant for included VFDs, condenser fans,
cooling towers, chiller and condenser flows and differ-
ential pressures, setpoints, etc.
•• Verify proper start-up and TAB have been complet-
ed on primary and secondary pumps, condenser pumps,
VFD operations, VFD minimum and maximum speeds
and limits, pump flows and differential pressures, set-
points, building differential pressure readings, etc.
•• Test and record flow meter readings and compare
against TAB readings and design requirements.
•• Inspect and verify that makeup water systems,
pressure relief, air bleeds and vents, pot feeder, chemi-
cal treatment system, and expansion tank devices are
installed and operating.
•• Inspect and verify that control systems are installed,
programmed, checked-out, calibrated, and operating
the systems per the design document requirements in
34 A S H R A E J O U R N A L   a s h r a e . o r g   D E C E M B E R 2 0 17
their automatic condition.
•• Test failure and switchover modes for pumps and
VFDs, and the manual bypass for VFDs.
•• Ensure that record drawing piping and flow dia-
grams are displayed in the chiller plant for use by facility
personnel.
•• Test the complete chiller mode process, which
includes the timing of the valves opening and closing,
valve positions, pumps/VFDs turning on and off, VFD
speeds and chillers energizing/staging on and off.
•• Test the complete discharge mode process, which
includes the timing of the valves opening and closing,
valve positions, pumps/VFDs turning on and off, VFD
speeds and chillers energizing/staging on and off.
•• Test the complete charge mode process, which
includes the timing of the valves opening and closing,
valve positions, pumps/VFDs turning on and off, VFD
speeds and chillers energizing/staging on and off.
•• Test the complete off-mode process, which brings
the facility to a complete stop and verifies that all devices
stop and open/close to their off-mode positions.
•• Verify expectations of design parameters, and re-
port discrepancies on the issues log.
Building Automation and Control Systems (BACS)
•• Panels are completely installed per the design docu-
ments and communicating on the network; controllers
and control devices included in the design are installed
in the project.
•• Licensing agreements for all proprietary and intel-
lectual properties and software required to operate the
control systems, subsystems and integrated subsystems
are installed and assigned to the owner.
•• Integrations to all associated ancillary equipment
such as chillers, VFDs, boilers, cooling towers, DX sys-
tems, etc., are installed and operating seamlessly.
•• Graphics are complete, impressive, populated with
the appropriate points and working.
•• Time schedules are programmed and operating
equipment and building systems as designed.
•• Control panels, control devices, conduit, wiring,
cables and J-boxes are identified, supported and fas-
tened securely and labeled as depicted on the design and
record drawings.
•• Point-to-point check out, calibrations and verifica-
tions are made to ensure parts and devices are provided
per the design documents. Sequence of operations are

