Energy Seminar Series: PCM based thermal storage in district energy systems: leveraging thermal demand response needs controls – October 8, 2026

Abstract:
Thermal energy storage (TES) utilizes well established technologies to provide efficient and flexible solutions in heating and cooling applications in buildings. In particular, TES units that utilize phase change materials (PCM) are known for their higher energy density and relatively constant temperature during phase change. Coupling PCM based TES systems with ground source heat pumps enables both capital and operational savings with optimal charging and discharging of the TES system. This talk will present two case studies installed at Smith College: a single building with TES and ground source heat pumps as well as a district scaled multi-building solution. The work presents the technical and economic potential of a novel, tunable PCM-based TES system to highlight reductions in carbon emissions, hot water demand, water and electricity consumption possibly when TES systems are well integrated in a thermal demand response strategy. With load shifting and dynamic pricing in the utility market, thermal demand response begins to follow the same technical hurdles observed with battery state-of-charge estimation in order to develop model predictive control strategies to achieve target decarbonization goals. Here, we present the case for why you should care about thermal demand response in electricity grids of the future.

Biography:
Denise McKahn currently serves as the Associate Provost at Smith College where she manages the academic budget of the college, leads teaching focused faculty recruitment and hiring, and oversees the Clark Science Center, Campus School, and Lewis Global Studies Center. As faculty in engineering at Smith, Prof. McKahn has taught all courses in energy, mass and heat transfer areas, including hybrid power system design. As a cross-disciplinary engineer who has studied environmental, mechanical, electrical and chemical engineering through both research and formal coursework, she is dedicated to the development of renewably derived fuel and electricity generation and storage technologies through the design, modeling and control of dynamic and complex systems. Prof. McKahn obtained her B.S. in Environmental Resources Engineering from Cal Poly Humboldt (HSU) and her M.S. in mechanical engineering and Ph.D. in environmental engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.