With the configuration of components shown in Figure 1 at least five operational modes are possible. The cooling requirement of the rooms is met either by the absorption chiller or by the ice store. On the other hand it is also possible to use the ice store to support the absorption chiller, if higher cooling requirements are necessary to cool the rooms than the absorption chiller is able to deliver.

If no air conditioning is necessary the ice store is charged by the absorption chiller, for example on weekends. If the absorption chiller produces more cooling energy than required by the rooms it is possible to discharge and charge the ice store simultaneously. In this case the rooms will be cooled by the ice store and the ice store will be charged by the absorption chiller.