verified as programmed per the design documents.
•• Verify expectations of design parameters and result-
ing building and equipment performance.
Making sure that the record documents and as-builts
are representative of the installation is vital. The train-
ing of the owner’s staff should use the most up-to-date
operation and maintenance manuals, as-builts, systems
manuals and record documents delivered by creden-
tialed and experienced instructors for the mechanical
equipment and control systems.
Utility Incentive Programs for TES Systems
The utility and the owner have agreed to a time-of-use
(TOU) tariff payment energy rate plan that provides for
cooling kW demand load shifts of the TES system. The
sequence of operation follows the winter and summer
utility modes for demand management, and its control
is programmed into controllers so owner and utility can
both benefit from an agreement to share advantages
from the program offered by the utility. In the case of
this Florida utility, it offers a rebate of approximately
$625/kW of demand that is shifted from peak time to the
non-peak time, as first estimated at the time of design,
and then proven by functional performance testing by
the commissioning provider at the time of start-up and
commissioning.
The winter and summer schedule for this utility
follows:
•• On-Peak: Nov. 1 through March 31: Monday through
Friday from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.,
excluding Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New
Year’s Day.
•• On-Peak: April 1 through Oct. 31: Monday through
Friday from 12 p.m. to 9 p.m., excluding Memorial Day,
Independence Day and Labor Day.
•• Off-Peak: all other hours.
Example of Sequence of Operation
Commissioning the operation of the building chilled
water production systems includes the chiller mode,
which services the building directly, and then the charge
and discharge modes, which involve the use of a thermal
storage tank. In some designs, it is possible to use the
charge, discharge and chiller modes simultaneously in
times of emergency or special conditions. Some project
designs involve shifting kW demand and loads by using
the thermal storage system output in conjunction with the
TECHNICAL FEATURE 
chiller operation, but the projects depicted in this article
do not use this option in their design and OPR. The intent
of this example sequence is to suggest approximate val-
ues of variables that can be fine-tuned, or adjusted in the
field, under specific job to job conditions.
Plant Sequencing: Chiller Mode
The chiller mode is a straightforward primary (PP-1, 2,
3)/secondary (SP-1, 2) with valved bypass (V 4.1) chiller
plant using state-of-the-art variable frequency drive
(VFD) pumping systems on both the primary and sec-
ondary pumps.
The chiller mode executes a primary-secondary design
scenario for the facility during normal school session
and administration working hours.
In the chiller mode, the tank is isolated, and the plant
operates as a primary-secondary chilled water plant.
When the chiller mode is started, there is a series of
valves installed and positioned to force this situation as
follows relative to Figure 1: V-1, V-2 are closed; V-5, V-6,
V-3.1 are opened; V 4.1 can be modulated.
The control system controls the operation of the chiller
plant based on an optimal start/stop program or manual
command from the operator’s station. Chillers and their
primary/secondary pumps are rotated weekly via lead-
lag control and rotation.
On a start command from the BACS, the chilled water
plant shall be enabled and its corresponding secondary
loop campus chilled water pump starts. After campus
loop flow is proven via the differential pressure trans-
mitters, the lead chiller two-way isolation valve shall
open. After a two-minute delay, the chilled water pri-
mary pump is energized. After flow is proven through
the chiller flow switch, the lead chiller is enabled.
While the lead chiller operates, the bypass valve can be
modulated to ensure that the maximum flow rate to
one chiller is not exceeded. The lead chiller continues to
operate until the return water temperature rises above
56°F (13.3°C) and the lead chiller is loaded above 80% for
more than 10 minutes. If this condition is met, the lag
chiller will start (the bypass valve will then close). Both
chillers will continue to operate until the return water
temperature reaches 50°F (10°C) for more than 15 min-
utes, when the lag chiller will then be stopped.
If the lead chiller fails to start, the next scheduled
lag chiller is enabled using the same sequence, and an
alarm will be logged.
D E C E M B E R 2 0 17   a s h r a e . o r g   A S H R A E J O U R N A L 35
TECHNICAL FEATURE 
FIGURE 1   Chiller mode.
V-1 Closed
Tank; 600,000 Gallons V-5 Open
4,800 Ton-Hours
FM (CH-1)
Level
Sensor Chiller 1 (ON)
Chiller 2 (ON)
V-6 Open
FM (CH-2)
V-2 Closed
FM (Tank)
Makeup Valve = Open
The chiller primary pump speed shall be controlled
by operating the primary pump VFD between a range
of 50 Hz to 60 Hz, which corresponds within the
acceptable chiller flow rate, as verified during the TAB
process, with minimum speed settings set at the VFD
parameters. This plant shows a third primary chilled
water pump, which acts as a standby pump that auto-
matically engages upon a primary Pump-1 or 2 failure.
Chiller differential pressure transmitters verify that
flows do not drop below the minimum flows for each
chiller.
When primary loop flow exceeds secondary loop flow, a
bidirectional flow meter in its decoupler piping indicates
forward (positive) flow through the decoupler piping.
When secondary loop flow exceeds primary loop flow, a
bidirectional flow meter in its decoupler piping indicates
reverse (negative) flow through the decoupler piping.
The secondary pump is controlled via its variable
speed drive (VFD) as required to maintain the maxi-
mum building system water differential pressure set-
point at 18 psi (124 kPa); differential pressure sensor(s)
are located near the end of the piping loop. The second-
ary pumps are operated on a lead-lag basis, and their
changeover/rotation from lead to lag is programmed to
be changed weekly. If the lead pump fails, the lag pump
will start, and an alarm is generated if failure conditions
occur. In some projects, dual VFDs were used, which
automatically switch to the alternate VFD upon a fault
condition.
The automatically switched secondary pump con-
trol loop setpoint will reset based on the following
36 A S H R A E J O U R N A L   a s h r a e . o r g   D E C E M B E R 2 0 17
Primary Pumps
PP-1,2,3 (ON)
DIAGRAM CREDITS: WWW.SMARTDRAW.COM
FM (Bypass) CHWR
V-4.1 MOD Secondary Pumps SP-1,2 (ON)
V-3.1 Open
FM (CHWS) CHWS
algorithm:
•• Increase pump speed as required by increasing
pressure setpoint in increments of 0.25 psi (1.7 kPa),
whenever any AHU control valve is 100% open;
•• Continue to check system every 15 minutes; and
•• As AHU valves begin to close, the reverse shall occur.
The commissioning of the makeup water system
depends on the design that it takes on; sometimes the
incoming 40 psi (276 kPa) to 75 psi (517 kPa) street pres-
sure has one separate part of the main leg that feeds
directly into an automatic tank fill valve (preferred),
and others have the entire main after the pressure-relief
valve (PRV) splitting off into branch legs going to the
tank, and then separately going into the chilled water
system; design should include the provisions of pressure
gauges and ports for the visual and functional tests. A
makeup water control valve that provides makeup water
to the chilled water system is only allowed to open dur-
ing chiller mode. In all other modes, the valve is com-
manded closed. A similar makeup control valve can be
provided that feeds the thermal storage tank, which can
be regulated during certain modes. However, a direct
feed is acceptable as well. The tank feed pressure is typi-
cally left at city water line pressure.
Also vital is inspecting and documenting the expan-
sion tank and its operation; design should include
providing pressure gauges and ports for the visual and
recording of its operating parameters. Remembering
that water is not a compressible fluid, the expansion or
compression tank serves both thermal and hydraulic
functions. Its thermal function allows the volumetric
 TECHNICAL FEATURE 

