Advancement in Thermoelectric Innovation: Crafting a Portable Climate Control System

Abstract

Greenhouse gas emissions are on the rise globally due to increasing demands for electricity, vehicle usage, desertification, and inadequate waste management practices. In response to these challenges, a portable heater and cooler utilizing the thermoelectric effect have been developed. This device comprises four thermoelectric Peltier modules, a heat sink with four fans, two batteries, a charge controller, and a solar panel. The four Peltier modules, each capable of 50 watts, are interconnected in series and parallel configurations on the cover of a thermocol box. To ensure effective heating and cooling throughout the workspace, all modules are equipped with heat sinks and fans operating at 12V and 0.28A. To optimize thermal transfer, the Peltier modules are sandwiched between heat sinks using thermal paste, resulting in one side becoming hot and the other cold when power is supplied. These sandwich configurations are placed atop the thermocol box. Testing of the portable cooler and heater was conducted under various load conditions, including no load, 1 liter of water, and 2 liters of water, with batteries, for both cooling and heating. The fully charged batteries can power the entire experimental setup for 21 hours in each scenario. During cooling, the device achieved a minimum working area temperature (thermocol box) of 18.8°C under no load conditions and a minimum water temperature of 18.6°C for 1 liter of water. In heating mode, the experimental setup reached a maximum working area temperature of 42.4°C and a maximum water temperature of 33.3°C for 1 liter of water.