SOLAR POWERED THERMOELECTRIC AND

EVAPORATIVE CAR-COOLING SYSTEM

MAJOR PROJECT

Submitted in Partial fulfillment of the Requirements for the degree of

Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical Engineering
Submitted by

Palak Bhagoria (0101ME151030)

Anushka Varshney (0101AU151013)
Monika Patel (0101ME151028)
Ayushi Tiwari (0101ME151013)
Sonika Chauhan (0101ME151050)
Smriti Pusam (0101ME151048)

Guided By

DR. ASEEM C TIWARI

PROFESSOR AND HEAD

Department of Mechanical Engineering

University Institute of Technology

RGPV, BHOPAL (MP)

1
 ACKNOWLEDGMENT
For the accomplishment of this project work, expression and words run
short for us, to convey our sincere gratitude towards many individuals.

We are eternally grateful toProf. A.C Tiwari (HOD, MECHANICAL) who

has been our constant source of inspiration and motivation throughout
the project and under whose guidance we were solely able to complete
our project.

Apart from this, we would also like to express our deepest concern
towards Dr. R.S Rajput,Director of UIT-RGPV, for providing such a
studious and healthy atmosphere which encouraged us consistently on
focusing upon our task.

Never the less, we are greatly obliged to have the faculties of our
Mechanical Department with us, who have constantly supported and
guided us with new and better ideas.

Finally,we would like to extent our sincere thanks to all those who
helped us and were involved in this project knowingly or unknowingly.

PALAK BHAGORIA (0101ME151030)

ANUSHKA VARSHNEY (0101AU151013)
MONIKA PATEL (0101ME151028)
AYUSHI TIWARI (0101ME151013)
SONIKA CHAUHAN (0101ME151050)
SMRITI PUSAM (0101ME151048)

2
 CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that Palak Bhagoria, Anushka Varshney, Monika Patel,

Ayushi Tiwari, Sonika Chauhan, Smriti Pusam students of final year in
Bachelor of Engineering have successfully completed their major
project on “SOLAR POWERED THERMOELECTRIC AND EVAPORATIVE
CAR-COOLING SYSTEM” in the partial fulfillment of their Bachelor of
Engineering in Mechanical Engineering.

Guide:
Prof. ASEEM C TIWARI
Head of Department
Mechanical
UIT-RGPV, Bhopal

3
 CANDIDATE DECLERATION
We hereby declare that the Major project work is being presented in
the report entitled “SOLAR POWERED THERMOELECTRIC AND
EVAPORATIVE CAR- COOLING SYSTEM” is in the partial fulfillment for
the award of the degree of Bachelor of Engineering in Mechanical
Engineering. The work has been carried out at University Institute of
Technology, Rajiv Gandhi Proudyogiki Vishwavidyalaya (UIT-RGPV),
Bhopal and is an authenticated record of our own work carried out
under the guidance of Prof. A.C Tiwari, Head of Department of
Mechanical Engineering.

PALAK BHAGORIA (0101ME151030)

ANUSHKA VARSHNEY (0101AU151013)
MONIKA PATEL (0101ME151028)
AYUSHI TIWARI (0101ME151013)
SONIKA CHAUHAN (0101ME151050)
SMRITI PUSAM (0101ME151048)

4
CONTENTS : Page No.

Acknowledgement 2

Certificate 3

Candidate Declaration 4

Abstract 6

1. Introduction 7
2. Construction 10
3. Working 17
4. Scope of the Project 19
5. Car Cooling 21
6. Solar Powered Refrigeration 28
7. Peltier 34
8. Merits 40
9. Demerits 42
10. Eco-friendly Project 43
11. Theme idea behind the Project 45
12. Future Aspects of the Project 46
13. Conclusion 47
14. References 48

5
 ABSTRACT
The economic importance of fossil fuels is well established and the
systems for extracting and transporting them have already been
developed. But the pace at which the fuel is being consumed across the
globe is increasing day by day affecting the natural balance of
environment. Thus it becomes important to save the current reserves
of coal, petroleum and other fossil fuels in order to avoid fuel crisis in
future.

In view of this, we made an effort to develop a device for cars to reduce

our high dependency on air conditioners which make use of large
amount of fuel in order to work effectively.

The device makes use of solar energy in order to run an external

battery and also uses water to produce cool air. Also, we merged this
setup with a peltier device so as to attain a very low temperature. This
would indeed be a useful device in summers, when the interior of car
becomes very warm especially when it is stationary and parked under
sun. Thus dependency on air conditioners in cars can be reduced to a
large extent.

6
 INTRODUCTION
Fuel is a material that is used in burning or heating something to
produce energy. Almost everything we use is dependent on fuel. From
cooking to automobile manufacture and working, fuel plays an
indispensable role. Life without fuel is almost impossible to imagine.
But currently, we are facing a huge fuel crisis.

The battery in a car is rechargeable battery. When we turn the key in

car to start the engine, the battery uses some of its charge to turn the
engine over. While the engine is running, the alternator in the car will
charge the battery using some of the power produced by engine.

