International Journal of Innovative Scientific & Engineering

Technologies Research 8(3):1-5, July-Sept., 2020

© SEAHI PUBLICATIONS, 2020 www.seahipaj.org ISSN: 2360-896X

Construction of Solar Powered Refrigerator

Ogbeifun Emmanuel Osazee & Harmon Ebi Okilo

Department of Electrical/Electronic Engineering

Federal Polytechnic, Ekowe,
Bayelsa State, Nigeria
ABSTRACT
The study looked at the construction of solar powered refrigerator. The study identified major parts of
solar refrigerator such as the solar panel, charge controller, inverter, battery, Stainless steel solar
mounting bracket, Shelf edge Rear, basket handle, Vest frost hinge, Bottle rail, Plastic suspension,
compressor and Metal sheet. The freezer is required to have power of 400W and work for ten hours
(10hrs). The solar radiation as indicated in the map is (6.0-6.5) Kwh/m2/day. The total power 50% of
the battery power. The batteries are to be connected in series –parallel to obtain the desired value. The
above design makes it possible for us to select an inverter and a charge controller of the following
specification. The input voltage, output voltage and frequency, and overall power handling depend on
the design of the specific device or circuitry. The charge regulator or battery regulator was used to
limit the rate at which electric current is added to or drawn from electric cells. Finally, it was
recommended amongst others that training should be organized on how to couple and construct solar
powered refrigerator.
Keywords: Solar power, refrigerator, inverter, fabrication

INTRODUCTION
Renewable energies are energy that can be replaced by nature. The high cost and negative
environmental impact of conventional energy generation methods have necessitate to looks in the
direction of renewable energy. This is because renewable energy (RE) is freely abundant in nature and
has little or no harm to our environment. There are several important reasons for considering solar
energy as an energy resource to meet the needs of developing countries because most of the countries
called developing are in or adjacent to the torrid and have good solar radiation available and energy is
a critical need of these countries but they do not have widely distributed readily available supplies of
conventional energy resources. Therefore most of the developing countries are characterized by
parched climates, dispersed and inaccessible populations and a lack of investment capital and are thus
faced with practically invincible obstacles to the provision of energy by conventional means, for
example, by electrification. In contrast to this solar energy is readily available and is already
distributed to the potential users. This fabrication work is based on design and construction of solar
powered refrigerator. A solar powered refrigerator is a refrigerator which runs on energy directly
provided by sun, and it includes photovoltaic or solar panel. Solar powered refrigerators are able to
keep perishable goods such as meat and dairy cool in hot climates, and are used to keep much needed
vaccines at their appropriate temperature to avoid spoilage. Solar-powered refrigerators are typically
used in off-the-grid locations where utility provided AC power is not available.
Aim and Objectives
The aim of this fabrication is to design and construct a solar powered refrigerator.
Objectives
The objectives of this project are:
I. To identify an area of solar energy utilization useful to the developing countries
II. To select a suitable device for development and for a preliminary investigation.
III. To develop one or more prototype units demonstrating the usefulness and economic viability
of solar energy for the designed purposes.
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Significance of the Fabrication

The advantages of the solar refrigerator are similar to the ones offered by the other solar energy
devices. Since the solar refrigerator runs on solar energy there is lots of saving of electrical power that
would have been produced by the conventional power plants causing lots of pollution. The solar
energy is available freely, abundantly and is a clean source of energy. One of its additional advantages
is that the excess power produced by the solar refrigerator can be used for the other domestic
purposes. The solar refrigerators can be very useful in far off remote places where there is no
continuous supply of electricity.

