Design and Fabrication of Solar-Powered Portable Thermoelectric Refrigeration System for Thermolabile Pharmaceuticals

Abstract

Abstract: In order to maintain the therapeutic efficacy of thermolabile medicine and vaccines, electrical energy must be continuously supplied. For remote areas lacking access to electrical electricity, this poses a serious dilemma. The potency level of thermolabile medications and vaccines is decreased, particularly during last-mile delivery, which causes significant financial loss. In this study, we designed and developed a portable active refrigeration system that runs on solar photovoltaic cells for the refrigeration of thermolabile pharmaceuticals to be utilized in rural areas without access to electricity, especially to facilitate last-mile vaccination delivery. The system makes use of a thermoelectric refrigeration system that, when given electrical power, causes a temperature difference based on the Peltier effect. It will be demonstrated that a solar panel with a peak power of roughly 50W and batteries with a storage capacity of 10Ah are needed for a typical application for vaccine refrigeration. The developed refrigeration system has a 3-liter volume capacity and can store 150 vaccine ampules, each with a 10ml capacity, at temperatures between 2°C to 8°C using a Peltier cell (TEC), that consumes 66 W at 12V