When we turn the AC on in the car, it uses energy supplied to it by the

alternator. This energy is coming from the engine, which is using the
fuel present in the gas tank. AC usage does increase the fuel
consumption as the compressor is coupled to engine and to run the
compressor, engine has to do more work. More work means more
power required which in turn means more fuel consumption. The
temperature we set in the AC will determine the amount of time the
compressor will have to run. The compressor will cut in and out
depending upon the cabin temperature and various other factors. So
when we select a lower temperature, it will lead to the compressor
being active for a greater time interval and lead to a higher load on the

7
engine, which will increase fuel consumption. Thus, using a vehicle's air
conditioning system increases its fuel consumption more than any
other auxiliary feature. An air conditioning system can increase the fuel
consumption by upto 20% because of the extra load on the engine.

This becomes a point of major concern especially in summers when the

temperature is very high and it becomes difficult for passengers to
travel without turning on the air conditioners.

When we park the car in a sunny day, the temperature inside the
sealed car can quickly exceed 89~90°C. When the temperature exceeds
65°C, harmful fumes like methyl, acrolein, butanone, toluene, benzene,
propyl benzene etc. are released from the car's interior materials (
primarily from leather and fibre materials). These compounds are all
known to be cancer causing poisonous chemicals (carcinogenic) which
are really dangerous for health, specially respiratory system.

Thus a device that could maintain lower temperature by pumping out

the hot and hazardous air from passenger cabin could be a solution to
such a severe problem.

The cabin temperature of closed stationary vehicles in direct sunlight

can quickly rise to a level that may damage property and harm children
or pets left in the vehicle. The problem that is faced by many car users
today is a hot interior after certain hours of parking in open air or
unshaded parking area. The accumulation of thermal energy inside the
vehicle with undesired temperature rise would cause interior parts to
degrade because they normally are subjected to wear and tear.
Degradation may shorten the life span of the various components
inside the car. Passengers are also being affected with the thermal
condition inside the vehicle itself. The car user is forced to wait for a
8
period of time before getting into the car to cool down the interior
condition either by rolling down the window or running the air
conditioner at high speed that really affect the fuel consumption.

In vehicles that are parked, no ventilation and/or air conditioning takes

place. If a vehicle is exposed to direct solar radiation, an immediate
temperature rise occurs. The high cabin air temperature can threaten
children and animals that are left unattended in vehicles. Due to lethal
heat strokes, death rates are increasing all over the world. In addition,
temperature sensitive goods such as drugs in ambulances and
veterinary vehicles can be adversely affected by high temperature.

OBJECTIVE OF THIS PROJECT:

Its objective is to maintain interior of a car at a lower temperature

especially during summers so as to provide comfort to occupants and
reduce usage of air conditioners, thereby reducing higher consumption
of fuel.

The device can operate when the car is stationary or in motion.

The device makes use of natural source of energy such as sun and
water. Hence the dependency on fuel is minimized to a large extent.

This device actively vents hot air and potential chemical build up in
your oven like parked car during those uncomfortable hot days in
summer.

This system eliminates the need to run your air conditioner at full pelt
upon returning to your car, which reduces fuel consumption.
9
 CONSTRUCTION
 MATERIALS -
1.Mild steel Frame
2.Solar panel
3..Peltier Device 12V 6 Amp 90watt
4.Honey comb structured cooling pad
5.MS sheet
6.Flexible duct
7.Aluminium sink (Hollow)
8.Water cooled Pump ( 12V DC)
9.Blowers (12V 2.4 Amp)
11.Connecting Bolts
12.Pneumatic Pipes( For Water supply)
13.Wires

10
 COMPONENTS -
Components can be defined as follows:

 PELTIER :

The Peltier effect is the phenomenon that a potential difference applied

across a thermocouple causes a temperature difference between the
junctions of the different materials in the thermocouple.

Peltier or its counter effect called Seebeck effect have many practical
uses. The device working on this principle are not efficient so is not very
popular.

PELTIER DEVICE

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 SOLAR PANELS :
Solar panels have a long service life. They do cost a certain amount of
energy to manufacture and install, but from then on they will provide
decades of power at pretty close to zero cost.

1. When used as designed and intended, solar panels produce

electricity while emitting no particulate or chemical pollution.

2. When used as designed and intended, solar panels produce

electricity while emitting no greenhouse gases which cause climate
change.

3. When used as designed and intended, solar-generated electricity

strongly tends to replace fossil-fuel generated electricity which does
emit pollution and greenhouse gases.

4. The dominant material is silicon, derived from sand which is

extremely common and non-toxic. Most waste from manufacturing and
decommissioning is non-toxic.

5. The greenhouse gases used in manufacturing, distribution,

construction and operation are very low per KWH, in the range of 72
grams per KWH full lifecycle. This is higher than wind energy, but a
seventh of natural gas and a sixteenth of coal.

Some very specific factories are nasty, but as a whole, solar panels are
very green producers of electricity compared to fossil fuel generation.

12
 SOLAR PANEL

 BLOWERS :
Air blower machine is a simple and effective electrical device used in
homes and industries to blow away dust from every nook and corner.
For gadgets and electronics have delicate parts that cannot be cleaned
with a cloth. This is when you need air blowers to remove dust with its
continuous air pressure. This durable and efficient machine save a good
amount of time and effort consumed in cleaning and dusting tasks.