METHODOLOGY
The compressor uses (isobutene) and is equipped with an integrated electronic control, which ensures
that photovoltaic solar panels can be connected directly to the compressor without requiring an
inverter or external control. The compressor is able to smooth start at low speed and is equipped with
an Adaptive Energy Optimizer (AEO-control). By using this control, the compressor will slowly
speed up from minimum to maximum speed (from 2000 to 3500 r.p.m). A charge controller is in
cooperated to the circuit to control output of panel. If the panels cannot provide sufficient power, the
charge controller will take care to match both the batteries and the panel output. Once the power
from the solar panels is sufficient, the compressor will start at low speed and slowly speed up again.
The controller accepts a voltage between 10 and 45 V. The voltage from solar panels can vary, so this
new feature is good for solar powered refrigerators and freezers. On a 12V module, the compressor
needs a current of about 4.5 A to start, and it can run continuously at 2A.
The solar refrigerator cabinet will be fabricated by metal and coated with plastic to have good
insulation to act as normal Vest frost type refrigerator casing. The Vest frost type is a highly insulated,
standard chest freezer cabinet and the most efficient mass-produced cabinets on the market for the
purpose of refrigerator with 100 mm polyurethane insulation. The net volume of the refrigerator
compartment will be about 50litres. The compartment is separated from the ice storage. The
Evaporator is integrated into the ice storage. During daytime, forced convection cools the refrigerator.
When the temperature in the refrigerator compartment gets too cold during the daytime, a small
electrical heating element keeps refrigerator above freezing temperature. A thermostat controls the
heater. At night the refrigerator is kept cool by natural convection from the ice apartment.

Block Diagram

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Material Specification
Material Specification
1 Solar panel Pmax: 250w, Vmp: 30.6V Imax :8.17A, Isc :8.95A Vmax:
600v 1600mmx990mmx35mm
2 Charge controller Mppt, Configu:12,24, 36, or 48V 45A 150Vmax
3 Inverter Whistler pro 12v, 2000W 166A
4 Battery Koyama 12v, 200Ah 52x24x21cm
5 Stainless steel solar 184x80x120mm
mounting Bracket
6 Shelf edge Rear White , 51.5cm
7 Basket Handle 145x 67mm
8 Vest frost hinge 3x5cm
9 Bottle rail 14x15cm
10 Plastic suspension 14x15cm
11 Compressor 12/24v R134a refrigerant
12 Metal sheet 4x8ft

Fig: 2 Complete Assembly of the System

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Fig: 3 The Front View of freezer

Fabrication Design
Design consideration: While designing for a solar refrigerator system the following should be
considered:
 The power rating of the system in watt –hour
 The solar radiation in Kwh/m2/day which can be obtained in from solar radiation map.
Solar Panel
The freezer is required to have power of 400W and work for ten hours (10hrs)
Total Watt-hour = 400W x 10hrs = 4000whrs
The solar radiation as indicated in the map is (6.0-6.5) Kwh/m2/day.
Therefore the power will be equals = Total wattage –hour/Solar radiation in hour
4000wh/6h = 833W
For the purpose of these fabrication four modules of a 250w, 8.15A mp, 30.7v mpv and 8.68A Sc.
photovoltaic solar panel is recommended which is capable of providing up to 1000W/day

Battery
Because of the total dependence of sunlight by solar system when there is no sunlight the system will
go down , to avoid this to happen we need to design for a backup battery bank. To obtain the number
of battery required, the depth of discharge should also be considered.
Choosing a 12v 200Ah battery, the power will be 12x 200 = 2400 to keep the system for efficient the
depth of discharge (D.OD) should not be less than 50%. Hence the number of battery required: Total
Power / 50% of the battery power:
4000/1200 = 4 battery

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The batteries are to be connected in series –parallel to obtain the desired value. The above design
makes it possible for us to select an inverter and a charge controller of the following specification.
Inverter
(12v, 2000W 166A): power inverter, or inverter, is an electronic device or circuitry that changes
direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC). The input voltage, output voltage and frequency, and
overall power handling depend on the design of the specific device or circuitry.
Charge controller
(Configured: 12, 24, 36, or 48V 45A 150Vmax): charge regulator or battery regulator limits the rate
at which electric current is added to or drawn from electric cells. It prevents overcharging and may
protect against overvoltage, which can reduce battery performance or lifespan, and may pose a safety
risk.

CONCLUSION
Refrigerator plays vital role in homes and offices to keep our fresh fruit and any other soft drinks for
use later when need arises. But the cost per power consumption of refrigeration is something to be
given consideration especially in an area where power supply is a major problem. To carter for these,
there is a need to design and fabricate a prototype of solar powered refrigerator to demonstrate the
usefulness of solar powered systems to student and its advantage over the conventional ways of
generation.

RECOMMENDATIONS
The following recommendations are made from the study:
1. Training should be organized on how to couple and construct solar powered refrigerator.
2. Government should partner with Electronics Company to subsidize parts used for
construction of solar powered refrigerator.

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