These　are　many　unsolved　technical　problems　in　ice　thermal　energy　storage,　including　low　thermal　conductivity　of　water,　thermal　stratification　phenomenon　and　poor　economy,　which　limit　the　further　development　of　this　technology.　Optimizing　the　structure　of　ice　thermal　energy　storage　device　is　one　of　the　most　economical　and　reasonable　methods　to　solve　these　problems.　In　this　study,　ice　thermal　energy　storage　device　using　micro　heat　pipe　arrays　as　the　enhanced　heat　transfer　element　was　developed.　The　experimental　study　of　the　proposed　device　was　carried　out　to　analyze　the　cold　energy　storage　and　release　characteristics　under　various　inlet　temperatures　and　volume　flow　rates　of　heat　transfer　fluid.　As　a　result,　the　proposed　device　shows　excellent　heat　transfer　performance,　the　maximum　temperature　difference　of　micro　heat　pipe　arrays　during　solidification　and　melting　processes　are　less　than　1.2　°C　and　1.5　°C,　respectively.　The　heat　exchange　area　per　unit　volume　of　water　and　energy　storage　density　for　the　device　using　micro　heat　pipe　arrays　are　199.7　1/m　and　113.65　kJ/kg,　respectively.　Besides,　the　performance　of　ice　thermal　energy　storage　devices　using　micro　heat　pipe　arrays　and　circular　heat　pipe　were　compared.　The　cold　energy　storage　power　of　single　heat　pipe　of　the　former　is　more　than　53.0%　than　the　latter,　the　energy　storage　density　and　ice　packing　factor　are　still　higher　than　51.8%　and　51.1%,　respectively,　even　if　its　volume　flow　rate　is　less　than　the　latter.　This　is　due　to　the　high　thermal　conductivity　performance　of　the　former　and　the　surface　that　it　is　more　conducive　to　adding　fins　to　enhance　heat　transfer.　©　2020　Elsevier　Ltd