An impeller at the centre of the air blower sucks air and creates a spiral
flow of air thereby creating a dynamic pressure that forces the air to
flow through a curved path and out of the blower. The different speed
levels are set for various kinds of cleaning such as cleaning electronic
components, leaves shed in the garden area, etc.

13
 BLOWER

 PUMP :
A pump is a device that moves fluids (liquids or gases), or sometimes
slurries, by mechanical action. Pumps can be classified into three major
groups according to the method they use to move the fluid: direct lift,
displacement, and gravity pumps.

Pumps are used throughout society for a variety of purposes. Early

applications includes the use of the windmill or watermill to pump
water. Today, the pump is used for irrigation, water supply, gasoline
supply, air conditioning systems, refrigeration (usually called a
compressor), chemical movement, sewage movement, flood control,
marine services, etc. Because of the wide variety of applications, pumps
have a plethora of shapes and sizes: from very large to very small, from
handling gas to handling liquid, from high pressure to low pressure, and
from high volume to low volume.

14
 COOLING PAD :
Honeycomb Filter Air Cooling Pad is used by new generation high
polymer material and the spatial crossing linking technology, has high
absorbing water, high water resistant, anti-to get moldy and spoil, the
service life long and so on merits.

COOLING PAD

 CONSTRUCTION DETAILS -
This Prototype consist of a enclosed mild steel metal box with vented
sides. Air is moved by blowers (usually driven Car battery), and a water
pump is used to wet the evaporative cooling pads. The cooling units can
be mounted on the roof of vehicles. The cooled, moist air from the
cooling unit is delivered into the Peltier device(Thermo electric) via a
Flexible duct.

15
Because the cooling air originates on the roof of the car,,one or more
large flexible duct must exist to allow air to move from Cooling unit to
Peltier device.

Peltier is also powered by car battery (Or Solar as an alternate

source).Heat is extracted from Hot side of peltier by water and this
Water is directly supplied to the cooling unit (Water cooled system) by
pneumatic pipes.

Cool air is Supplied to the Car interior. (Desired Effect)

Portable Solar Panel are used as a alternate power source,Since

installing Peltier can discharge Car Battery Earlier than expected.Solar
energy allow the system to work naturally without harming the Car
battery.

16
TOP VIEW

FRONT VIEW

17
 WORKING
The cooling system mainly consist of the following modules

1.Car Blower which acts as the primary source of air.

2. Honey comb Cooling pad

3. Duct which conveys the air from the blower to the peltier.

4. Peltier Device( Thermo electric cooling)

5. An DC source which is used to power the pump ,blower and

Peltier(Car Battery)

6. Solar panel (secondary power source)

The project implemented a structured system analysis and design

methodology approach to achieve the project objectives. Block system
analysis of the project is shown below (Figure 1) with the aid of a
straightforward block diagram.

STRUCTURAL DIAGRAM

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 Working Procedure :
The prototype assembly starts with the blowers which is used to blow
the ambient air to the Chamber having Honey comb cooling pad. Water
needs to be distributed properly to these cooling pads. This is done by
cooling pumps placed inside the chamber filled with water. These
cooling pads should always be in saturated state otherwise the water
will evaporate away from these pads.

Water, when evaporates it needs heat called 'latent heat of

evaporation'. The water that is sprayed over the pads through pump
when evaporates takes the required latent heat from the atmospheric
air surrounding them which on losing its heat cools down. This air
whose temperature is decreased to certain level is directed inside the
Peltier by the duct attached to the chamber. Peltier is powered by a
power supply, which stimulates a difference in temperature when an
electric current flows through a junction of two dissimilar materials.

Air which is coming out from the cold side is chilled air which is much
lower than the ambient. Cooled air is directed to the car
interior(Desired effect)..The warmer side of the Peltier absorbs heat
and Aluminium heat sink is used for effective transfer of Heat extracted
and this hot air is channeled away to the chamber containing Cooling
pad.The higher is the rate of dissipation of heat, the cooler it gets inside
the car interior and hence increasing the efficiency of the cooling
module proportionally.

The whole assembly of the cold side heat sinks, hot side heat sink,
peltier,Cooling pad,Solar panel and the metallic base are fitted tightly
with screws and nuts.

Blower,Pump and Peltier is powered by The DC source battery which is

connected to the solar panel that can behave as a secondary power
source.

19
 SCOPE OF THE PROJECT
Why Thermoelectric cooling for cars than HVAC:

1) Power loss – Compressor is driven by the crankshaft of the engine. It

consumes 5 to 10% of engine power.

2) Fuel loss – Present HVAC System reduces the mileage of the vehicle.

3) Pick up decreases –An air conditioning system can consumes as

much as 8 h.p. with a unit capacity of 3 tones or 9072 kcal/hr
approximately. SO, due to these the pickup of vehicle decreases.

4) Electric loss –Battery provide 12V current to the blowers and

electromagnetic clutch of compressor for engaging the compressor.

5) Cost – cost of present HVAC System is very high.

6) Hazardous refrigerant – HFC is quit hazardous for human body &

ozone layer which leads to global warming.

7) Repairing cost – Repairing cost of HVAC System is very high.

8) Maintenance – Proper maintenance is very necessary because this

system can affect human body & Environment.