expansion of its water to expand/contract on tempera- FIGURE 2   Thermocline example.

ture change. Its hydraulic function is to act as a single Stratified Tank
reference pressure point in the system. Typically, the
expansion tank is supplied with a pre-charge of 12 psi Warm
60°F
(83 kPa), but depending on the size (height) of the build-
ing, and height of the thermal storage tank, this “pre-
Thermocline
charge” may need adjustment; the design parameters
should include the settings for the makeup water system
that can be used to perform these functional perfor-
Cold
mance tests.

CREDIT: U.S. DOE

40°F

Plant Sequencing: Storage Tank Discharge Mode (Full Shift)

In the discharge mode of the storage tank, cold water
is drawn from the bottom of the tank, and warm water
is returned to the top of the tank, at the design flow
rate of the diffusers (low enough not to interrupt the
thermocline).
The horizontal thermocline (boundary layer between
the upper and lower regions of the tank), Figure 2, devel-
ops in the tank because of the carefully engineered flow
rates, diffuser and tank design such that as the water
flows in and out of the tank, and the temperatures inside
the tank do not mix and remain one relative tempera-
ture on each side of the thermocline.
The discharge mode is activated during the period
of time dictated by the TOU utility rate. When the
discharge mode is started, there is a series of valves
installed and positioned to force this situation as follows
relative to Figure 3: Valves V-1, V-2, V-3.1 are opened; V
4.1 can modulate; V-5 and V-6 are closed. Valves should
be slow-acting to ensure that the thermocline is not
disrupted. The chillers and their primary pumps are
turned off.
After a short time period to allow the valves to achieve
their position, the lead secondary pump is started, and
the building is provided cooling per its facility time
schedule. The lag secondary pump shall cycle on as
needed to maintain its differential pressure setpoint.
A level sensor located at the top of the tank monitors
the water level of the tank, and a simple float valve con-
nected to city water pressure maintains a prescribed
level to keep the water levels above the top manifolds of
the internal piping and top diffuser. Alarms should be
generated by the BACS systems if the tank level is out of
its normal operating range.
As the tank discharges its load to the facility, the effects
of the thermocline can be seen by the values of the

FIGURE 3   Discharge mode.

