Method for thermal energy storage and management for building and module and system

A method of thermal energy storage and management for a building, comprising:

• circulating a cold side thermal transfer fluid (TTF) and a hot side TTF in the system independently of a heat pump,
• wherein the system comprises:
• a heat pump comprising a compressor, a condenser, an expansion device, and an evaporator, connected in series to form a closed circuit configured to circulate a refrigerant;
• a cold side phase changing material (PCM) tank comprising a cold side PCM, the evaporator, and a cold side PCM heat exchanger;
• a hot side PCM tank comprising a hot side PCM, the condenser, and a hot side PCM heat exchanger;
• a cold side thermal transfer fluid circuit comprising the cold side PCM heat exchanger, a cold side TTF heat exchanger, a cold side TTF pump, and configured to harvest heat via the cold side TTF heat exchanger to the cold side PCM tank by circulating the cold side TTF through the cold side TTF circuit;
• a hot side thermal transfer fluid circuit comprising the hot side PCM heat exchanger, a hot side TTF heat exchanger, a hot side TTF pump, and configured to reject heat from the hot side PCM tank via the hot side TTF heat exchanger by circulating the hot side TTF through the hot side TTF circuit;
• a controller configured to monitor and control operations of the system;
• and
• wherein a melting temperature of the hot side PCM is higher than a melting temperature of the cold side PCM,
• wherein the heat pump is configured to transfer heat from the cold side PCM tank to the hot side PCM tank,
• wherein at least one of the cold side TTF and the hot side TTF is configured to circulate in the building to cool indoor space including at least one of the indoor air, indoor ceilings or floors,
• wherein either the cold side TTF or the hot side TTF is configured to circulate for heat exchange with an outdoor air, and
• wherein when the cold side TTF circulates for heat exchange with the outdoor air, suspending the circulation of the cold side TTF with the outdoor air, when the application requiring circulation of the cold side TTF in the building is expected to transfer enough heat to eliminate need of the heat exchange with the outdoor air.