9) Size –Present HVAC system required very large space in the engine
compartment and dashboard.

10) Delicate system –if any component fails to perform well then the
whole HVAC system will either not function properly or not function at
all.

20
The project scope involves the following elements:

1) Sizing and Designing of the cooling system :

a) Selection of the TECs

b) Selection of Fans and Heat sinks

c) DC power supply design with temperature control.

d) Prototype Assembly and Fabrication.

e) Temperature measurements for testing.

f) Power supply testing and troubleshooting.

Research indicates that conventional air conditioners in cars can

constitute upto 15%-18% of fuel demand in the vehicle, which becomes
expensive for any common man ,in a country like India which is
dependent on oil imports from oil rich countries (india being the 3rd
largest importer).

1) In addition to stabilising soaring energy costs, solar power

equipments are considered as a good investment.

2) Being solar powered these Thermoelectric systems are often

extermely energy efficient when compared to HVAC.

3) These will use water instead of pollution causing CFCs as a

refrigerant thereby ensuring evem more energy efficient cooling.

By using Thermoelectric systems in cars we can adopt a green and sust

ainable lifestyle that will help us reduce carbon footprint to a greater
extent.

21
 CAR COOLING
Nowadays , a car is one the most important transportation for
individual compared to public transport. Parking spaces are
constructing day by day and people are forced to park their car in open
spaces under the scorching sun. High solar global insolence in India
cause typically very high ambition temperature.

During summer if the cars are parked directly under the sun, then the
exposed cabin inside the car will produced greenhouse effect. This will
lead to higher cabin temperature and cause problems like fire burst,
emissions of harmful poisonous gases, colour fading ,wear and tear of
cabin elements etc. In this project we are trying evaluate a simple
cooling and ventilation system powered by solar energy to purge the
hot air trapped inside the cabin.

India is developing at a faster rate than ever and its direct impact is
visible on the roads of India. The high demand of the private
transportation has lead to an acute shortage of covered parking areas.
More and more people are thus being forced to park in open spaces
under the scorching sun.

In a car equipped with air conditioning, outside air or cabin air if the re-
circulation flap has been set to close the external air passage, is first
forced, often after being filtered by a cabin air filter, through the air
conditioners evaporator coil. This can be thought of as a heater core
filled with very cold liquid that is undergoing a phase change to gas (
the evaporation) . A process which cools rather than heats the incoming
air. In order to obtain the desired temperature incoming air may first be
cooled by the air conditioning and then heated again by the heater core

22
in a vehicle fitted with manual controls for the heater and air
conditioning compressor, using both systems together will dehumidify
the air in the cabin, as the evaporator coil removes moisture from the
air due to condensation. This can result in increased air comfort levels
inside the vehicle. Atomic temperature control systems can take the
best course of action in regulating the compressor operation, amount
of reheating and blower speed depending upon the external air
temperature, the internal one and the cabin air temperature value or a
rapid defrost effect requested by the users.

Components of Car Air Conditioning System-

The components of a car’s AC system is almost same as a room’s AC but

there are lots of modification made in an automobile AC to make it
compact and to fit it with engine’s component. The components used in
automobile AC are-

1. Compressor – It is also known as the heart of the AC system, A

compressor provide pressure rise to the refrigerant to convert the
vapour refrigerant into liquid refrigerant which in turn enables the
further flow of the refrigerant through condenser. The compressor of
the car air conditioning system is driven by the crankshaft of the engine
through the belt drive.

2. Condenser – It is the device looks like a small radiator and is used

after the compressor as it provides condensing i.e. lowers the
temperature, of the high pressure and high temperature liquid

23
refrigerant sent by compressor through forced convection provided
either by radiator fan or by separated fan used with condenser.

3. Expansion valve- It is a device used in car air conditioning system to

expand the high pressure, low temperature liquid refrigerant sent by
the condenser in order to release pressure of the refrigerant before
sending it to evaporator for the further process.

4. Evaporator – It is a device that looks like another heat ex-changer

and is place just behind the AC vent over a dash board of a car, an
evaporator takes heat from the passenger’s compartment and convert
the liquid refrigerant sent by the expansion valve into vapor, which in
turn provides cooling through the fan inside a passenger’s cabin

Note – Thermal expansion valve is used in vehicles that enable the

passenger to change the temperature according to the requirement, by
just adjusting the knob provided over a dash board in passenger’s cabin.

5. Receiver-Dryer- It is a safety catch used in an automobile or car air

conditioning system as there is a chance that instead of vapors some
liquid also flows towards the compressor which can damage the
compressor, so the receiver dryer is used in between evaporator and
compressor to convert that remaining liquid into vapors before sending
it to compressor for compression.

24
6. Refrigerant – It is the heat sensitive fluid with very low boiling point
that is used in AC as a medium of heat exchanging.

Working of Air conditioning system in cars-

1. The evaporator which is the another heat ex-changer used in AC

takes heat from the passenger’s cabin which in turn converts the liquid
refrigerant flowing through the evaporator into vapors which in turn
provide cooling with the help of the blower fan.

2. This vapor having high temperature low pressure is then sent to

compressor which in turn increases the pressure over the vapors and
converts the vapor refrigerant into liquid refrigerant.Now the
refrigerant is in high pressure and high temperature liquid state.