V-1 Open V-5 Closed

Tank; 600,000 Gallons
4,800 Ton-Hours FM (CH-1)

Level
Sensor Chiller 1 (OFF)
Chiller 2 (OFF) Primary Pumps
PP-1,2,3 (OFF)
V-6 Closed

FM (CH-2) FM (Bypass) CHWR

DIAGRAM CREDITS: WWW.SMARTDRAW.COM

V-2 Open
V-4.1 MOD Secondary Pumps SP-1,2 (ON)
FM (Tank)

V-3.1 Open
Makeup Valve = Closed
FM (CHWS) CHWS

D E C E M B E R 2 0 17   a s h r a e . o r g   A S H R A E J O U R N A L 37
TECHNICAL FEATURE 
FIGURE 4   Charge mode.
V-1 Open V-5 Open
Tank; 600,000 Gallons
4,800 Ton-Hours
Level
Sensor Chiller 1 (ON)
Chiller 2 (ON)
V-2 Open
FM (Tank)
Makeup Valve = Closed
temperature sensors at the top levels of the tank as they
will begin to rise gradually.
At rare times during any given year during a
discharge mode process, if the load required over-
comes the ability of the tank’s ton-hours to sup-
ply the needs of the facility, the discharge mode
will “run out of cold water.” This situation may
be caused by equipment malfunctions, overnight
power outages, control system failures or just
human error; in any case, at those times decision
makers would need to weigh the costs of violating
the peak-time utility agreement, and incurring
a resultant penalty (if any) and start the chiller
mode, or wait out the loss of cold water available
from the tank until it can be charged in the next
cycle.
Plant Sequencing: Storage Tank Charge Mode
In the charge mode (Figure 4), cold water is fed to the
bottom of the tank and warm water is drawn from the
top of the tank. Figure 5 shows the internal piping of the
tank; one entry pipe feeds the water upward to the top
of the tank, and the other entry pipe feeds water down-
ward to the bottom of the tank. Care must be taken to
ensure the maximum flow rates are designed correctly
and set up carefully by the TAB professional so the integ-
rity of the thermocline is maintained.
When the charge mode is started, there is a series of
valves installed and positioned to force this situation
as follows: V-1, V-2, V-5, V-6 are opened; V-3.1, V 4.1 are
closed.
38 A S H R A E J O U R N A L   a s h r a e . o r g   D E C E M B E R 2 0 17
FM (CH-1)
Primary Pumps
PP-1,2,3 (ON)
V-6 Open
DIAGRAM CREDITS: WWW.SMARTDRAW.COM
FM (CH-2) FM (Bypass) CHWR
V-4.1 Closed
Secondary Pumps SP-1,2 (OFF)
V-3.1 Closed
FM (CHWS) CHWS
After a short time period to allow the valves to
achieve their position, the two primary pumps are
started (the third primary pump is a failure standby),
and after flow is proven, the two chillers are started
and operated to provide chilled water at a supply
setpoint of 42°F (5.6°C) to the tanks, on their time
schedule. The time schedule will continue to oper-
ate the chillers in charge mode until its time runs out
or until the tank temperature sensors terminate the
charge mode when they sense that the tank is fully
charged. The control program looks at tank sensors
typically located at 1 ft (0.3 m) to 2 ft (0.6) vertical
intervals in the tank to determine its capacity; when
it determines that a) the time schedule has expired,
or b) the tank temperature vertical immersion sen-
sors are at 42°F (5.6°C) throughout, it will decide the
tank is “full” and shut down charge mode. (Note: the
BACS program ignores outlier tank sensors that may
be defective or out of range, reading ±25°F [±13.9°C]
from a base of 42°F [5.6°C].)
There is a safeguard control algorithm programmed
into the control logic that does not allow a charge
mode to replay more than once, unless the TES system
has undergone at least one mode change to discharge
mode in between; this is to avoid over-cycling of the
charge mode too much in one day.
Lessons Learned
This is a short list of some of the lessons learned from
issues that were encountered during the commissioning
of chilled water thermal energy storage systems.

