DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF SOLAR OPERATED COOLING
SYSTEM USING THERMOELECTRIC COOLER
SUDEEP KUMAR SINGH, MUJASSAM, ZOBAIR ALAM, ANSHU MAJUMDER
MECHANICAL & AUTOMATION ENGINEERING
AMITY SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
ABSTRACT
Conventional compressor run cooling
devices have many drawbacks pertaining
to energy efficiency and the use of CFC
refrigerants. Both these factors indirectly
point to the impending scenario of global
warming. So instead of using
conventional air conditioning systems,
other products which can efficiently cool
a person are to be devised. By using
other efficient cooling mechanisms we
can save the electricity bills and also
control the greenhouse gases that are
currently released into the atmosphere.
Although Thermoelectric
(TE) property was discovered about two
centuries ago but thermoelectric devices
have only been commercialized during
recent years. It includes water chillers,
cold plates, portable insulin coolers,
portable beverage containers etc. As
conventional refrigerators are commonly
available in the market, a TE cooling
module installed on it will be an easy
and efficient way to cool a person.
Thermo-Electric refrigeration
systems were worked based on the
principle of Peltier effect, where the
passage of direct electric current through
the junction of two dissimilar
semiconductor materials causes the
junction to either cool down (absorbing
heat) or warm up (rejecting heat)
depending on direction of current. In the
process of Thermo-Electric refrigeration
the cooling effect was effectively
utilized but heat energy developed by
module is dissipated to environment
An effort to build a
refrigeration system was the main aim of
this project. Sizing and designing of the
cooling system was performed and
tested with a designed DC power supply.
The conventional refrigerator together
with the cooling module can be termed
as Thermoelectric Cooling refrigerator.
INTRODUCTION
Electricity generation is the
leading cause of industrial air pollution
in the country. Most of our electricity
comes from coal, nuclear, and other non-
renewable power plants. Producing
energy from these resources takes a
severe toll on our environment, polluting
our air, land. Renewable energy sources
can be used to produce electricity with
fewer environmental impacts. It is
possible to make electricity from
renewable energy sources without
producing CO2.
Renewable energy is energy
derived from natural resources that
replenish themselves over a period of
time without depleting the Earth's
resources. These resources also have the
benefit of being abundant, available in
some capacity nearly everywhere, and
they cause little, if any, environmental
damage. Energy from the sun, wind, and
thermal energy stored in the Earth's crust
are examples. For comparison, fossil
fuels such as oil, coal, and natural gas
are not renewable, since their quantity is
finite once we have extracted them they
will cease to be available for use as an
economically-viable energy source.
While they are produced through natural
processes, these processes are too slow
to replenish these fuels as quickly as
humans use them, so these sources will
run out sooner or later.
So this project is intended at the
development of a solar based
compressor free mini fridge. This fridge
will be suitable for cooling purposes
meant for small objects and will have a
relatively small chilling time as
compared to the normal refrigeration
systems. Also for the backup, this fridge
will be attached to a dynamo based
charging system which will maintain the
smooth operation of fridge in case of
non-availability of solar power.
OPERATING PRINCIPLE
The operating principle of the TE
modules is the Peltier effect which states
that “If the DC electric current flows
through the junction of two dissimilar
semiconductors, there is a temperature
difference occurs across the junction”.
The TE module produces cooling effect
on one side and heating effect on other
side when a DC current flows through
the TE module. If the current direction
changes, then the heating and cooling
effects are also reversed means that the
cooling effect occurs in place of heating
effect and heating effect occurs in case
of cooling effect. The TE module
produces heating and cooling effects
based on the current direction. The
cooling effect and heating effects are
also depends on the magnitude of DC
current flows through the TE module.
Formation of heat transfer occurs in the
direction of current flow. By applying
the current to the junction, then it
transports heat from hot junction to cold
junction. The peltier effect is opposite to
see beck effect in which, by applying
temperature difference across the
junction of two dissimilar semiconductor
materials produces electric current.
Figure.1:Operating principle of TE
module
When DC power is applied to the TEC
module, heat is moved from the cold
surface to the hot surface. The direction
in which the heat is pumped is directly
related to the direction of the current.
When the direction of the current is
reversed, the direction in which the heat
is pumped is also reversed. This
phenomenon is known as the Peltier
Effect and it is the inverse of the
Seebeck Effect
PROJECT DESCRIPTION
The idea was to build an alternative for
refrigerator and to provide refrigeration
effect. For this we have worked on our
three objectives which are given below
 Basic Concept of TER
 Concept Designing
 Fabrication and Assembly
 Working
BASIC CONCEPT OF TER
A thermoelectric refrigeration works
based the principle of Peltier effect .“the
temperature difference occurs across the
junction formed by two dissimilar
conducting materials, when a Direct
electric Current flows through the
junction”.
TER (Thermo Electric Refrigeration)
modules were made up of two dissimilar
metals that can be formed a junction.
Figure.2 A Cutaway of Thermoelectric
Module
CONCEPT DESIGNING
Firstly a box of thermocol is made of
given dimensions and then the inner
walls of the box are covered with the
aluminium sheet and the outer walls by
the chart paper.
 The taping of the box from outer side
is done so as to provide mechanical
support and blocking of air.
Fig.3 Working Model of the fridge
 One Peltier units are well placed in
the one holes made in the box and
kept on the heat sink with hot side
attached to the heat sink surface and
cold side inside the box.
 The heat sink is linked with a fan
which is used to dissipate the heat
of heat sink into the outer
atmosphere i.e. out of the thermocol
box. So, the hot side of peltier unit is
unable to affect the temperature
inside the box.
 All the electrical connections are
made putting a switch for on/off
and a LED as an indicator
whether the fridge is working or
not.
 Three batteries each of 4 Volts
DC, 7.5 Ah are connected in
parallel with the peltier units
connected in series and the two
cooling fans.
 All the electrical connections are
made strong by soldering them
and all the wires are arranged
properly so as to avoid any
inconvenience for the user.
Outside view &inside view
Dimension of fridge
Outer dimension Inside
(cm) dimension
(cm)
Length 23.5 19
 breadth 20.5 14

height 31 20.5

FABRICATION AND ASSEMBLY

The experimental set up consisting of:

a. cooling cabin
b. Thermoelectric module Fig.8 Fig.9
c. Cooling fan
d. Insulation material
e. Heat sink
f. On-Off switch
g. Power supply unit