3. This high pressure high temperature liquid refrigerant is then sent to

the condenser which lowers the temperature of this refrigerant by
forced convection provided by the radiator fan or by separated fan
25
used. Now the refrigerant is having low temperature but the pressure
of the liquid is almost same.

4. This high pressure and low temperature refrigerant is than sent to

expansion valve which in turn releases the pressure from the
refrigerant and convert it into its original state.

5. This refrigerant is then again sent to the evaporator for the further
cycle.

India is the second most populous country in the world with over
1.21billion people (estimated for April, 2011), more than sixth of the
world’s population. India is projected to be world’s most populous
country by 2025,surpassing china, its population exceeding 1.6 billion
people by 2050.Comparing with the population there are 2.65 million
cars sold in India as of march 2011.According to the society of Indian
automotive manufacturer, annual car sales are projected to increase up
to 5 million vehicles by 2015 and more than a 9 million by 2020.By
2050,the country is expected to top of the world in car volumes with
approximately 611 million vehicles on the nation’s roads.

The above data shows that, as the population increase the no. of
vehicles also increase.

Today, an automobile is a necessity for everyone. For a long or short

journey people need car regard to the safety, environment and most
important comfort. Owing to these reasons, many vehicles are
equipped with heating, ventilating and air conditioning system. In
today’s world, no one feel comfortable in a vehicle without

26
HVAC system. Therefore, HVAC becomes an integral part of human life.
Today’s present HVAC system is very efficient and reliable but it has
some demerits. It has been observed during the last two decades that
the O3–layer is slowly destroyed because of the refrigerant (CFC and
HFC) used for the refrigeration and air – conditioning purposes. The
common refrigerant used is HFC’s which are leaked and slowly climb
into the atmosphere. When they reach to O3 layer they act on O3 –
molecules and the layer of O3 is destroyed. A single molecule of HFC’s
can destroy thousand of O3 molecules and that’s why it has created a
threat for the not only to maintain earth eco system stable but also to
existence of earth. Even the percentage of HFC’s are emitted into the
atmosphere compared to CO2 is negligible but its global warming effect
is few thousand times of CO2.The effect of 100 gm of HFC’s can destroy
0.5 tons of O3 molecule. These HFC’s once destroy O3-layer; it takes lack
of years to recover its thickness as it is formed by complex reactions.
This is because as HFC’s comes in environment they remain in
atmosphere for 18 years. The capacity of HFC’s to increase in earth
temperature 10% is contributed by HFC’s only.(see reference)

Other demerits includes: - The compressor is driven by the crankshaft

of the engine. So it consumes about 5 to10% power of the engine. This
consequently reduces mileage of the vehicle. An Air conditioning
system consumes as much as 8 h.p. with a unit capacity of 3 tons or
9072 kcal/hr. approximately .So, due to these the pickup of vehicle
decreases. The cost of present HVAC system is very high; it may vary
depending upon price and model of vehicle.

Maintenance and repairing cost of this system is very high. Each

component of HVAC is very costly. This system occupies very large
space in engine compartment and dashboard. In this system, if any
27
component fails to perform well then the whole system either will not
function properly or will not function at all. Instead of this, today’s
electronically and computer controlled HVAC system has a sensors. If
somebody wants to start an AC system, but due to high power
requirement of an engine, the AC system will not start and person will
need to wait for the starting of the HVAC system.

28
 SOLAR POWERED REFRIGERATION

A solar-powered refrigerator is a refrigerator which runs on energy

directly provided by sun, and may include photovoltaic or solar thermal
energy.

A renewable energy source is any source of energy that replenishes

naturally on a human timescale.Solar energy is considered as
renewable because they form over hundreds of thousands of years,
which makes them unable to replenish at the rate humans use them
today.

I will point out few reasons why solar is the best renewable alternative
energy -

1. Eco-Friendliness - Generating solar power doesn't require

traditional fossil fuels which produces harmful gases as well chemicals.
These harmful gases include carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and many
more. Solar energy is renewable and most importantly clean energy
which keep our earth green.

2. Reliability - Solar energy is produced from a day light and not sun
rays, so solar power systems will produce energy even in cloudy and
rainy days.

3. Durability - Solar panels comes with the life span of 25 - 30 years

and undergoes durability tests to sustain in extremely bad weather
conditions such as heavy rain, snowfall. These panels comes with long
term warranty.

29
4. Less or No Dependency on Traditional Fuels - Maximum use of
solar energy leads to less dependence on non-renewable energy source
such as oil and gas.

5. Availability - Now since people are aware of solar energy and

more solar energy companies are active into solar industry, One can get
solar power systems installed from local resources at an affordable
cost.

