An energy management system may include a refrigeration apparatus such as
may be used to form an ice rink. Heat rejected from that apparatus may be
used to address heating loads elsewhere. The apparatus may include a
thermal storage apparatus, such as may be charged with ice, or another
phase change material. The refrigeration apparatus may then be run for
the purpose of obtaining the rejected heat, with the cooling of the
thermal storage material as a by-product of operation to obtain extra
rejected heat. The cold reservoir then developed in the thermal storage
material may be used subsequently to provide cooling to a different load,
at a different time of day. The thermal storage element may be used to
provide cooling to a condensor of the refrigeration apparatus, or may be
placed in series with a cooling load, such as an ice sheet or
refrigerated enclosure. The apparatus may be electronically controlled,
may used ammonia as an operating fluid in a vapour cycle system. The
vapour cycle system may include a compressor, and may employ a floating
head pressure on the compressor.