Fig.10 Fig.11

Block diagram of working model

Fig. 4 Fig.5
WORKING
Fridge
 The fridge is provided power
supply form a 12 volt DC 7.5
amphrs battery.
Fig.6 Fig.7  To start the fridge, the switch on
the fridge is turned on.
 When the switch is turned on, a
led starts glowing indicating that
the fridge is now online.
 Now one Peltier thermoelectric
devices which are insulated
from the cooling side and
 arranges in the fridge generates
cooling effect on inner side and
heat is dissipated on outer side.
 On the heat side of the peltier
unit, a heat sink along with the
fan works to dissipate the heat
from the peltier unit in the outer
environment.
 The Peltier thermoelectric
Device will be so arranged in a
box with proper insulation
system and heat sink so that
efficient cooling takes place at
all the time.
 To turn off the fridge, switch can
be turned off. Then the glowing
led will also stop glowing
indicating no power for the
fridge.
LOAD CALCULATION
Specifications of inside box
Length = 19.cm
Width = 14 cm
Height = 20.5cm
Volume = 19*14*20.5 = 5453cm3
Capacity = 5.4lt
Atmospheric temperature=26.60
Required Temp difference=4
Cooling capacity required = m*c*dt
= 5.4*4.27*(26.6-22.6)
=92.23KJ (1kj/hr=0.277watt)
= 25.54 watts
Module selection
Number of module required
=Cooling capacity required / cooling
capacity of module
Cooling capacity of module = 45Watt
=25.54/45= 0.56
Hence, less than 1 Peltier modules is
required to obtain the temperature
difference of 40C inside the cold box.
Calculations of COP
Heat absorbed inside the cold side box
(Qabs) is the convective heat transfer
inside cold box.
Convective heat transfer inside the box
(Qabs) = h*A*ΔT
Where h = Free convective heat transfer
coefficient of air = 24 W/m2K
A=area inside the cold box
=1885cm2=0.1885m2
ΔT= Temperature difference
Input power given (Qin) = 120 W
Heat absorbed inside the cold box
(Qabs) = 18.096 W
COP (Coefficient of Performance) =
Qabs/Qinp = 18.096/120
COP of the TER system is 0.15
PROJECT APPLICATIONS
The project aims to design and build a
miniature prototype of thermoelectric
refrigeration system for a conventional
refrigerator to provide refrigeration.
The system was targeted as a
refrigerator and temperature of the
cooled air should be lowered 20 degree
Celsius from ambient temperature.
RESULTS ACHIEVED
The concept of developing a
Thermoelectric Refrigerator has been
executed. We have developed an
unconventional model for refrigeration
without using compressor, which would
be the precursor for the future
developments.
The results of the project are as: -
1. DESIGNING & FABRICATION
 Fabrication of the mechanical
structure is accomplished.
 Fabrication of cooling cabin with
complete inside insulation is done
 Fabrication of electrical connection
with production of DC power supply
from the solar panel is achived.
 The system was targeted as a
Figure 12:Temperature values inside the
refrigerator and temperature of the
cold box (vs) time at power ON
cooled air should be lowered 20
condition
degree Celsius from ambient
temperature.

2. INSULATION INSIDE THE CABIN

Insulation of cooling cabin with
thermocol and aluminum foil inside
the cooling is properly done so that
cooling effect sensed with
atmospheric temperature sensor Figure 13:Temperature values inside the
cold box (vs) time at power off condition

FUTURE SCOPE

 Number of peltier units can be

3. DESIGN OF ELECTRICL CIRCUIT
Electrical circuit consist of solar
panel,On-Off switch,thermoelectric
module,heat sink and battery are
connected in perfect manner.
4. EXPERIMENTAL TESTING
The temperature inside the cabin is
noted with the help of digital
atmospheric thermometer within interval
of 1 min till 30 min and the temperature
inside the cabin is reduced by 40c by
connecting one thermoelectric module
(TEM)
increased to further decrease the
temperature inside the fridge.
 Same fridge can be used for
heating purpose if we also
insulate the other side i.e. heating
side of the fridge within the box.
 To increase the volume of the
fridge maintaining the same
temperature inside the fridge,
number of peltier units and heat
sink has to be increased.
 PID controllers can be used for
making it a temperature
controlled fridge.
 This fridge can also be equipped
with a LCD display and digital
temperature sensor so that the
temperature inside the fridge can
be monitored.
REFERENCES
 www.allaboutcircuits.com
 www.hometoelectricals.com
 www.peltie-info.com
 Horway J B (1961), ―The
Peltier Effect and
Thermoelectric Transients‖,
University of Louisvill.
 Jaspalsinh B (2012), ―A
Design Method of Thermo
Electric Cooler‖, IJME, Vol.
5, No. 1, pp. 37-40.
 Mayank Awasthi, K V Mali
(2012), ―Design And
Development Of
Thermoelectric Refrigerator‖,
International Journal of
Mechanical Engineering and
Robotics, Vol. 1, No. 3,
October 2012.