Desert Fridge - solar cold storage

[Qasid]

Hi,

Im working on a research project at Swansea University to develop a cold storage solution for developing countries.

Please check out my blog: desert-fridge-research.blogspot.com

I would be grateful if you could give any input on this. Thank you

[Brian_UK]

Your blog is extremely long, do you have a specific question.

One input I have is how are the developing nations that you talk about going to maintain it.

Remember when the first world sent tractors to the third world to improve the farm output? 90% of the people were put out of work and began starving.

Things improved when the tractors ran out of fuel and were left to rot.

[Qasid]

Hi Brian,

Thanks for your input on this.

I agree with your concerns regarding maintenance. Any technology that would be in introduced should be appropriate and sustainable. In fact I have lived and worked in Gambia ( swansea.ac.uk/research_innovation/News/GambianFarmersBenefit/ ) for more than two years and have learnt such lessons first hand

However at this initial stage I am trying to be as open as possible to asses the merits of various alternatives. I can not suggest a specific maintenance schedule until we have finalised the design but I will also bear this in mind as we develop the concept. Thank you

As per the absorption refrigeration cycle this is advantageous as it has no moving parts which would significantly reduce its maintenance requirements.

[mad fridgie]

Your evaporative idea, nothing wrong with that.
Peltier cooler (TEC), highly reliable, no moving parts, runs directly of DC, so couples directly to photovoltaic panels.
use of phase change material (either as cold storage directly, or used at night to ais TEC hot side removal and evaporative cooling for removal of TEC energy.
Simple reliable no moving parts,

[Qasid]

Thermoelectric Peltier effect and phase change materials: great ideas! I will look into this. Thank you

btw, sorry but im not sure I fully understand this part of your post:

used at night to ais TEC hot side removal and evaporative cooling for removal of TEC energy.,

Please could you explain. Thank you.

[mad fridgie]

Thermoelectric Peltier effect and phase change materials: great ideas! I will look into this. Thank you

btw, sorry but im not sure I fully understand this part of your post:



Please could you explain. Thank you.

Not the best explanation, I have ever done.

1 Phase change in the cooled chamber, to keep the chamber cool when no sun available.
2 Phase change to "aid" TEC heat of rejection. At night the temperature drops, you freeze a phase change material. Then during the day when the ambient is high, you use the phase change, which is alower temp than the ambient to absorb the heat of TECs, you then also incorparate some evaporative cooling on to the hot side of the TEC and possibly the phase change material.

Remember the smaller the temp difference the more heat is transfered and the less power is absorbed, same as a compression refrigeration cycle

[Qasid]

I understand now - this is a brilliant idea and I will definitely investigate this further. Thank you. Much appreciated

[mad fridgie]

Do not forget mad fridgie when you make your millions!!!!

[vindme0007]

sir we are doing a project on vapour absorption refrigeration.we need some text materials.please help us