Penn State Berkey Creamery installed BAC’s ice thermal storage solution and a new BAC VC1 evaporative condenser in 2024 to reduce energy costs, maintain process temperatures and improve reliability for batch refrigeration operations at Penn State’s main campus in Pennsylvania.
The creamery produces ice cream and dairy products using batch processes that require precise cooling. Its existing ice thermal storage unit and evaporative condenser were at the age of planned replacement, creating an opportunity to modernize the refrigeration system.
The installed BAC TSU-235E ice thermal storage unit is designed for external melt operation and integrates with the creamery’s ammonia refrigeration infrastructure. The system has a cooling capacity of 214 ton-hours (753 kWh), ice storage capacity of 17,826 lbs. (approx. 8,086 kg) of ice, and uses pump-recirculated ammonia at 18.1°F (approx. -7.7°C). Ice build time is approximately 12 hours during off-peak periods.
The rooftop-mounted system uses ammonia to build ice around stainless steel coils, then melts the ice with warm process water to produce 34°F (approx. 1.1°C) “sweet water” for cooling the ice cream mix tank jacket during pasteurization and production. BAC said shifting ice production to off-peak and super off-peak utility periods helped Penn State achieve up to a 58% reduction in electric costs and approximately $574 [approx. USD 574] in weekly savings.
The system includes stainless steel ice coils, a stainless steel inner tank and Baltibond hybrid coating exterior panels. BAC said the stored ice allows the creamery to continue cooling production processes during a power outage or peak load event.
“BAC’s TSU ice thermal storage solution made sense for this application because it checked all the boxes. It fit the available space, integrated well with the existing ammonia system, and gave Penn State a reliable way to manage peak loads without adding unnecessary equipment. From an installation and performance standpoint, it was a smart, efficient choice for the creamery,” said Justin Stone, Regional Service Manager, DeVault.