 SOLAR ENERGY

Solar energy is radiant light and heat from the Sun that is harnessed
using a range of ever-evolving technologies such as solar heating,
photovoltaics, solar thermal energy, solar architecture, molten salt
power plants and artificial photosynthesis. It is an important source of
renewable energy and its technologies are broadly characterized as
either passive solar or active solar depending on how they capture and
distribute solar energy or convert it into solar power. Active solar
techniques include the use of photovoltaic systems, concentrated solar
power and solar water heating to harness the energy. Passive solar
techniques include orienting a building to the Sun, selecting materials
with favorable thermal mass or light-dispersing properties, and
designing spaces that naturally circulate air. The total solar energy
absorbed by Earth's atmosphere, oceans and land masses is
approximately 3,850,000 exajoules (EJ) per year.
Yearly solar fluxes & human consumption1
[10]
Solar 3,850,000

Wind 2,250 [15]

Biomass potential ~200 [16]

Primary energy use2 539 [17]

Electricity2 ~67 [18]

30
Applications -

1)Heating and cooling of residential buildings.

2)Solar water heating.

3)Solar drying of agricultural and animal products.

4)Solar distillation on a small community scale.

5)Salt production by evaporation of seawater or inland brines.

6)Solar cookers.

 PHOTOVOLTAIC SOLAR PANELS

Photovoltaic solar panels absorb sunlight as a source of energy to

generate electricity. A photovoltaic (PV) module is a packaged,
connected assembly of typically 6x10 photovoltaic solar cells.
Photovoltaic modules constitute the photovoltaic array of a
photovoltaic system that generates and supplies solar electricity in
commercial and residential applications. The most common application
of solar energy collection outside agriculture is solar water heating
systems.

Photovoltaic modules use light energy (photons) from the Sun to

generate electricity through the photovoltaic effect. The majority of
modules use wafer-based crystalline silicon cells or thin-film cells. The
structural (load carrying) member of a module can either be the top
layer or the back layer. Cells must also be protected from mechanical
damage and moisture. Most modules are rigid, but semi-flexible ones
based on thin-film cells are also available. The cells must be connected
electrically in series, one to another.

31
A PV junction box is attached to the back of the solar panel and it is its
output interface. Externally, most of photovoltaic modules use MC4
connectors type to facilitate easy weatherproof connections to the rest
of the system. Also, USB power interface can be used.

Module electrical connections are made in series to achieve a desired

output voltage or in parallel to provide a desired current capability
(amperes). The conducting wires that take the current off the modules
may contain silver, copper or other non-magnetic conductive transition
metals. Bypass diodes may be incorporated or used externally, in case
of partial module shading, to maximize the output of module sections
still illuminated.

Some special solar PV modules include concentrators in which light is

focused by lenses or mirrors onto smaller cells. This enables the use of
cells with a high cost per unit area (such as gallium arsenide) in a cost-
effective way.

Solar panels also use metal frames consisting of racking components,

brackets, reflector shapes, and troughs to better support the panel.

 SOLAR ENERGY AS A SOURCE OF BATTERY

Charging batteries with pv solar requires a totally different approach

compared to mains charging. Main reason is that the primary energy,
the sun, is not continuously available and when, sometimes not in the
required amount (cloudy days) A charging technique that collects all the
energy when available, even with some damaging effect to the battery
has preference over an empty battery with damage by e.g. sulphation
for lead acid.

With the lowering cost and increasing efficiency of PV modules, the

number of applications where solar energy is the cheapest solution is
32
growing. The concepts these systems are based on today will not longer
be the optimum. Redesign will be necessary.

We will point out few reasons why solar is the best renewable
alternative energy -

1. Eco-Friendliness - Generating solar power doesn't require

traditional fossil fuels which produces harmful gases as well chemicals.
These harmful gases include carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and many
more. Solar energy is renewable and most importantly clean energy
which keep our earth green.

2. Reliability - Solar energy is produced from a day light and not sun
rays, so solar power systems will produce energy even in cloudy and
rainy days.

3. Durability - Solar panels comes with the life span of 25 - 30 years

and undergoes durability tests to sustain in extremely bad weather
conditions such as heavy rain, snowfall. These panels comes with long
term warranty.

4. Less or No Dependency on Traditional Fuels - Maximum use of

solar energy leads to less dependence on non-renewable energy source
such as oil and gas.

5. Availability - Now since people are aware of solar energy and

more solar energy companies are active into solar industry, One can get
solar power systems installed from local resources at an affordable
cost.

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 IMPLEMENTATION -

In a car, solar panels can be located at the rooftops either covering the
space completely to acquire more and more direct sunlight or at the
solar concentrating curves. These 12V 20W solar panels are connected
to battery and deliver solar energy which is stored in battery itself.
When required solar energy is converted into electrical energy so as not
to loose connections.

Here solar energy acts as a secondary power source to decrease the

load on car battery. As our motive is to reduce fuel consumption and
increase efficiency of a car by constructing a refrigerated cooling
system to avoid excessive use of air conditioners.

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 PELTIER
The basic concept behind thermoelectric technology is the PELTIER
EFFECT-a phenomenon first discovered in early 19th century. The
Peltier effect occurs whenever electric current flows through two
dissimilar conductors. Depending upon the direction of current flow,
the junction of the two conductors will either absorb or release heat.