FIGURE 5  Internal piping of thermal storage tank with side entrance of supply and return piping.
During installation of the tank,
we have encountered on a few occa-
sions that the contractor had piped
the tank backwards, in that the two
pipes going to the tank were piped
in the reverse order than required.
It was an easy error to make,
because the language the tank
people use in their drawings and
the language that HVAC designers
use is different, making it confus-
ing. “Supply and return” or “inlet
and outlet” demarcations take on
different meanings depending on
if you are talking about charge or
discharge modes, so it is an easy
mistake to make.
Also, a disconnect sometimes
existed between the office of
the designer and contractor and
their respective field operations.
Sometimes, the originally issued
design and final approved submittal
documents, and the later-developed
field working and installation draw-
ings being used for actual fabrica-
tion, were two entirely different-
looking “level of detail” documents.
Compounding the jargon and
TECHNICAL FEATURE 
PHOTO 2   Entry pipes at even entry levels.
PHOTO CREDIT: COLLIER COUNTY (Fla.) PUBLIC SCHOOLS
CREDIT: CROM CORPORATION
PHOTO 3   Entry pipes at offset entry levels.
PHOTO CREDIT: COLLIER COUNTY (Fla.) PUBLIC SCHOOLS
language translation problems,
the tank design/construction was
done by one designer/contractor,
while the HVAC was done by a dif-
ferent designer/contractor, and the
integration of the two designs were
sometimes not well coordinated.
Many times, equipment arrives
from the factory and is not always of this problem. Another idea to
configured as illustrated on a typi- help make the tank demarcation
cal generic piping schematic, and clearer is to mark the top of the
the actual factory-installed piping tank piping and valve V-1 as “warm
or markings are not checked in the inlet/outlet,” and the bottom of the
field before it is final-connected and tank piping and valve V-2 as “cold
started up. inlet/outlet.” In any case, when this
In later tank designs, the owner “backwards piping” happens, the
paid significant extra money to have tank will not work, in that it will
the tank designer offset the pipe not stratify correctly, and the pipes
entering and leaving profiles (as must be reversed to make the overall
shown in Photos 2 and 3). This cre- system work most effectively and
ated the need for additional/unique as-designed.
infrastructure on the interior of the Another issue found was the
tanks for supporting the incoming chronic overflow of the tank water
pipes that were located at different level over time, which ended up
elevations that explicitly demon- being caused by incorrect setting
strate which pipe goes to the top of the pressure-relief valve (PRV)
of the tank and which goes to the for the makeup of the chilled water
bottom of the tank; this modifica- system. Typically, in a normal chilled
tion helped reduce the occurrence water plant project, the pressure
D E C E M B E R 2 0 17   a s h r a e . o r g   A S H R A E J O U R N A L 39
TECHNICAL FEATURE
setting of the PRV may go unnoticed as a critical setup
process. However, for a thermal storage tank project,
it became apparent that the over-pressurization of
the makeup chilled water system was causing a small
incremental burst of water into the tank over time as
tank valves V-1 and 2 opened. This small incremental
burst of makeup water (that overcame the effects of back
pressure relative to the height of the tank) eventually
made its way to the tank overflow as a constant small
drip. That constant drip, over time, added up to a loss of
wasted water, including its associated water treatment.
By setting the makeup water PRV setpoint at a value less
than the height of the tank (calibrated in psi), this situ-
ation was cured. This makes it vital to have a monitored
water meter on the makeup water supply, and an alarm
control point that indicates when an overflow condition
is sensed at the overflow drain pipe.
Flow meters are a vital part of the thermal storage proj-
ect; they give us vital information for both control and
energy monitoring. The proper location for these meters
is paramount for their accuracy and functionality. It is a
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40 ASHRAE JOURNAL ashrae.org D E C E M B E R 2 0 17
best practice for design engineers to locate these on their
design drawings in the proper locations to ensure the
information they provide is the most accurate we can
get. Flow meters need to have the required straight pipe
before and after to achieve accurate readings; bypass
flow meters in short pipe segments need to not be not
be one flow meter in the short bypass pipe but two flow
meters, one in the supply and one in the return. Then,
math can be used to subtract the difference to get the
bypass flow; specifying one flow meter in a short pipe
that is nonfunctional is not useful.
Differential pressure transducers showing analog
pressure readings across the chiller barrels provide vital
information for monitoring and maintaining the integ-
rity of the chilled water delivery systems of the thermal
storage systems through their differing modes of opera-
tion. Differential pressure helps troubleshoot chiller
flow problems as well as degrading of chiller barrel heat
transfer due to a variety of tube fouling issues.
As-builts? Record drawings? O&M documents?
Whatever they are named, relevant to the mechanical
systems, who checks them and who verifies that they are
correct and includes all the changes made in the field
during construction and fabrication? This is an impor-
tant question. Commissioning requires that the provi-
sion of these documents is facilitated by the commis-
sioning provider; but, who makes sure they are validated
and real for the benefit of the owner and end-user? The
commissioning provider needs to facilitate the valida-
tion of these vital documents so the owner has current
and accurate record documents and maintenance and
operation information to properly maintain the facility
with their own staff, or provide them to outside repair
companies as needed.
Owner training helps ensure the systems provided
are turned over in such a way that the owner can oper-
ate and maintain them per the manufacturer’s rec-
ommended best practices and in their most efficient
manner. The commissioning provider should facilitate
and ensure that the training sessions are planned
with a comprehensive schedule of topics, agenda, and
published times, populated with all of the appropriate
owner’s staff and personnel, and make sure the trainers
are credentialed and knowledgeable about the subject
matter they are training about.
Thermal storage often involves mandates from the
utility not to operate large kW demand equipment such

