Systematic Literature Review of Ice Slurry Compounds: Viscosity Characteristics, Heat Transfer and Applications

Ice slurry offers a promising solution for enhancing energy efficiency and environmental sustainability in industrial refrigeration and thermal energy storage applications. This review critically examines the effects of additives and production methods on the thermo-physical properties of ice slurry, focusing on viscosity and heat transfer performance. Additives such as ethylene glycol (6.5–10.3%), sodium chloride (up to 9%), and propylene glycol (5–24%) significantly enhance heat transfer coefficients by up to 33%, while alumina-based nanofluids (0.2 wt%) increase thermal conductivity by as much as 67%. Optimal ice packing factors (10–25%) and advanced production techniques, including direct contact and fluidized bed methods, improve energy efficiency, scalability, and operational reliability while mitigating issues such as particle agglomeration and viscosity rise. The study emphasizes rigorous methodological transparency with explicit equation definitions, controlled variables, and standardized measurement units (e.g., W/m²K for heat transfer, kg/m·s for viscosity). These findings provide valuable insights to guide the development of robust, high-performance ice slurry systems for large-scale cooling and energy storage applications.