A thermoelectric Peltier is a device that transfers heat from one side of

the body to the other side of the body and there by making one side of
the body extremely cold (ice formation may happen depending on the
current supplied and the room temperature) and other side of the body
gets hot. (Heat dissipation is required in order to protect the module
from getting damaged)

THERMOELECTRIC PELTIER DEVICE

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 WORKING PRINCIPLE :

In a thermocouple, when a current is passed through the circuit, five

thermoelectric effects occur. Because of the Peltier Effect, the cold
plate will be cooled and the warm plate will be heated. Heat will flow
from the warm plate to the cold plate by Conduction. Heat will be
generated in each conductor and at each junction because of the
Joulean Effect and part of the Joulean heat will flow to each junction. It
is usual to assume that one half of the Joulean heat is transferred to
each junction. Thomson Effect and Seebeck Effect also occurs. The net
Thomson coefficient (τp - τn) becomes zero if (αp - αn) is considered
constant. Therefore we neglect the Thomson Effect and use mean
thermoelectric power which gives results equivalent to those obtained
when the Thomson Effect is included. We also assume that heat
absorption and heat rejection occurs only at the junctions and that all
material property value are constants.

PELTIER DEVICE

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 PELTIER EFFECT :

When a voltage or DC current is applied to two dissimilar conductors, a

circuit can be created that allows for continuous heat transport
between the conductor’s junctions. The Seebeck Effect- is the reverse
of the Peltier Effect. By applying heat to two different conductors a
current can be generated. The Seebeck Coefficient is given by:
𝜀𝑥
𝛼=
𝑑𝑇⁄𝑑𝑋

where  is the electric field.The current is transported through charge

carriers (opposite the hole flow or with electron flow). Heat transfer
occurs in the direction of charge carrier movement.

How Does the Peltier Effect Work?

The Peltier effect occurs due to the fact that, the average energy of the
electrons involved in the transfer of electric current is different for

37
different conductors. It is dependent on several factors, including the
energy spectrum of the electrons, their concentration in the conductor,
and their scattering under the influence of applied voltage.

 HEAT SINK (FINS):

A heat sink is designed to maximize its surface area in contact with the
cooling medium surrounding it, such as the air. Air velocity, choice of
material, protrusion design and surface treatment are factors that
affect the performance of a heat sink.

A heat sink is usually made out of copper or aluminium. Copper is used

because it has many desirable properties for thermally efficient and
durable heat exchangers. First and foremost, copper is an excellent
conductor of heat. This means that copper's high thermal conductivity
allows heat to pass through it quickly. Aluminium heat sinks are used as
a low-cost, lightweight alternative to copper heat sinks, and have a
lower thermal conductivity than copper.

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 THERMOELCTRIC PELTIER WITH HEAT SINK :

Whether heating or cooling a thermal load, you must employ some

form of heat sink to either collect heat (in heating mode) or dissipate
heat in another medium (e.g. air,water,etc.). Without such provisions,
the thermoelectric device will be vulnerable to overheating; once it
reaches the reflow temperature of the solder employed, the unit will be
destroyed. When the hest sink is exchanging heat with air, a fan is
usually required to minimize the size of the sink required. These device
cannot be immersed in liquid under power to prevent thermal and
electric shorting.

 IMPLEMENTATION :

For cooling of the car interior; peltier will be located at one corner of
the window. Air from the cold junction is directed inside the car
through one of the flexible ducts. The warmer air is redirected to water
tank forming a closed circuit.

39
 This is for maintaining moderate temperature basically in hot
summers. The 12V 6A+ 90W Peltier module is mounted onto a 12V
heatsink and fan assembly with thermal paste and an aluminum clamp.
Simply connect to 12V 7A+ power supply and you will see frost appear
on the aluminum plate within a minute.

40
 MERITS
• Easier and cost-effective installation and maintenance - The simplicity
of an Evaporative cooler when compare to an air conditioner also
translate to cheaper installation and maintenance costs. It does not
have a compressor and operation revolves chiefly around a fan and a
water pump. There are also no special working fluids, especially
refrigerants.

• Cooling pads have a direct impact on the cooling of an air cooler.

Cellulose cooling pads are also known as honeycomb pads, mostly
because they look like a honeycomb. They are thicker in compression to
aspen pads and have how maintenance and a higher life. They cost a
little more but are also known to be more efficient.

• The main advantage of the peltier effect is that ,it allows us to build
cooling/heating devices that don't have any moving parts, and
therefore, much less likely to fail as compared to conventional coolers
and heaters. They also require almost no maintenance.

• Environmental friendly methodology for implementing an air

conditioning system.

• In particular, the cooler does not deplete the earth's Limited fossil
fuel reserves not does it harm the global environment either by
depleting stratospheric ozone or by contributing to global warming
through the emission of greenhouse gases.

• It does not pollute our air by releasing carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide,
sulphur dioxide or mercury into the atmosphere like many traditional
forms of electrical generation does. Therefore solar energy does not
contribute to global warming, Acid rain or smog. It actively contributes
to the decrease of harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

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• The major advantage of solar power is that no pollution is created in
the process of generating electricity. Environmentally it the most clean
and green energy. Solar energy is clean renewable (unlike gas ,oil or
coal ) and sustainable, helping to protect environment.

• Compactness - thermoelectric ( peltier) are the most compact

systems because of the small size of the cooling components.

• Safety - thermoelectric systems ( peltier) are completely safe because

they use no gases or open flames and run on just 12 volts. Compressor
systems can leak freon which can be extremely dangerous especially if
heated. Absorption system may use propane which can be extremely
dangerous in the event of a leak.