as chillers and pumps during peak times. Sometimes
during normal daily business, third-party service
mechanics, and even in-house employees who are not
knowledgeable of these policies, will sometimes start
up the equipment to provide service. When this hap-
pens, the peak kW demand rate agreement is violated
for the entire month and can result in a penalty. Making
facility managers aware and knowledgeable of these
policies and penalties is vital. Providing signage at all
major equipment locations can help prevent this from
happening.
The EMS/BACS should monitor and record the tem-
perature and energy operational characteristics of the
thermal energy storage systems, both at the chiller plant
and at the tank. A Btu energy meter uses the tank flow
meter and tank supply and leaving temperature sen-
sors to calculate ton-hours produced during the charge
and discharge modes. These values are displayed on the
graphic display, and trended. It should have the abil-
ity to alarm the owner if any failures happen overnight
or on the weekend so the owner can decide what they
need to do to overcome the failure or problems long
before they need the tank’s chilled water deliverable.
These Btu meters can inform the owner when the use of
the chillers and thermal storage systems are operating
efficiently.
Because thermal storage projects make chilled water
at night and on weekends, noise from the chiller plant
can sometimes become an issue if the building is located
near a residential neighborhood. Consideration should
be given to specifying lower noise emitting equipment,
and to perform sound tests as a part of the commission-
ing final performance testing protocols to document
noise levels at the plant and property lines.
We found a few VFDs operating their mechanical
equipment at a greater speed than 60 Hz to make their
specified performance; while this may be within the
motor’s capacity, it is a not a best practice to burden the
downstream devices with the additional stresses that the
additional speed creates.
Conclusions
Chilled water thermal energy storage systems continue
to be an effective method to achieve the goals and objec-
tives of providing efficient and cost-effective cooling to
their facilities. This is especially apparent when util-
ity incentives and special time-of-use rates were used.
TECHNICAL FEATURE 
The experience gained and lessons learned that were
accumulated over the five-year span of these individual
projects during the commissioning process provided
valuable information that contributed to continuous
improvement and quality of the delivery of the HVAC
and TES systems at these facilities. Information and
feedback provided to the designers from the commis-
sioning documentation and effective post-occupancy
communications after each construction cycle led to
improved techniques, sequences and designs each time.
Precommissioning tasks were vital when used on these
TES projects to identify early problems and issues that
would potentially impact a timely substantial comple-
tion. A good example was that precommissioning could
troubleshoot incorrect piping of the thermal energy
storage tank by scrutinizing the fabrication/installa-
tion field drawings, and by pre-functionally testing
the sequence of operation on the completed piping/
hydronic systems once they were initially installed.
When problems or deficiencies were found, they could
be reported and repaired early with less impact on the
completion schedule.
It was typical to discover issues during the functional
performance testing phase of the commissioning pro-
cess. The resolution of these issues, and the interaction
during the training and close-out process with the com-
missioning team members, ensured that all the TES
commissioned equipment, systems and assemblies were
furnished, installed and able to be operated to meet the
OPR and design documents. The training and presenta-
tion of accurate systems manuals to the owner’s O&M
staff ensured that the facilities were self-sustaining dur-
ing and after the warranty period.
The commissioning process described here for the
HVAC and TES systems was used to ensure that the
designers and contractors were fully accountable for
the quantity and quality of their work. The commission-
ing team used established means, methods and tools
to execute, document and test the projects’ specified
sequences and provided twhe equipment and systems so
it achieved the goals and objectives of the OPR through-
out the delivery of the project.
References
1.  2016 ASHRAE Handbook—HVAC Systems and Equipment, Chap. 13,
“Hydronic Heating and Cooling” and Chap. 51, “Thermal Storage.”
2. ANSI/ASHRAE/IES Standard 202-2013, Commissioning Process for
Buildings and Systems.”
D E C E M B E R 2 0 17   a s h r a e . o r g   A S H R A E J O U R N A L 41