Rawlplug’s innovations. Ice battery already in operation in Wrocław

Why do we need an ice battery?

The spiking electricity prices which we have observed for a long time now translate directly into higher product prices. This is a considerable problem, especially in respect of plastic products. In order to keep growing, plants such as Rawlplug Wrocław need to increase production, which naturally entails consuming more and more energy, at least in theory.

The company’s energy self-sufficiency is ultimately to be ensured by a number of complementary projects: the ones already completed at the Wrocław-based facility, as well as those in progress and planned for the nearest future. Their common denominator is the capacity to generate and store energy suitable for later use in production processes.

How does the ice battery work?

• The ice battery features cores containing an aqueous solution and radicals that accelerate crystallisation.
• While cooling energy is being stored, for instance at night, i.e. when energy demand is lower, the refrigerant inside the cores immersed in cold glycol freezes.
• Accumulated in this manner, refrigeration energy can then be utilised during the day, thus trimming the afternoon energy demand peaks without having to activate refrigerating units.

How does the ice battery consume surplus energy?

Using one unit of electricity, the ice battery can produce and store three units of cooling energy and more than three units of heat, the latter being somewhat discarded by the refrigerating unit during freezing. 

Notably, the ice battery already allows Rawlplug to utilise the energy surpluses from the PV systems. They are stored on days of reduced energy demand, for example on Sundays, and redeemed on Mondays in the form of the cold needed in production processes. This enables the Wrocław-based facility to run on free energy for as many as 56 days a year, conservatively assuming that only the Sunday surpluses are taken into account. 

How does the ice battery affect production performance?

Thanks to its modular design, the Ice Battery System did not require any modifications to the infrastructure in Wrocław. To achieve the expected effects, it sufficed to plug it into the existing installation. During last year’s tests, the IBS proved its worth across various applications, including at the Mixing and Filling Department, providing additional energy for injection moulding, necessary to cool down hot moulded pieces (their temperature reaching 200–300 degrees Celsius, depending on the material used). 

What about the ice battery’s environmental impact?

Savings and boosted productivity are the main, yet not the only, advantages of the Ice Battery System, which also matters greatly in terms of environmental protection.

Considering all the above characteristics, the Ice Battery System fits perfectly into Rawlplug’s sustainability policy, aimed at reaching the net zero target by 2030.