Utilization of peltier cooling systems driven by solar power for storing vegetables and fruits

Abstract

This article aimed to determine the performance of the Peltier cooler box system that utilizes solar power for storing vegetables and fruit. The advantage of the Peltier cooling system is that it does not consume electricity and environmentally friendly. The thermoelectric component is coupled with a heat sink where a small fan is placed on the outside, and another fan is set inside the cooler. Data is obtained from the measurement system and then analyzed so that the performance of the cooling system can be determined. The experiment is carried out in a location that is exposed to solar radiation. The process of measuring weather conditions is carried out by using a weather instrument. To record the temperature distribution on each component of the Peltier cooling system are used thermocouples which are connected to the data acquisition. Experimental results show that the minimum temperature that can be achieved on vegetables and fruits ranging from 17.324°C. The average temperature of vegetables and fruits during the experiments varies from 22°C. The results of this experiment indicate that the Peltier cooler box tested can be used to maintain the freshness of vegetables and fruits. The maximum COP value of the Peltier cooling system tested is 0.670, and the minimum COP value is 0.428.