• The device would be a alternative of air conditioners which utilise a

great amount of fuel when operated at high speed, thus it would be a
step towards fuel conservation.

• The device allows continuous flow of cold air in passenger cabin. This
would avoid accidents that occur due to heat strokes and suffocation
when either pets or children are left in the parked car.

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 DEMERITS
1) Tracking the sun- For optimal efficiency, solar energy panels need to
constantly be directed towards sun.

2) Easily broken- Solar panels are vulnerable to damage from hail and
falling tree limbs. They are also expensive to replace.

3) Solar energy can be used only during the daytime i.e. when the sun is
shining bright.

4) It comes with the limitation of carrying a bottle filled with water

which increases the load on the engine and Thereby consumes more
fuel then natural Consumption.

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 ECO-FRIENDLY PROJECT
This project is a demonstration of an eco-friendly methodology for the
implementation of the Solar powered Thermoelectric and evaporative
Car cooling system. Solar energy is the most abundant and renewable
source of energy in environment, and hence it is used in our project. In
conventional air Conditioners, moving parts and Rotating parts like
compressors, expansion valves, coolants etc. are involved which leads
to some vibration and noise. The fluids(Coolants) used nearly a century
ago such as, air, CO2, NH3 were more or less eco-friendly. But the quest
of scientists and engineers for fluids with better thermo-physical and
chemical properties led to the development of chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs). But in Thermoelectric
Cooling system all mechanical parts and Coolants are eliminated and it
is replaced by thermoelectric module and evaporative cooling takes
advantage of the moisture in the air and uses it to produce cool air.

Due to the difficulty in disposal of Chlorofluoro carbon (CFCs) and

Hydro Chlorofluoro carbons (HCFCs), conventional sources are being
used so as to decrease the environmental degradation. As mentioned
in the past years, fluoro carbons were used in the Coolants .Use of
these kind of Coolants are forbidden as these lead to derogation of
ozone layer. Moreover, the problem regarding environment is piling up
in recent years. Presently the energy saving strategy is one of the top
most priority of the world. In particular, the sector of cooling having a
heavy influences on the total electrical energy consumption and hence
need to be optimized so as to increase the overall performance. Solar
energy being abundant in nature, thermo electricity can be used in the
generation of power for cooling and heating applications. Therefore,
the need of thermo electric refrigeration is on demand particularly for
the upcoming developing countries where long life of appliances and

44
low maintenances are needed and Cooling through evaporation is a
completely natural occurrence which happens in everyday life.

Due to slow improvement of efficiency and concern for the

environment, efforts are now being directed to develop eco-friendly
alternative Cooling system. In this regard, combination of
Thermoelectric cooling and Evaporative cooling can result in better
cooling temperatures without harming the environment.

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 THEME IDEA BEHIND THE PROJECT

The principle idea behind the project is to reduce overuse of air

conditioners which further reduces fuel consumption and increases
efficiency. To give justification to eco-friendly environment we have
implemented thermoelectric device (Peltier) , solar panels as a
secondary source of battery and blowers for forced circulation of air in
stationary conditions. The overall system works with the help of car
battery or solar energy transmitted through solar panels. Thus,
preventing use of any conventional fuels or toxic gases.

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 FUTURE ASPECTS OF THE PROJECT
During the project, we as a group always have tried our best to create a
better operating cooling system although much work is needed in this
field.

1.The cooling system can be improved by incorporating PCM (Phase

Change Material)cooling system.

2.Temperature control can be added using a closed loop circuit and

feedback network.

3.The cooling system can be further improved by use of TEC modules

having higher capacity.

4.Silica Gel Can be used for absorbing more water. Also salt can be
used to absorb more water in cooling unit to increase the efficiency of
evaporative cooling.

5. By changing the airflow and some mechanical or electronics section

modification, the TEC air cooling for car can be used for heating
applications too.

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 CONCLUSION
The device plays a major role in keeping the passenger cabin of a car
sufficiently cool especially in summers. This device would be a great
solution in providing comfort to passengers during their travel as well
as it would be a great step towards conservation of fossil fuels.

Installment of such a device could be a replacement of air conditioners

in cars which cause problems like release of CFCs leading to ozone layer
depletion. Also use of ACs for long duration and at high speed would
utilize more fuel causing problems of fuel crisis. Such a device would
avoid accidents due to lethal heat strokes and suffocation.

The specialty of this device lies in the fact that it not only operates
when the vehicle is running but also in stationary conditions. So, this
would avoid the interior of car to heat up to a very high temperature
when parked under sun.

Also this project made us learn about utilization of solar energy for
refrigeration purposes and our use of peltier device helped us in
learning the peltier effect for cooling the air to a greater extent.
Incorporation of peltier device could help in attaining very low
temperature to a range of 10-13°C.

Thus keeping in mind the conservation of resources of earth without

compromising with comfort of people this device was built up.

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 REFERENCES
References have been taken from following links :
i. https://www.electracool.com/moduleworking.html
ii. http://www.marlow.com
iii. https://ferrotec-nord.blogspot.com
iv. www.sciencedirect.com
v. www.elsevier.com/locate/desal

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