Design and fabrication of solar Based air cooler

1
SRI SABARINATHAN. R, 2MOHAMMED RIZWAN M, 3 RUTHRESH N, 4BHARATH M.
1
Assistant Professor, Gnanamani College of Technology, Panchal, Namakkal-637018
2
UG Student, Gnanamani of Technology, Panchal, Namakkal-637018
3
UG Student, Gnanamani of Technology, Panchal, Namakkal-637018
4
UG Student, Gnanamani of Technology, Panchal, Namakkal-637018

Abstract—This paper presents the design and They rely heavily on electricity generated from fossil
development of a solar-powered air cooler aimed at fuels, which contributes significantly to greenhouse gas
providing an energy-efficient and eco-friendly emissions and environmental degradation. Moreover, the
use of refrigerants in conventional cooling systems poses
alternative to conventional cooling systems. The
additional risks to the ozone layer and overall
system operates using solar energy to power a DC fan environmental health. In regions where electricity supply
and water pump, enabling evaporative cooling. It is is either limited, unreliable, or expensive, the use of such
designed to be cost-effective, portable, and suitable systems becomes impractical, especially for rural or low-
for areas with limited access to electricity. Initial income households. In response to these challenges,
testing shows a noticeable drop in ambient renewable energy technologies have gained significant
temperature, highlighting the potential of solar attention. Among them, solar energy stands out as one of
the most promising alternatives due to its abundance,
cooling technology for sustainable applications.
availability, and environmental friendliness. Solar
photovoltaic (PV) systems convert sunlight directly into
1.INTRODUCTION electricity and have been increasingly used in various
standalone and grid-connected applications. When
The global rise in energy demand, coupled with the combined with low-power devices, solar energy systems
depletion of fossil fuels and environmental concerns, has can offer sustainable solutions to meet basic energy
led to a significant focus on renewable and sustainable needs, including cooling.
energy sources. One of the major energy consumers in the
residential and commercial sectors is air conditioning and
refrigeration systems. Conventional air conditioning units
not only consume a large amount of electricity but also
contribute to environmental degradation due to the use of
refrigerants and fossil-fuel-based power sources. In
regions where electricity supply is limited or unreliable,
there is a pressing need for alternative cooling solutions
that are both energy-efficient and environmentally
sustainable .Solar energy, being abundant, clean, and Figure 1: Solar Panel
renewable, is an ideal source to power such systems. The
use of solar photovoltaic (PV) panels to operate small
appliances has gained popularity in recent years due to
advancements in solar technology and reductions in cost.
This project explores the integration of solar energy with
a simple evaporative air cooling system to design a
standalone, solar-based air cooler suitable for rural and
off-grid applications. Evaporative cooling is a natural
process that uses the principle of heat absorption by water
evaporation. When air passes through wet cooling pads, it
loses heat and the temperature drops, producing a cooling
effect. By combining this principle with solar-powered
components such as a DC water pump and DC fan, the
system can function without relying on grid
electricity .The main objective of this work is to design
and fabricate a cost-effective, energy-efficient, and eco-
friendly air cooling system powered entirely by solar
energy. The project also aims to demonstrate the
feasibility of using solar power in small-scale cooling
applications and to provide a sustainable solution for
areas facing extreme heat and unreliable electricity
access. In recent decades, the global rise in temperatures
and the increasing frequency of heatwaves have
intensified the need for efficient and accessible cooling
technologies. Traditional air conditioning systems, while
effective, are energy-intensive and costly to operate.
2. SOLAR PANEL Figure 2: Solar panel
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 Nominal voltage refers to the voltage of the battery that the
module is best suited to charge; this is a leftover term from the
or thin-film cells. The structural (load carrying) member of a
days when solar modules were only used to charge batteries.
module can either be the top layer or the back layer. Cells The actual voltage output of the module changes as lighting,
must also be protected from mechanical damage and moisture. temperature and load conditions change, so there is never one
Most modules are rigid, but semi-flexible ones based on thin- specific voltage at which the module operates. Nominal voltage
film cells are also available. The cells must be connected allows users, at a glance, to make sure the module is
electrically in series, one to another. Externally, most of compatible with a given system. Open circuit voltage or VOC
photovoltaic modules use MC4 connector’s type to facilitate is the maximum voltage that the module can produce when not
connected to an electrical circuit or system.
easy weatherproof connections to the rest of the system.
Module electrical connections are made in series to achieve a 2.2 DC PUMP
desired output voltage or in parallel to provide a desired A pump is a device used to move gases, liquids or slurries. A
current capability. The conducting wires that take the current pump moves liquids or gases from lower pressure to higher
off the modules may contain silver, copper or other non- pressure, and overcomes this difference in pressure by adding
magnetic conductive transition metals. Bypass diodes may be energy to the system such as a water system. A gas pump is
incorporated or used externally, in case of partial module generally called a compressor, except in very low pressure-rise
applications, such as in heating, ventilating, and air-
shading, to maximize the output of module sections still
conditioning, where the operative equipment consists of fans or
illuminated Some special solar PV modules include blowers. Pumps work by using mechanical forces to push the
concentrators in which light is focused by lenses or mirrors material, either by physically lifting, or by the force of
onto smaller cells. This enables the use of cells with a high compression. Hand-operated, reciprocating, positive
cost per unit area (such as gallium arsenide) in a cost-effective displacement, water pump. A positive displacement pump
way. causes a liquid or gas to move by trapping a fixed amount of
Solar panels also use metal frames consisting of racking fluid or gas and then forcing displacing that trapped volume
into the discharge pipe. They are relatively inexpensive, and
components, brackets, reflector shapes, and troughs to better
are used extensively for pumping water out of bunds, or
support the panel structure. pumping low volumes of reactants out of storage drums.
Conversion of added energy to increase in kinetic energy
2.1 PERFORMANCE OF SOLAR increase in velocity. Conversion of increased velocity to
increase in pressure. Conversion of Kinetic head to Pressure
Module performance is generally rated under standard test Head. Meet all heads like Kinetic, Potential, and Pressure.
Periodic energy addition. Added energy forces displacement of
conditions (STC): irradiance of 1,000 W/m2, solar spectrum fluid in an enclosed volume. Fluid displacement results in
of AM 1.5 and module temperature at 25°C. Electrical direct increase in pressure. One sort of pump once common
characteristics include nominal power (PMAX, measured in worldwide was a hand-powered water pump over a water well
W), open circuit voltage (VOC), short circuit current (ISC, where people could work it to extract water, before most
measured in amperes), maximum power voltage (VMPP), houses had individual water supplies.
maximum power current (IMPP), peak power, (watt-peak,
Wp), and module efficiency (%).
 relying on grid electricity or harmful refrigerants. The use of
locally available components and simple construction makes
the cooler highly accessible and easy to maintain. Initial testing
showed a significant reduction in ambient temperature,
2.3 BATTERY validating the system’s effectiveness. This project demonstrates
In our project we are using secondary type battery. It is the potential
rechargeable type. A battery is one or more electrochemical
cells, which store chemical energy and make it available as of renewable energy in addressing basic human needs like
electric current. There are two types of batteries, primary cooling, while also contributing to environmental conservation.
(disposable) and secondary (rechargeable), both of which Further improvements, such as adding a battery backup system
convert chemical energy to electrical energy. Primary batteries and enhancing the design for higher airflow, can increase the
can only be used once because they use up their chemicals in system’s performance and usability.
an irreversible reaction. Secondary batteries can be recharged
because the chemical reactions they use are reversible; they are 5. REFERENCE
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3. METHODOLOGY "Design and Implementation of a Solar Powered Air Cooling
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